New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
LIVE POULTRY
Rapid Rise and Development of This
important Industry.
By SAMUEL WERNER.

1t will be news to many New Workers
20 learn that there are slaughtered an
nually in the City OF Greater New York
over twenty-five (22,000,000) million head
OF live chickens each year, and that this
vast amount of poultry is practically
slaughtered and consumed in about sixty
two days of each year, embracing the
hfty-two Hebrew Sabbath ewes, which
commence at sundown each Friday and
end at sundown on Saturday, and about
twelve other holidays scattered over the
twelve months. 1t may also seem incred-
ible to many that this vast army or
chickens Is kept alive until less than
twenty-four hours before reaching the
table. Perhaps few industries in this city
or even In the entire country. have grown
to such immense proportions as the chick
en- business, and as the volume OF business
has shown over 80 per cent Increase in
the last two years IT is difficult to fore
see where the next decade will bring 1t.
Another surprise is still left in connec-
ton with the above industry, and that is
the fact that G.. H. Hawk, who received
the first carload of live poultry to reach
New York, Is still alive, hale and hearty
in his retirement in New Jersey. This was
in the early 7O's. and. as Mr. Hawk
put IT, IF the same amount Of poultry
was now shipped on single car the
boys would laugh at it," This particular
car came from as far west as Ohio and
was the forerunner OF a business that
now extends from North Dakota clear down
to Texas and extending to the western sec
% la
to 1915 most of the live poultry was
slaughtered in killing houses established
in Jersey City and operated by the mer-
chants in the old West washington Mar
ket extending from Vesey &c Dey street,
on the North River. The poultry at that
time came from New York State, Jersey
and Pennsylvania, with Rhode Island
and Connecticut also shipping some. Sue
cessful experiments were made I'm ship
ping Western iced poultry to this market,
and this increased in volume so rapidly
that the local slaughter houses could no
longer exist. This change was acceler-
ated by city ordinances making II a mis-
demeanor TO offer any dressed poultry for
sale with food I'm the crops. Up to this
time the major portion of the poultry was
growing Hebrew colony was In the vicin-
ity of Hester street, on the East Side OF
town, that had control of the poultry in
dustry among that element. At that time
the principal receivers of live poultry
were the firm of G. Il. Hawk, James n.
Norris. Hance Brothers and c. Wester-
berg a. CO. These firms received the bulk
Of the poultry arriving In car lots, but
there were scores Of firms that got eX-
press poultry from nearby states The
Hebrews were the principal buyers and
many of them had little or no capital, and
If the market went against them for two
weeks in succession they were completely
wiped out: and this happened so often
that the live poultry business was any
thing but remunerative one. The deal
crs were Samuel Fleck, Joe Kassel & Son,
Louis ]. Schwab, Samuel Werner and Sol
Frankel, the last two only mere boys
Credits became so uncertain that receiv-
ers insisted that these dealers would guar
antee the accounts Of the smaller deal
ers, and in a short time these jobbers
we're buying the entire receipts OF live
poultry and distributing it among the
small markets on the East Side. At the
same time the nucleus of the present job
hers combination came into existence. In
1889, the present market, between Ganse-
WORT and Bloomfield streets on the Nortt
River, being completed. the live poultry
merchants moved into their present quar-
ters. The firm OF c. Westerberg was In
existence in the old market and another
lew firm, George G.. Brown & Co, came
into existence. This was followed by
Clemen Bishop and few years later by
Jewell Brothers. Very few permanent ad-
ditions were made to the receivers for the
next ten years; several firms engaged in
the business. but either lacked capital or
experience to prove successful, the Dwy-
or Bros. known as the Charles Collins
Company. being the only successful be-