Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-12-08

temporary Accommodation business.
No reports also were to be made for
fresh meats in coolers. nor was the
time passed in coolers to he added to
the time in cold storage proper
The two years covered by the in
vestigation began with March, 1909, for
dressed poultry, eggs, and fish, with
May, 1909, for fresh beef, mutton, pork
and butter.
The principal months when fresh
beef is placed in cold storage are Sep
TENDER, October and November; NUT
ton, August, September, and October;
butter June, July and August. and
sometimes May; eggs, April, May, and
June. Pork is quite we'll distributed
throughout the year. Poultry is made
up of diverse elements; broilers go in
to storage early in the spring and
roasterS in the early autumn; Novem-
Der, December, and January, and some
times October are the heaviest storage
months. With regard to fish there
seems to be no regularity in the heavy
cold-storage months; most Of the fish
is received fresh and is frozen, and
after the lapse of some time is sent to
warehouses at places of consumption,
where it is stored again. These two
periods of storage are combined in this
investigat ien.
During the three heavier cold -stor-
age months of 1901, AZ per cent of
the fresh beef placed in cold storage
during the whole year was received
into the warehouse; 59.S per cent of
the fresh mutton. 59.2 per cent. of the
dressed poultry. 10 per cent. of the
butter, and 79.4 per cent. Of the eggs.
It is estimated by this investigation
that H. per cent. OF the fresh beef re-
ceived into cold storage in the year
1880 was delivered within three
months; 28.S per cent. of the fresh
mutton, 95.2 per cent. of the fresh pork,
75.7 per cent. Of the poultry, 4o.2 per
cent of the butter, 14.3 per cent of the
eggs, and 35.5 per cent. of the fish.
The percentage of receipts delivered
in seven months is 80 for fresh beef,
99.3 per cent. for fresh mutton. 99.9 per
cent. for fresh pork, 96.1 per cent. for
poultry, SS.4 per cent. for butter, f5.S
per cent. for eggs. and 64,9 per cent
for fish.
The important observation to be
made" declares the Secretary, is that
the receipts into cold storage are en-
tirely or very nearly exhausted by the
deliveries out of cold storage within 10
months"
The fresh beef received into cold sto-
rage during the year beginning with
May, 1909, was kept there on the aver
age for % months; the fresh mutton,
Al months; the fresh pork, 0.9 of a
month; and the butter A months. The
poultry received during the year be-
ginning with March, 1909. was kept on
the average "a months; the eggs, 50
months; and the fish, 81 months.
The costs of cold storage are run
ming against the prices of stored COM
modities month by month. The own
ers must use good judgment and take
their goods out of storage before the
costs of storage, added TO the original
cost of the goods and perhaps some
profit, will raise the total amount of
cost above the market price. 1t is a
problem of the future.
The warehouseman has a rate of
charge for space for each commodity.
in some cases for storing for the sea-
son, and in others by the month. An
other cost of storage is interest, which
is not always a theoretical cost, and a
third cost is insurance.
they amount TO 05S7 of l cent per
pound of fresh beef per month, or 35
per cent. of the mean wholesale price
of beef during the heavy coid-storage
months of 1910; for fresh mutton the
costs are 0.352 of l cent per pound, or
SO per cent of the mean whole |
sale price; for poultry. 0.4is of l
cent per pound, or 2.S per cent
- hnlA 10 n
the largest class of poultry; for
butter. 0.571 of l cent per pound, or
"a per cent of the mean wholesale |
price; for eggs the costs amount to |
0.592 of cent per dozen, or per cent. |
of the mean wholesale price.
1t is evident that as the time of stor-
age lengthens. the costs and their per
centage OF the wholesale price must |
be multiplied by the number of months. |
IF the storage is for Is months, for in |
stance, the cost per pound ranges from
5.273 cents for fresh mutton to S5l2
cents for butter. and is s.S9s cents per
dozen for eggs; the costs for 10 months |
range from S6.5 per cent. of the whole |
sale price in the case of butter to 90
per cent. in the case of fresh mutton.
The costs of storage for the average
length of time during Whlch these COM
,nodities are in cold storage are 10 per
cent. of the wholesale price for fresh |
beef III per cent. for fresh mutton; |
So per cent. for fresh pork; 6.S per |
cent for poultry; los per cent. for but
ter; and is per cent. for eggs. Approx
imately. the wholesale prices of the |
commodities mentioned are increased |
by cold storage TO the extent of the |
percentages just given.
Cold storage has interposed to !
change considerably the relative |
monthly consumption to make it more |
even throughout the year. 1t has also
changed the relative monthly prices
throughout the year These two facts
have raised the price level of the COM |
modfties covered by this Investigation, !
for a reason apart from the costs of
storage IN two ways, then, cold stor
age has raised the cost of living. The |
prices that were compiled indicate a |
tendency toward uniformity of prices
throughout the year, after cold storage
became a large business, for butter,
eggs. fresh mutton, and poultry; but
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