New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-06-08
PLAN PACKING HOUSE
Significant Changes Takinu
Place in the Meat Industry.
DRIFT TO THE CITY
What New York Will Gain from
Growing Importance of
Business Here.

Prepared by the Industrial Bureau Of m.
Merchants Association.
There have been rumors that a larss
packing establishment will be built with.
in the metropolitan district Vague As
such rumors are, they are based, never
theless on certain fundamental changes
altering the course OF the development
of the slaughtering and meat packing in.
dustry. These changes have a special
significance for New York City, as I'm.
doubtedly they will result in greatly in.
creasing the Importance OF this industry
here.
Because OF the size Of the city this in
dustry has always been important, but
its relative Importance has been entirely
local, and the largest part OF the city's
meat supplies have been furnished by the
Western packers. This was the natural
result of natural causes. The develop
ment of the Western ranges made cattle
raising profitable at a low cost, and the
Eastern farmer, unable to meet this COM
petition, gradually withdrew from the
raising OF cattle except for local demand
The invention of the refrigerator car. the
development Of these ranges and the fact
that cattle depreciate rapidly in weight
and therefore in value during transporta-
ton led TO the inevitable concentration
Of the meat packing industry at the ter
minals OF the railroads which tap the
great Western supply regions.
Until 1900 the development OF the indus
try increased the concentration In the
Western cities. The Eastern markets
became more and more dependent upon
the Western packer for their supplies,
and wholesale slaughtering and packing
of meat in the Atlantic States became
almost altogether an unimportant local
lied industry. Thus. in the Commits
sioner Of Corporations report on the beef
industry in 1905, II was estimated that the
Western cities furnished New England
with approximately IS per cent Of It's
supply OF meat, and that 81 per cent OF
the meat consumed in New York was
shipped from the Western centres.
This increase in the dependence on the
in the development OF the industry IN
New York City. According TO the CEN
sus report on selected industries in 300.
the value Of the products in this industry
In New York City during the ten years
period from 1880 10 1900 decreased from
$50 1896. 900 TO ;43,35000O.
In striking contrast 70 the growing de-
Of h. ha
Western packer for its meat supply during
that decade has been the trend OF the In
dustry during the last ten years Thus
from 1893 10 1909 the value OF the prod
ucts in this industry In New York City
more than doubled, increasing from Si3.-
$50. 900 TO 5.s62. 900, while in Brooklyn
Borough the increase in the value Of the
products was from S3.l39,000 10 $3.50
600. That this striking increase IS the re-
suit OF fundamental changes Is shown BY
the fact that during this period the supply
Of cattle in the United States has re-
manned nearly stationary. while the de-
mand for and the consumption OF meat
has increased very rapidly. The statistics
Of the receipts OF cattle, hogs and sheep
at the twelve principal Western markets
showed that from 1902 to 1912 there vas
no marked increase in the total number
received.
Striking evidence Of the increase OF the
home consumption for these products IS
shown by the very rapid drop in the ex-
ports OF cattle and Of dressed and canned
meats. Since 1902 the annual exports OF
cattle fell from $4,000 10 $4,000 head
while during the same period the imports
Of cattle chiefly from Mexico. increased
from 10000 TO $4,000 head. In 1902 the
value Of the exports classified as meat and
provisions was S1S2.62s.79o and IN 1872
the value Of these products exported was
only Sl4S1l6.O6S. The export OF dresser
beef dropped from S25,02s.0o0 in 1902 10
sl.053.177 in 1912.
These facts point the way 10 the foNoV-
ing results:
With the continued rapid settlement OF
the West Il is becoming more and more
difficult 10 raise cattle in great numoers
at a low cost a condition which IS result
ing in a gradual decrease in the total cat
tie supply OF me country
In the face Of the rapidly increasing
home consumption this will inevitably ~
suit In three things.
First-The Eastern farmer will ma
increasingly profitable to enter catus
raising on larger scale
Second-The importation Of meats from
such natural production regions as inc
Argentine will follow.
Third-There will be a decided .essehIhs
in the amount Of meat shipped from the
Western packing establishments and toeto
will he a rapid increase IN the Wholesae
slaughtering and packing industry IN INC
Eastern centres.
Now this does not mean that New iofA
will rival Chicago stock yards or tha'
packing establishments will be transplant
ed I'm wholesale lots 10 the meuopoAtah
district. II does mean that New YORK WI.
reap the advantages which an Increase VI
Importance as a producing and manuIa0F
uring centre I'm this industry will bring
In 1893 in this industry there were III
New York City according 70 the census
reports. ll2 establishments, capitalized a.
SIS lS5,OOO. employing 1924 workers aIa
turning out a product valued AT Sso'so-'V"
"A phenomenal increase OF $S9,s2i,O" since
l9o4-and New York ranked third IN lhe
value of the products in this indos"'
among the cities OF the United States
New York is the great market Tor 'ne
.Nf nrndflefg