Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1907 — VAST MEAT INDUSTRY. [ARTICLE]

VAST MEAT INDUSTRY.

Department of Commerce and Labor Issues Important Bulletin. The Department of Commerce and bor has issued a bulletin on the meat industry. The number of wholesale establishments engaged in slaughtering—and meat packing-during - the last year was I 929, with a comb.nod capital of $237.713,690. They furnished employment to 74,134 wage earners, paid $40.320,972 ’ in wages, consumed materials costing SSOS.850,009, and manufactured products to the value of $913,914,024. Although 41 States and territories contributed to these figures the industry was practically monopolized by 14 States, Illinois, Kansas, New York, Nebraska and Missouri leading. In each of six cities the value of products reported was over $35,000,000. Chicago ranked first with products valued at $209,551.480. (K. C. K-). Omaha. New York, St. Joseph and East St. Louis followed in order. For (K. G.) the value of products is not given because of so few establishments that the figures might be used to determine individual opera-" tions, and the census office adheres to the rule not to publish statistics which might be so used, it is announced. About 7,000,000 beeves, 11,000,000 sheep and 31,000,000 hogs were slaughtered for use in this industry. The beeves cost ghout $289,000,000, sheep about $44,000,000 and hogs about $330,000.000. In addition the establishments slaughtered other animals to the value of about $13,000,000, purchased about $53,000,000 worth of meat already dressed and paid abont $72,000,000 for materials, supplies and transportation expenses. The leading product of the industry was beef sold fresh, of which 3,748.055,677 pounds w'ere produced, valued at $247,090,724. Salt pork was the second product in respect to quantity, slightly exceeding hams, smoked sides and shoulders; but the smoked products were of a greater aggregate value. Each of these products and also pork sold fresh refined lard, exceeded in quantity 1,000,000,000 pounds. The value varied from nearly $75,000,000 for the refined lard to over $133,000,000 for the smoked products. The quantity of most of the more important products increased between the censuses of 1900 and 1905. For fresh beef the increase was over 800.000,000 pounds, or 28.5 per cent; salt pork, over 185.000.000 pounds, or 13.7 per cent; refined lard, over 15.000.000 pounds, or 17.7 per cent; fresh pork, nearly 3,000.000 pounds, or 2 per cent. The quantity of hams, smoked bacon, sides and shoulders. on the other band, decreased over 400.000.000 pounds, or 22.8 per cent Canned beef, sailed and cured beef and neutral lard also decreased in quantity.