The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-08-19
HIGH PRICES OF
MEAT EXPLAINED
BY Armour, the Chicago
Meat Packer.
FARMER HOLDING BACK STOCK
He DeclareS-SayS Last Two
Weeks Poorest Period
For Plant.
FARMER HOLDING BACK STOCK
DEARTH OF HOGS AND CATTLE

OHlCdSO, Aug. vigorous ue-
NAL that the packers have made the
European war an excuse to put up
meat prices was made to-day by J.
Ogden Armour. president of Armour
q Co., in a statement
He said that the reason for the
advances was that receipts at the
stock yards here for the last two
weeks have been approaching
famine basis.
In that time, the statement ex-
planned, Armour & Co., have killed
fewer hogs than during any similar
period in the history of the concern.
The nine Armour plants killed
only 14,73S hogs last week, against
70,33S the week before the war;"
the statement read. They killed only
1852 cattle last week as against
21,S36 the week before the war, and
only 30,334 sheep last week as
against 1895 the week before the
war
Mr.. Armour said the packers have
contended with a shortage of live
stock for a year, and lately with the
natural tendency of the producer to
hold back his stock in hopes of wa
time prices.
circumstances of last week, ut
terly beyond the control of anybody,
directly affected livestock and meat
prices he said. The financial sit
nation everywhere, fortunately now
a thing of the past, made it impossi-
BILE for buyers and shippers in the
stock-growing sections to send stock
TO the market.
Then Washington sent out, and
properly SO, official advice to farm
ers to hold thei.' crops. While this
was addressed directly to cotton and
wheat growers it had it's effect upon
all farm products. These circum-
stances added to the livestock short
age, caused fluctuations which nobo-
dy could control. The conditions
are fast becoming normal and prices
soon will be on a more even basis.
During the last two weeks Ar
mour & Co. have killed fewer hogs
sshan during any similar period since
We have been in business. Our Chi
cago plant has a killing capacity of
more than $4,000 hogs a week. Last
week it killed only 1924. Kansas
City has almost the same capacity
and killed only 2,012. Our East ST.
Louis. Fort Worth and st. Joe plants
killed respectively 504. 7S3 and 595
hogs last week.
These are frst-hand facts from
our own business. They are to be
paralleled by those of every other
packing company. Only the other
day. we were able to fill but one
third of an order from one of the
nations at war, because the raw ma
terial could not be obtained
Our business men are as patriot
ic as any other element in our pop
ulation and are not looking for a
chance to squeeze an extra dollar
out of abnormal conditions. If we
all keep cool and avoid Mysteries we
will pull through this unusual situa-
ton to the satisfaction of every
body"
John T. Russell president of the
Master Butchers Association, sent
a letter to President Wilson asking
him TO forbid the expectation of
meat from this country Oh the
gsound that there is a shortage of
the supply and that a meat famine
may result.
Total livestock receipts of 2,7O4
carloads last week were the smallest
since the strike at the stock yards in
1904, according to Arthur G.. Leon
ard, president of the Chicago Union
Stock Yards. This was less than
that sometimes received in a Single
day, he said.
1.-THE combined receipts at the six
principal Western livestock markets !
fof the last month show even great
er declines than Chicago Mr.. Leon
ard added. "The receipts were 1885,
900 cattle, $4,000 hogs and 1l4.-
900 sheep less than during the cor
responding month of 1913"