Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-18
URUGUAY AND THE MEAT
PROBLEM.

With porterhouse steak at % cents
a pound retail as an imminent fact, the
beef eaters of the world are getting
somewhat worried. especially those
who happen to be domiciled in the
United States. Argentina is supplying
some of her product, but when the
enormous total of Uncle Sans con-
sumption is taken into considera-
ton the quantity imported is 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 il 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 a Cattle Country" some interesting
details as to the live stock Industry
of this rich little republic OF South
America are given.
Something over a hundred years ago
the haciendadoes (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
still have cattle enough down there
to convert some 100000 head into 49,
OOO. 900 pounds of jerked beef in one
year, most of which is sold to Brazil,
Cuba, Porto Rico, and other tropical
I'll 4P S.,fn tondnr-
Ioins OF 100000 head OF cattle going
into jerked 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 extract
known to the world was established
at Fray Bentos. little city on the
Uruguay river about 100 miles above
Buenos Aires, the cosmopolitan capital
of Argentina, and that IT is still doing
business at the same old stand" al
though the stand" has grown enor-
mously larger since the time it became
the pioneer in the beef-tea industry.
The worldwide reputation of this con-
Germ is perhaps largely due to the high
grade of the cattle of Uruguay, as well
as to the cleanly and scientific manner
OF the preparation of the product.
OF more interest to the people of the
United States, however. is the fact
that Uruguay has upward of 100000
head of cattle and 100000 sheep on
it's fertile plains. and that it will vety
soon be taken into serious considera-
tion 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. If
the months OF March and April may
be taken as a criterion the annual i'm
portation will amount to about $1,000
900, and the trade is as yet in its first
stages. With the rise in price of re-
frigerated beef Uruguay can be de-
pended upon as being an important fac
tor in the markets of the world, and IN
stead OF converting its fine cattle
into jerked beef new refrigerating
plants will be sending chilled or frog
en- quarters to New York by the ship
load. The demand exists now, and the
only question is, how much can Uru-
quay supply? With 37,5O0,00O acres
of its territory devoted TO pasture and
grazing. the sturdy little country
ought to cut some considerable figure.