The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-18

URUGUAY AND MEAT PROBLEM.
With porterhouse steak at 80 cents
q pound retail az an imminent fact.
the beef eaters Of the world are get
ing somewhat worried. especially
those who happen to be domiciled in
the United States. Argentina Is sup
plying some Of her product, but when
the enormous total Of Uncle Sans
consumption 10 taken into conMdera-
ton the quantity imported IL not even
as much as the proverbial drop In the
bucket. Where can we look for more
meat? is the all absorbing question.
In this connection It is interesting to
note an article in the July number of
the Monthly Bulletin Of the Pan
American Union. Washington. d. c..
in which, under the title OF Uruguay
as Cattle Country" some interesting
details as to the live stock industry OF
this rich little republic OF South Amer
lea are given.
Something over q hundred years ago
the hacendados (ranchmen) Of Uru-
quay complained to the government
that over 100000 head of cattle were
being killed annually for their hides
alone! The carcasses were thrown to
the dogs, or left on the rolling pampas
for the vultures to devour. Beef in
Uruguay was so plentiful that it was
something of a nuisance evidently. OF
course that day has passed. but they
convert some 100000 head into 49,
~ in
year, most OF which is sold to Brazil.
counties. Think of the juicy tender
loins Of 100000 head of cattle going
into jerkcd beef!
Again there are many thousands of
Uruguayan cattle annually converted
into extract of beef. Perhaps but few
people know that the first great fac
tory for the production Of beef ex-
tract known to the world was estab-
lished at Fray Bentos, a little city on
the Uruguay river about 100 miles
above Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan
capital Of Argentina, and that 1t is still
doing business cat the same old
stand" although the stand" has
grown enormously larger since the
time it became the pioneer in the beef
tea industry. The world wide reputa-
ton Of this concern is perhaps largely
due to the high grade of the cattle of
Uruguay as wei as to the cleanly and
scientific manner Of the preparation
Of the product. The writer Of the
article in the Bulletin states:
"Fray Bentos has been called the
greatest kitchen in the world. On
some days $500 head Of cattle are
slaughtered then treated SO as to get
the finest meat from them, the bones
and ribs, the intestines, tails, sinews,
hoofs, ana other parts being reserved
for their various uses. But this spe-
cial meat is subjected to scientific
preparation; it is cooked. to be sure.
in a real kitchen, and with the best
possible care and attention to detail
There are chemists, laboratories. en-
gineers, and authorities on technical
matters, al. engaged in cooking the
beef so as to turn it out in the most
acceptable form as the well known
and popular extract. The company Is
organized with a system Of help to
the employees. for improving their
physical, material and moral welfare.
1t maintains an almost model city
ton for enterprise and fair dealing
which gives it an enviable place in the
business world"
OF more interest to the people Of the
United States, however. is the fact that
Uruguay has upwards Of 5000, 900
head of cattle and 100000 sheep on
it's fertile plains. and that it will very
soon be taken into serious considera-
ton as a source of meat supply for
the great republic of the north. Dur
ing the first four months OF 1914 the
United States imported meat to the
value of s1,230,752 from Uruguay. II
the months Of March and April may
be taken as criterion the annual inn
portation will amount to about $780,
stages With the rise in price of re-
frigerated beef Uruguay can be de-
pended upon as being an important
factor in the markets Of the world,
and instead Of converting its fine cat
tie into jerked beef new refrigerating
plants will be sending chilled or frozen
quarters to New York by the shipload.
The demand exists now. and the only
question is, how much can Uruguay
supply? With 37,50O,0O0 acres of its
territory devoted to pasture and graz
ing, the sturdy little country ought to
cut some considerable figure.
SAFETY-FTRST INVESTMENTS.
The get-rich-quick swindlers are by