Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-12-09
Government OFFERS
frozen MEATS TO
CONSUMING PUBLIC
Supply on Hand Consists Of Ap-
proximately 100000 Lbs.
Only Carload Orders Will Be
Considered.

The war department authorizes pub
LEGATION of the following statement
from the office of the director of sales:
The director of sales announces that
the surplus property division, office OF
the ouartermaster general Of the army,
Is offering for sale the entire surplus
of beef held by the war department.
consisting of approximately 34,21b,oOo
(. pounds OF frozen beef. In accordance
with the policy which it has established
to control the sale of surplus supplies
the war department will attempt TO
dispose of this exclusively through
those esta blished trade channels which
sell directly to the ultimate consumer
until January Is. IL at the expiration
OF that time any portion OF TINS sur
plus stock remains unsold the war de
partment will attempt to dispose OF
the remaining surplus to the best al
vantage of the government.
The beef is offered for sale to any
municipality, community buying or
sanitation. municipal, county or state
institution, hotel or restaurant, re-
taller or other buyer who purchases
for immediate domestic distribution or
consumption.
The beef will be sold at 20 per cent
less than Chicago quotations on
dressed beef. medium steers, delivered
f. O. b. to any point within the terri
torial limits of the United States which
has railroad connections. The pur-
chaser will be billed at his option.
either at the price prevailing on date
of delivery or at the price prevailing
on the date on which order is placed,
and a deposit to insure acceptance
must be made. The purchaser will be
billed collect on delivery for the re-
maiL Ter of the purchase price of his
order.
The beef is carcass beef in fore and
hind quarters. Orders must be for an
equal number of fore and hind quar-
ters.
Since the beef, being grozen, must
be transported in refrigerator cars, no
order for less than a minimum carload
lot of 10000 pounds will be considered.
The war department will encourage
the association of small buyers who
desire to place a bulk order for min
imum carload lot and will ATTEMPT to
fiji, by carload shipment, orders placed
by several communities located in the
aame section of a state and on the
same transportation line.
The beef offered for sale by the war
Z department was butchered from steers
af medium and good grades and ranges
in weight from AIS to 600 pounds per
carcass. having been placed iii storage
duing the months of January, l'ebru-
AIRY and March of 1at9---months during
which the cattle marketed is corn and
hay fed-its average quality is better
llan that of beef which. is now on COM
mercial markets, since the latter beef
is grass-fed. Steers constitute the
highest grade of beef. being preferred
to cows and bulls. Steers, in turn are
graded choice good, medium and com
mon. Since a very small quantity of
beef of the grade designated choice"
is available for the retail trade the war
q n
classifications of the highest grades of
beef offered to the American house
holder.
Placed in proper refrigeration the
beef offered by the war department will
keep for an indefinite period of time.
This fact, coupled with the discount
granted and the present prevailing low
price of beef. should make the offer of
the war department partlclarly at
tractive to dealers. hotels and institu-
lions which have storage facilities to
accommodate considerable stocks. Be
fore being prepared for actual con-
sumption this beef must be de frosted
This is accomplished by gradual rails
ing of temperature and ut this season
of the year with temperature stable,
can be readily accomplished with com
paratively simple refrigerating facili-
ties without risk Of spoilage. Frozen
beef Is equally nourishing as the fresh
or chilled beef to which the American
public is more generally accustomed,
and is equally pala!able.
Since this beef was prepared espe-
cially for export purposes To be sup
piled to the American armies in Eu-
rope, it could, in view of the present
prices that prevail in foreign markets,
be sold at a better return for export,
but the war department DESIRES be-
fore seeking other markets, to give the
American consumer an opportunity to
take advantage of any reduction in
dressed meat prices which may result
from the introduction of its surplus