

OLEOMARGARINE. 215 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. It is now ten minutes of 12 o'clock. I 

 think the committee will have to take its recess. 



Mr. LESTRADE. Mr. Chairman, will you allow me to make a short 

 statement before you retire? 



The ACTING CHAIRMAN. Yes, sir. 



ADDITIONAL STATEMENT OF FRANCIS W. LESTRADE. 



Mr. LESTRADE. Mr. Chairman, after the session yesterday after- 

 noon I was approached by a member of the dairy association who 

 seemed to have a misunderstanding I do not mean so far as the com- 

 mittee was concerned of the remarks I made in relation to the prices 

 of butter; and perhaps the committee might also have had an erroneous 

 impression or a wrong impression, or did not understand it exactly. 

 It will take me but a few minutes to repeat what I said, and if any 

 of the dairy gentlemen here can show me where I am in the wrong, I 

 shall be very glad to have them do so. If they are silent we will take 

 it that they agree with me perfectly in my statement. 



I said yesterday that the cheapest butter in this country, the pack- 

 ing stock, which I endeavored to make plain to you what it was, is put 

 away in large quantities in cold storage during the last part of May 

 and in the months of June and July, as the lowest price for fresh 

 butter is reached at that time of the year. That is gathered in from the 

 Western farmers as I explained. During these early months in 1899 

 it was put in cold storage at a price as low as 1LJ-, 12, 12-J-, and 13 

 cents. 



Senator HEITFELD. Let me understand. Is that the price at the 

 storage point, or what the packer got? 



Mr. LESTRADE. I am now quoting prices in New York, freight all 

 paid. It is gathered up by these different men , put into cars, packed into 

 barrels, tierces, and tubs, and brought into New York. I am quoting 

 prices from the New York standpoint. There is a difference of about 

 three-quarters of a cent to a cent in Chicago. This is put in New York 

 at a cost of 12 to 12J cents to the butter men, and as high as 13. 

 Gentlemen, it was sold out by the butter men generally throughout 

 the country at a profit of from 3 to 6 cents a pound in the fall and 

 winter. It was sold as high as 18 cents this cheap, common, roll 

 butter that is made in the commonest manner possible. Those were 

 the figures it was sold at at a very handsome profit by the dairymen, 

 and by the butter men interested in the butter, particularly in this bill. 



What we call fancy extra creamery butter was put into cold storage 

 in New York city and other points at from 16J to 18i cents. The 

 butter men kept this butter to a greater or less extent, and it sold out 

 as high as 30 cents. A gentleman from Chicago, who, I believe, repre- 

 sents the dairy interests here, was surprised at that statement, and 

 asked me the q uestion, you remember, ' ' Was it sold at 30 cents ? " 1 

 said, " Yes, sir; it was sold at 30 cents." He, apparently, did not 

 know that, and yet he should have known it. There was a profit of 

 nearly 50 per cent for the butter men. 



Senator FOSTER. That is between the highest and the lowest? 



Mr. LESTRADE. From the highest to the lowest. 



Senator FOSTER. During the year? 



Mr. LESTRADE. In six months' time. So that you can see, gentlemen, 



