92 Types and Maricet Classes of Live Stock 



but the attempt was not successful. In 1875, G. F. Swift, who had 

 come to Chicago that year, and who founded Swift and Company, 

 fitted up a car and shipped it east successfully. Thereupon, this 

 branch of the packing business was entered into rapidly, thus eliminat- 

 ing freight charges on the 40 to 44 per cent waste of the live animal, 

 the shrink on cattle during the long haul, the expense of feeding and 

 watering en route, and the loss of those which died in transit. 



Pioneer exports of beef. — Still greater savings have been effected 

 by changes in the export trade. 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, Timothy 

 C. Eastman began his first shipments of fresh beef from America to 

 England; Mr. Eastman is generally regarded as the pioneer in this 

 enterprise. 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. The business in- 

 creased rapidly, meats being successfully shipped from Chicago to 

 England. A saving of more than one-half in shipping expenses is 

 effected by exporting dressed beef rather than its equivalent in live 

 animals. From Argentina to England, over two-thirds of the live- 

 weight expenses are saved by sending dressed beef. ^ 



Branch houses and car routes. — Another important factor in the 

 growth of the American packing industry has been the establishment 

 of wholesale or branch houses with refrigerators in all leading centers 

 of meat consumption. Swift and Company has about 400 branch 

 houses, most of which are in eastern cities and towns. Through daily 

 reports from its branch houses the packing company gets its best 

 information concerning the consumer market, and from this informa- 

 tion the buying policy is determined. 



Hundreds of smaller towns are supplied by special refrigerator 

 cars, known as "route cars," which make regular trips and deliver 

 meats ordered by local dealers. This method of distribution has been 

 used by Swift and Company since 1890. In 1921 Swift operated 500 

 car routes radiating from its 17 plants in the United States, and sup- 

 plying nearly 10,000 towns. ^ 



The modern packing company. — 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 



lU. S. Dept. Agr. Yearbook, 1908, p. 244. 

 2Swift and Company Year Book, 1922, pp. 36-42. 



