84 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



and not until that time did the large cattle markets reach a 

 maximum development. 



The cattle markets of the United States migrated from east to 

 west, following closely upon the development of the country. It was 

 at one time believed that Albany was to be the final gateway for western 

 cattle. Next Buffalo, Pittsburgh, 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. 



With the development of the corn belt and western range cattle 

 industry, markets established at various points on the Great Lakes 

 and along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers became the most im- 

 portant. This is a natural result of the fact that the states west of 

 the Mississippi produce about 80 per cent of our beef cattle, 50 per 

 cent of our hogs, and 75 per cent of our sheep, while the states east of 

 the Mississippi consume about 68 per cent of our total meat produc- 

 tion. Most of the principal slaughtering points and principal markets 

 are near the areas of large production because dressed meat may be 

 shipped more economically than live animals, due to lower freight costs 

 and elimination of deaths, injuries, bruises, and shrinkage in transit. ^ 



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 surrounding 

 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 attempted. Armour was not a prominent 

 name at that time. Swift had not yet discovered Chicago, and nearly 

 every concern then engaged in the manufacture of meats has since 

 gone out of business. 



Founding of the Union Stock Yards.+^Prior to 1865, Chicago had 

 several stock yards of minor importance and located in different sec- 



1 Studies in Live-Stock Marketing, The Geography of Meat Production and 

 Consumption, Commercial Research Dept., Swift and Conipany, Chicago, Jan., 1922. 



