The Washington times., 1913-08-08
ARGENTINE BEEF
REACHES CAPITAL
First Consignment, Of 100000
Pounds, Sold For Cent a
Pound Less Than Local.

The first consignment of beef from
the Argentine Republic. heralded as
the panacea for the high price of meat,
has arrived in washington. The beef
is not only the first to arrive in the
city, but is one of the first shipments
TO reach this country. ...-...
Nine hundred thousand pounds were
IN the shipment here. and more will
follow. The quality is as good as the
best American beef, and superior to
most American beef, according to
butchers here who have inspected the
shipment The price is slightly lower
than that for similar American beef at
the present-about cent in favor of
the foreign beef-but with the expected
reductions in the tariff and lessenIng
expense from direct shipment from
Buenos Aires, this difference viii be
Increased to cents, and possibly more.
Shipment An Experiment.
8. L. Hoover and H. B. Denham. who
declare they have obtained the exclu-
sive rights to distribution of the Argen-
tine beef for the Southern territory,
said today that the present Importation
is in the nature of an experiment De-
termined to take steps for increasing
the supply of beef in this country, they
after consulting DR.. Hale, of the Pan
American Union, determined TO import
CONSIGNMENT of meat from South
America.
The present shipment came from
Buenos Aires, by way of Liverpool; IN
the steamship Philadelphia, of the White
Star Line The business was arranged
through brokers in New York. The
roundabout route is the one ordinarily
taken in shipment of goods here, It is
said, although in the case Of so large
a shipment the cargo is not reloaded.
II is possible to establish more direct
shipments however, and this will be
done. il is said, IL ii is determined to
import the beef in large quantities
The shortening of the route will make
considerable difference in the cost, and
viii permit the lowering of the selling
price about / cent a pound, 1t is de-
clared.
Opposition At First.
The situation with this Argentine
beef is similar to that in connection
with the first shipments of Western
beef" said Mr.. Denham today. When
the first shipments were made of West
ern beef there was great deal of op-
position to the product. 1t was soon
found, however, that the beef was bet
ter than the Eastern beef, and for many
years people have talked Western beef
as II it were the finest in the world.
Western beef is becoming scarce
and expensive. Lack of feed and prop
er grazing grounds is injuring the
quality In this Argentine beef we find
a reproduction of the early Western
beef The quality is of the best Our
butchers comment on its fine appear
ance and unusually good flavor. Even
at present prices the Argentine beef is
as good as the American beef or better.
With the reduction of the tariff and i'm
provement of shipping conditions through
direct shipments IL will be possible to
undsEsell similar qualities of American
beef
The present shipment, includes about
eON cattle. which at 900 pounds TO each
animal makes 900. 900 pounds. The
present value is 121s cents a pound as
Compared with I3Ik cents for similar
American beef. The time required for
the shipment by way of Liverpool was
thirty-fiye days. BY direct service from
Buenos Aires this time may be reduced
10 twenty-three days.