The Alaska daily empire., 1919-11-17
LETTERS SHOW. THAT
 PACKERS WENT INTO THE HOTEL BUSINESS
Interesting Correspondence Read Into the Records Over Ob- jections of Swift &
 Company

CHICAGO, Nov. 5.-Letters ind,cat ing that the big Chicago packers had invested large sums in the stock oi large hotel companies, especially il New York City, were introduced in the Interstate Commerce Com. missions hearing of the National Wholesale Grocers' Association com plaint that the packers receive spe cial service from the railroads. The letters went into the record over the objection of counsel for Swift & Go.
 The letters, chiefly written in 1917 : by Louis F. Swift, head of the Swift & Co.,, indicated that Armour & Co held $2O0000 in stock in the Bilt more and about $500,000 in the Com modore Hotel companies of New York and that Swift & Go. had taken $50,- 900 in the Hotel McAlpine. The let. ters to other officials of Swift x Co.,, suggested that it should be 8 good policy to take stock in substan tial hotel enterprises in order to ob tain the business of provisioning those establishments. and told of an effort to obtain stock in the Biltmore and Commercial Hotel companies adding but it was impossible; Ar mour had arranged it in advance"
 Louis F. Swift, in a letter dated June 30, 1917. replying to an official of Swift & Co.,. said.
 Answering your letter of the six teenth of Swift & Co.'S policy in con nection with taking stocks in hotels I will go back to 1910, when this first came up:
 "McA1pine: I highly recommended taking $50.000. stock in the McAlpine hotel, which carried with it their en tire business Sol Zahn, the hotel man in New York, took what we re fused and I don't doubt his profits are $5O,OOO annually. No contract. for supply
 "Biltmore-The next was the Bilt more hotel. Armour took stock to the amount of $200,000, but we had no opportunity. No contract to sup ply their meat, but this is assumed and they hold the trace. I don't doubt his profits exceed $50,00O an. nually.
 Commodore new hotel you speak about on Forty-second street is the Commodore. Edwards, Moon and I have seen MT. Bowman five or six times and begged him to let us be come stockholders, but he has re- fused, claiming the stock is all sold. or something of that kind. Armour has, I think s500,000.
 "While there is no contract 10 supply the meat, 1t is assumed he gets it. There is no doubt but that the stocks in both the above hotels will be profitable. Moon sees MT. Bowman almost every day.
 "Manhattan-The same owner has taken the Manhatten hotel, which the Metropolitan Ca Swift concern) sup plies to the extent of about $500 per week, which, is quite small. We are trying to get more but cannot get away from Armour.
 "Ansonia-Capital $100,000, seven per cent. cumulative preferred; $bO,- 900 common John McE. Bowman, president, and William J. Cummings have recently acquired stock own ership and in order to assist him and MT. Bowman to straighten out the af- fairs of the hotel. Swift & Co. have loaned them s75.O0O and some of the individuals $25.OO0 additional. with the understanding we will get their business.
 "Pennsylvania-The Pennsylvania hotel in New York City is to be run by MT. Slater. George Edwards and have seen him several times and have a partial promise of his busi- ness. But he does not ask anybody to take stock. Equal Commodore iR size.
 "Policy-As to our policy. should say every opportunity we can get to do anything like the above we would better do it..
 There are a good many question able hotel enterprises which ! think should be turned down and I have recently turned down three or four of thenn. :"