The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-10-17
George L. Pratt Retires.
Veteran Chief of the Armour Hog Buyine
Force Receives Testimonial from Mr.
Armour and will Enjoy a Well. earned
Rest on Pension of $4,000 a Year

the retirement of George L Pratt. vet.
e1an chief hog buyer of the Armour &
Co. forces, we're held in the hog house
this morning, starting at 1890 O'Clock.
The occasion, which was one that will
linger long in the minds of all so fortu-
nate as to be in attendance, had been
carefully prearranged by lifelong friends
and associates of the retiring chief. who
was escorted through flag bedecked al.
legs in the Burlington division to spot
prepared for the ceremonies while a band
played Hail to the Chief"
Business of trading was suspended
while the throngs of Stock Yards men
and numerous representatives from
Packingtown assembled to participate in
the farewell ceremonies and listen to ora
tory from old acquaintance extolling
the virtues of Mr.. Pratt and expressing
the general regret of the trade over his
retirement from the industry with which
he has been actively associated as head
Of the Armour hog buying forces for a
period covering three-score years. A
farewell letter to Mr.. Pratt from ]. Og-
den Armour, whom business engage
ment in Milwaukee prevented being pres
ent in person, was read.
Col. Harry D. Piatt had been selected
d
of presentation of remembrances from
Mr.. Pratt's friends at the yards and Col
Piatt never appeared in better form in
that capacity. The gifts consisted of
heavy gold locket mounted on a broad
silken fob and centered with an exquisite
white diamond Of about ga carats, and
beautiful imported English Malacca
walking stick carrying handle of rhi-
nocerous tusk. The locket bore the en-
graved inscription Presented to George
Pratt by traders and friends at the Union
Stock Yards, Chicago. September 80,
1912. SO years. The walking stick
was surrounded by neat gold band sim
ilarly inscribed and also carrying Mr.,
Pratt's initials.
Friends Of the trade leader who on
October l begins a well-earned rest,
were made happy by being presented
pictures of Mr.. Pratt bearing his auto
graph.
Dozens of red carnations had been
ordered by those in charge of the ar
rangements for the farewell send-off and
bedecked the buttonholes of hundreds of
Mr.. Pratt's admirers.
In hog market circles Pratt has been
Armour these many years back. That
interest has its captains in every branch
of its trade ramifcations and Pratt has
been conspicuous in the high-salaried
coterie. Ever since the war he is re-
puted to have been working for the Ar
mours, father and son in succession, and
any one of several score market SCARED
statesmen will affirm that he has been re-
sponsibe in no small measure for the
creation of Armour wealth. One inspir-
alton has always possessed Pratt to buy
hogs "lower," and with that object
before him he has been credited
with planning nights and working
days The Nestor of the corps of hog
buyers at the Chicago yards has four
decades of devotion to the task of put
ting the market on lower basis, and
strenuously resisting bullish energy,
have acquired him a name wherever
hogs are raised and shippers operate.
He has bought live hogs at 13c per
pound and as low as 2 lie, but never
vet has the admission been extracted
| from him that he secured value for the
Armour money involved in the transac-
ton.
Pratt and the elder Armour were init
mate for nearly a quarter of century.
In stock yard circles it is no secret that
but for the shrewdness of the employee
the employer would have gone wrong
frequently. For many years Armour's
hog policy was dictated solely by Pratt,
the ''old man" having learned by expert
ence that he was best qualified to pilot
that member of his commercial fleet.
Pratt became factor in determining
hog prices at Chicago in 1869. Immedi-
ately after the war he was in the trade
at Albany, N. Y, then one of the prin-
cipal live stock centers of the United
States. That foresight which has en-
abled him to keep line on the visi-
! BILE supply Of hogs ever since attracted
/ him to Chicago. He came to grow up
with the live stock trade of the West
and, in CONJUNCTION with Armour, domi-
nate one branch OF it, at least part Of
the time. His early successes were
scored in the field of speculation where
he attracted P. D. Armour's attention.
1t did not take Armour long to discover
that he had located postmaster in the
art of trading and after Pratt had con-
WINGED him on sever al occasions that he
| ferred with. On the 22d anniversary of
his engagement as buyer for the house,
Pratt walked into Armour's office on
LaSalle street and remarked:
! "Mr. Armour, I've been with you
TWENTY-FIVE years today"
"Well, the only request that have to
make is that you remain % years more
in the same capacity" was the response
of Americas greatest butcher.
Among the noted bourses of the United
States the Chicago hog market occupies
prominent position. Wall street and
the great grain pits at tie head of La
Sale street overshadow it, but minus its
hog market Chicago's commercial su-
premacy would dim perceptibly. For a
few hours each day it is a scene Of ami
nation with human and porcine actors.
One days hog market is much like an
other. 1t is continual struggle between
Titanic forces, growers, shippers and
commission men, bulls in season and out,
and buyers, the killers agents, always
chronic bears. A daily difference of SC
per hundred in the cost of big packing
drove amounts to small fortune an
nually. Beside such sum even the
salary Pratt has been credited with
drawing would look like traction of a
picayune. To present an immobile
countenance, refusing to betray either by
manner or word the pressing needs of the
house and to fill the days orders while
creating the impression that nothing is
needed, Is the buyers's stunt Solely by
ability to accomplish this feat has Pratt
| L.