Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-10-01
Big meat TRUST
Continued from Page One.l

(COuIluucu lIOul fdS6 Ouo.)
~ to s cents a pound there year
ago. The figures indicate that the
packers are collecting an average
added profit of $3.50 per hundred
pounds on all the muttons sold in
the country. The retail price is about
the same as a year ago.
Good Profit on Lambs.
The packers are buying lambs at
Chicago at 1915 to s7.35 per hundred
pounds live weight, as against $6.75
to $7.45 per hundred pounds in Sep
tcmber, 1912. The wholesale prizes
to the trade is now half a cent a
pound higher than year ago--an
extra profit of IS cents to so cents in
every 100 pounds for the packers.
The packers are buying hogs at Chi
cago at $7.75 to $9.15 per 100 pounds
live weight, as against $3.50 to $685.
per 100 pounds year ago. The prices
thus would average about the same,
namely $S.45 in both years. : Notwith-
standing this fact, pork at wholesale,
costs the trade cent pound more
than year ago, and the average ad-
vance at retail at New York and else
where is 2 cents a pound.
There is, according to w. w. Brarer,
a cattle exporter at New York, prac-
tically no difference in the quality of
American beef this fall as against
last fall The packers have been tell
ing the public th:t beef is growing
scarce because the great ranches in
the far west are being !: up into
farms. The inaccuracysof this state
mrnt and its misleading tendency is
shown by figures assembled by the
Chicago Farmers and Droyers' Jour
nal. According to that authority, L.
713,6O0 cattle have been received at
Chicago from Jan. 1 to Sept. a.,
1918, of which 1,65S,O0O wer native
or corn fed. 1000 came from tie
western ranches, and 14,7OO from
Texas. Of the 2,652,342 cattle re-
ceived at Chicago in 1912 only 2a2,
200, or less thar 10 Tor cent "are from
the ranches; 5000 were from Texas,
anl more than 100000 were corn
fed Ut =
In recent vars ONLY 10 per cent Of
the beef cattle received at Chicago
has come from the ran"nes. All Of
the rest, eXcrHt those from Texas,
are from the farms of the corn belt
Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska,
part of Colorado and northern Okla,
noma. Thus it is not true that the
breaking up of the ranches has caus-
ed any great scarcity Of beef cattle.
The receipts of cattle in Chicago in
1912 were $4,000 fewer than in 1917,
the respective totals being 2,652,342
and 2,931,831. The receipts in 1911
were 121,000 less, than in 1910. The
receipts in 1913. up to Sept. q, have
been only $4,000 less than in the cor
responding period Of 1912, indicating
a total decrease fop1913 of about one
hundred and eighty thousand.
Fewer Calves Killed.
1t is also apparent that farmers
are killing fewc: calves this ear than
last year, SO it4may be that the tide
has turned and that the deficit in
American. beef cattle will disappear in
the sfext-ifour years. Such is the
belief of Mr.. Brauer and other experts
in that line
According to Mr. Brauer the short
age is chiefly due to the discontinue
ance by the corn states, with the re
suit that the farmers have not been
able to buy as many cattle to fatten
as they did formerly. He says that
the fouryear drouth has had some
thing to do with the shortage and the
killing off of too many calves has
led even more effect. FFe adds that
a letup in calf-killing will straighten
cut the meat problem. ss-'ssas8l