82 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



Pioneer exports of beef. Still greater savings have been 

 effected by changes in the export trade. Mr. John J. Bate, 

 of New York, was the first to undertake shipments of dressed 

 carcasses to Europe. On February 11, 1875, he made a small 

 shipment to Liverpool which arrived in good condition. This 

 was followed, on June 6, by a larger shipment, and on August 10, 

 a still larger consignment to Liverpool was made, all arriving 

 in good condition. In October, 1875, Mr. Timothy C. Eastman 

 began his first shipments of fresh beef from America to England ; 

 Mr. Eastman is generally regarded as the pioneer in this enter- 

 prise. He built up a very large business which continued 

 many years. Others entered into the industry, and shipments 

 were made from New York, Philadelphia, and Portland, Me. 

 American beef was found in no way inferior to British beef, 

 and was sold at from four to six cents lower retail rates. The 

 advent of American meats caused considerable excitement 

 among British farmers and stockmen, and considerable prejudice 

 against our meats was aroused at some points, which has never 

 been wholly overcome. The business increased rapidly, meats 

 being successfully shipped from Chicago to England. A saving 

 of more than one-half in shipping expenses is effected by export- 

 ing dressed beef rather than its equivalent in live animals. From 

 Argentina to England, two-thirds of the live- weight expenses 

 are saved by sending dressed beef. 



The modern packing plant. No better illustration of the 

 growth of the packing industry can be had than that afforded 

 by the rise and present proportions of one of the large packing 

 companies at Chicago. In 1885, this concern was capitalized 

 at $300,000; in 1886, at $3,000,000; in 1896, at $15,000,000; 

 later at $35,000,000; in 1906 at $50,000,000; and in 1918 it was 

 $150,000,000. It has packing plants in several American cities 

 and also in South America and Australia, but the figures here 

 presented apply only to its business in the United States. It has 

 over 400 branch houses in the principal cities and towns of the 

 United States, and owns and operates 7000 refrigerator cars. Its 

 output of meat of all kinds in 1918 was almost 3 billion pounds. Its 

 sales in 1918 totalled over $1,200,000,000. It paid $682,000,000 

 to live-stock producers. Its profit on meat sales was only 

 about 2 per cent., but the capital was turned over several times 

 during the year. It earned 7.6 per cent, on the capital em- 

 ployed. It paid its 25,000 stockholders a 6 per cent, dividend 

 amounting to $9,000,000. In the year, it shipped 760,000,000 



