Report on the American and Canadian Meat Trade. 327 
yet a ride across the county in any direction would satisfy anyone that' the 
number of cattle might be quadrupled, and still not at all fully stock the 
farms. The same is true of sheep. 
"Chicago is the greatest live-stock market of the country. St. Louis is also 
a prominent western market. The official statements show that in 1876, there 
were received at the Union stock-yards of Chicago, of cattle, 1,066,745, of 
which 797,724 were re-shipped, mainly to the east ; of sheep, 364,095 were 
received, and 195,235 were shipped. The cattle were valued at $46,063,290 ; 
the sheep at $1,456,380. It should be borne in mind that considerable num- 
bers of the cattle were 1 stock ' cattle, sold to be fed ; hence the apparently 
low average. 
" As to means for transportation, we have from Chicago some five trunk 
lines of railroads ; from St. Louis two ; and others from Cincinnati. This 
State, and most of the Western States, has several lines of railroads crossing 
it. In this State there are few points from which cattle would have to be 
driven more than 25 miles to reach a railroad station. For instance, we are 
at this point, on the Illinois Central, running to Chicago; also on a line run- 
ning east and west. Nine miles south of us we reach another prominent line 
running to the east. 
" The cost of shipment of live-stock from Chicago to New York, about 900 
miles, is 50 cents per 100 ibs. live weight, or $100 - 00 (201.) per car-load of 
20,000 lbs. From here to Chicago we have now a special rate of $25 - 00 (51.) 
per car-load. The regular rate would be a little over $31 - 00, or about 15 cents 
(73d) per 100 lbs. Of course there are some additional expenses for food, for 
attendance, yardage, &c, but these are not very great in the aggregate. 
" In regard to cost of raising and feeding, I may say that, as prices for grain 
and labour have been for three or four years past, 4 cents (2d.) per lb. live 
weight would cover the actual cost of a well-fattened steer. About 3J cents 
per lb. have been paid for thin steers to be fed. In one local market, 10,000 
inhabitants, 4 cents per lb. are paid for light steers and the cows and heifers 
purchased by the butchers. At our butchers' shops we pay 7 or 8 cents for 
boiling pieces ; 9 or 10 for roasts ; and 12£ for the best steak. In Chicago 
something would be added to these prices. Of course we do not usually get 
the best quality slaughtered at our little towns. In this vicinity sheep are 
but little raised. It would be fair to add from f to 1 cent, per lb. for the live- 
weight price of sheep over that of cattle of equal grade. 
" A large farmer residing in Wisconsin, nearly 100 miles north of Chicago, 
writes me, that cattle fit for the English market are worth with him about $4"75 
per cwt. ; sheep, $5"50. The prices quoted are for actual live weight, as is 
the mode of sale throughout the West. In New York, on the other hand, sales 
are made on the estimates of the dressed weight, ranging from 55 to 59 lbs. per 
hundred of live weight. I need not remind you that here 100 lbs. is a cwt. 
Large numbers of sheep are being fattened year by year in that vicinity, Cots- 
wold rams being crossed on the common grade Merino ewes. One farmer of 
that vicinity, in the early part of April, marketed 1800 wethers, averaging 
123 lbs., in Chicago, and selling for $6 - 35 per cwt. As showing that good 
cattle can be reared in the northern portion of our western country, I may say 
my friend sold a car-load of high-grade Shorthorn steers in December last, 
which averaged nearly 1900 lbs. in Chicago — after shipment. The exact 
average was, I believe, 1892 lbs. These steers were three years old in the 
spring of 1876. Of course they were an unusually good lot. 
" The great part of the cattle sold in Chicago are of the lower grades, but 
many of our farmers rear and feed excellent steers. In the State there are at 
the very least 100 herds of thorough-bred Shorthorn cattle, and thousands on 
thousands of cattle with a good share of this blood. Unfortunately, so far as 
the productiomof the best cattle is concerned, our feeders often find more profit 
VOL. XIII. — S. S. 2 A 
