Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1906 — FARM AND GARDEN [ARTICLE]

FARM AND GARDEN

Year 1905 Sales. The total distributive sales for 1905 exceeded $200,000,000, The total is realized from the sale of fresh- meats (beef, mutton and pork), provisions, produce (poultry, butter and eggs), soapd, glues, oils, bones, fertilizers, feathers, casings, hides, wools, pelts and other by-prod-ucts derived from cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry. Margin of Profit. The industry is operated on a margin of less than 2 cents to each dollar of sales, Swift & Co. do not sell at retail. Their entire output is sold at wholesale to many thousands of dealers in various parts of the world. There are hundreds of local slaughterers throughout the United States, who buy their live stock in competition with the packer doing an interstate and international business. Likewise, the packer must sell in competition with the local slaughterers. There are no secret processes in the industry, no complicated and expensive factories, and as live 6tock can be purchased in almost every hamlet and city, and the preparation of meats is simple in the extreme, local slaughtering will long remain a factor in the production of fresh meats and, provisions. Economic Advantages. The large packing houses will, however, always have' these advantages: Locations at the chief live stock centers, with the opportunity to buy the best live stock; manufacturing in large quantities, at the minimum of expense; utilization Of all waste material; refrigeration; mechanical appliances; highly efficient business management. These advantages are reflected in the quality of the packer’s output, a quality that has reached its highest development in the products bearing the name and brand of “Swift.” 1 r \ Purchaulnit Live Slock. The principal live stock centers are Chicago, Kansas City, Omaha, St.

Louis, St Joseph, S ( t Paul and Fort Worth. The same methods of purchasing cattle, sheep and hogs prevail at all’cities. At Chicago, which is the largest market there are about two hundred and fifty buyers, representing packers, local slaughterers in various cities, and-exporters. Of this mnnber,less than a score are employed by Swift & Company. , |. ■*' The farmer ships his live stock to Chicago, consigns them to a commission firm at the Union Stock Yards, who sees that they are unloaded and put In pens. Then the buyers inspect them, make their offers to the commission dealer, who accepts or rejects as his Judgment dictates. All buying must be finished at 3 o’clock each day, and the buyer must pay spot cash. If the commission man has no satisfactory offers, he can hold his stock oyer to the next day. He gets his commission from the farmer, and naturally strives to get the highest possible price for his Wholesale Distributing Houses. A wholesale distributing house is a giant refrigerator, but instead of shelves there are trolley rails, from which pre suspended hooks to hang the carcasses. Some of the houses cost as rmuch as aliundred thousand dollarsto build,, and equip. As a rule they are of pressed brick,'the insides being linedfloor, walls and ceiling—with highly polished hardwood. The floors are covered daily with' fresh sawdust and all are kept spotlessly clean. There are over three hundred of these wholesale houses In various cities of the United States, and the public Is always welcome to visit them. Packing Plant*. . All the Swift & Company plants are located at the great live stock mattcets, in the heart of the great agricultural sections, where can be purchased the finest grades of cattle, sheep and hogs. We have seven packing plants, employing at each from two to eight thousand persons. The following gives the locations and sizes of the different plants.

Packlnar Plant*. Floor buildings, Space, Land, Acres. Acres. Acres. Chicago ...44 VI 87% 47 Kansas City .... 7% 30 19% Omaha b 2G. —23 . St, Louis 7% 19% 31% St. Joseph 6% 25% 19% St. Paul 5 12 IQ Jgort-Worth 15 Employe*. The total number of persons employed in all the Swift packing plants and branch houses aggregate over 2G,000 persons. Conditions for employes in the various manufacturing and operating departments is continually improving w r ith the construction of new buildings and the installation of new and up-to-date equipment Sanitation and Hygiene. The housewife mak*es no greater effort to keep her kitchen clean than we do to keep In sanitary and hygienic condition our abattoirs. They are thoroughly scrubbed at the close of each day’s operations, and automatic appliances are used wherever possible in order to eliminate the personal handling of meats. Rigid rules governing these points are strictly enforced; laxity means dismissal. Visitor* Always Welcome. No other industry in the world gives such a cordial welcome to visitors as Swift & Co. We keep open house the year around, and maintain a corps of specially trained guides, with special elevators and rest rooms. In one year we have entertained over a quarter of a million of men and women; in one day—Grand Army Day, 1901—we entertained 23,000. Among our visitors have been ambassadors from foreign governments, princes, noblemen and distinguished citizens from all lands and eminent folks'from every State In the Union. We wish to familiarize the public with our methods, and the best way to do that is to let the public see for itself. We have no secret processes or methods in any department. Swift’* Premium Hama and Bacon. Swift’s Premium Hams and Bacon are more widely and favorably known than any other brand. Their popular-

ity Is due to the uniform quality and flavor of the meaCand to their fine appearance when received from the dealer. Each piece is branded on the “Swift’s Premium U. 8. Inspected,” and wrapped in cheesecloth and white parchment paper. Look for the brand. “Swift’s Premium,” when buying hams and bacon. Swift’* Silver Leaf Lard. Is a strictly pure lard, kettle rendered, and put up 1b 3,5, and 10-pound sealed pails. It is America’s Standard Lard, and enjoys a high reputation aud an enormous sale. Swift’* Soap*. An Interesting feature of a trip through the Chicago plant is a visit to the soap factory, one of the largest and most complete in this country. There we manufacture numerous toilet and laundry soaps, and washing powders. Among which are: Wool Soap, widely and favorably known; for toilet and bath, and washing fine fabrics. Crown Princess Toilet Soap, highly perfumed. Swift’s Pride Soap, for laundry and household use. Swift’s Pride Washing Powder, unsurpassed for all cleaning purposes. Swift’* Specialties. Swift’s Premium Ham Swift’s Premium Bacon Swift’s Premium Sliced Bacon Swift’s Premium Lard Swift's Winchester Ham Swift's Winchester Bacon Brookfield Farm Sausage Swift's Silver Leaf Lard Jewel Lard Compound Swift’s Cotosuet > Swift’s Jersey Butterine Swift’s Beef Extract Swift’s Beef Fluid Swift’s Premium Milk-Fed Chickens SwlfT* Soap*. . Wool Soap Scented Toilet Soaps Swift's Pride Soap^ Swift's Pride Washing Powder. .