Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-03
Meat Packing Industry of Solid Growth Huge Proportions

The first OF the buildings now known as
the Swift & Co plant was constructed in
1857. as a result OF which both the cattle
and hog markets were again greatly
benefited.
During the next few years while there
were no new establishments added, those
already located were constantly enga ged
in improving and enlarging their plants
TO accommodate the steadily increasing
business Of the yards Those concerned
with the future OF the South Omaha mar
ket appreciated the Importance from a
market standpoint Of having more OF the
prominent packing companies represented
at the yards in a substantial way. II
would not only create heavier demand
for all classes OF live stock, but Il would
give the market prestige and standing in
the business world which Il could not
enjoy without them. II was therefore
most gratifying to the stock yards people
and the patrons Of the market when
Armour q Co. decided TO build a larre
plant at South Omaha.
w. A. Paxton, then and for many
years, president OF the stock yards conn
pany. said It was the proudest moment OF
ms life when arrangements were CON
suinmated FOR Armour to come to South
Onaha' In the summer of 1897 construc-
ton OF their mammonth plant was begun
ana II stands today az one Of the largest
in the country.
armour q Co. not only became a prornt-
nent factor at this time in the market
through the heavy buy ng demand created
by the opening OF their plant. but Mr.
Armour became a large stockholder In
the stock yards plant
Armour a Company was the last ~
the Dig packers to become Identified vuitb
inc south Omaha market but the ax-
pansion OF the packing business did NOT
Vease with them. All the packers have
from year to year made substantial i'm
proVements I'm their processes ana mate
li9iiy increased the capacity of their
plants. A number OF small packing row
Germs nave sprung up in packing town.
contiguous TO the yards, now numbering
six in ALL
The modern packer has more than kent
abreast of the development OF the live
STOCK Industry In the United states. The
Time was, within comparatively recent
years, too, when live stock operations
We're limited because OF restricted mar
kets' but such a condition no longer ex-
lists.
The packer may be said to have made
the possibilities of stock raising and feed
ing now unlimited, because he has estab
lished a market for more than is being
produced. Under the old system OF local
butchers the demand was limited to local
markets
One locality might be oversupplied and
another short with no practical or profit
able means OF equalizing the distribu-
uon OF the products of the range or feed
lot. The packer first made a market I'm
our own country for it's live stock; then
IL created market in other countries.
The ready market for live stock as
well az many OF the other products Of the
farm has been made possible by the
establishment of stock yards and packing
houses at trade centers convenient and
easily accessible TO producing districts
ana by the introduction OF improved
transportation methods in the handling
of perishable freight
In addition to having facilitated the dis
tribution of the demand for our products
In our own land, through the energy
and diligence of the packer, the demand
for our products has been extended to
the farthest corners of the earth; his
representatives are TO be found in every
large city and civilized country on the
fare OF the globe drumming up trade for
American meats and packing house
products.
He has not only been able to create an
unlimited demand for our meat food
products, but has through his ingenuity
been able to manufacture merchantable
commodities from the inedible parts OF
the animal, thus conserving IN the form
OF by-products much of value which I'M