TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 75 



The advent of railroads marked a decided turning point 

 in the development of the live-stock industry and the live-stock 

 markets. However, it was a long time after the hauling of 

 live stock had been taken up by railroads before it was done 

 efficiently. An account of one of the first shipments of cattle 

 from Kentucky to New York City, made in 1852, shows how 

 crude and expensive were the first attempts at transporting 

 cattle by rail. One week was consumed in driving the cattle, 

 one hundred in number, from near Lexington, Ky., to Cincinnati, 

 where they were loaded in box cars and shipped to Cleveland. 

 They were taken to Buffalo by boat, where they were given 

 several days rest and then driven to Canandaigua, N. Y. They 

 were at once hauled to Albany in immigrant wagons, rested two 

 days in a feed-yard, and sent to New York by boat. The cost 

 of the shipment from Kentucky to New York City was $14 

 per head. 



The cattle markets of the United States migrated from 

 east to west, following closely upon the settling up of the coun- 

 try. It was at one time believed that Albany was to be the 

 final gateway for western cattle. Next Buffalo, Pittsburg, and 

 Cincinnati were in turn regarded as the future great market 

 of the country; but eventually it became evident that Chicago, 

 by virtue of location and railroad facilities, was to become and 

 remain the largest cattle market in America. This fact was 

 clearly established by 1870. 



Chicago's early cattle trade. The history of Chicago as 

 a cattle market extends back many years to the time when a 

 few hundred animals were driven in to supply the garrison at 

 old Fort Dearborn. It was not until the advent of railroads, 

 however, that Chicago took prominence as a live-stock center. 

 When railroad communication with the Atlantic seaboard was 

 established and lines were built from Lake Michigan toward 

 the Mississippi, a revolution was brought about. Half a dozen 

 stock yards were located in various parts of the city, and when 

 these became glutted, the cattle were grazed on the surround- 

 ing prairie until a price could be realized. Mess pork and 

 barreled beef were staple articles known to the trade under 

 the appetizing names of "sow belly" and "salt horse." Dressed 

 beef was then unknown to commerce, artificial refrigeration 

 was not even speculated upon, the refrigerator car existed merely 

 as an idea, if at all, and the canning of meats had not been at- 

 tempted. Armour was not a prominent name at that time, 



