The Beef Trust and the Rise of Chicago Packing Kings
A historic exposé traces Gustavus Swift, Philip Armour, and the Cudahy brothers from modest beginnings to a $200 million packing empire. It outlines how refrigerated cars, rail rebates, and railroad capture built the beef trust, centralizing power, raising prices, and shaping U.S. meat, fruit, and farm inputs.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Aladdin
Stock- Wesdex
Barnstable
Mass
Wee Matha
Wilkenny
Ire- Tarat
Ress Chas
Beef Trust
Chica
Trust
Gustavus Gr_ xewife
Philip D. Armour
Merk
Michael Cudahy
Ws. Pacwedyi
Nelson Wacciz
H. Hammond
Tmdaky Brothers
Waanietiuetc
Weusiine Ovec
Anna, Cikke
Grossmeys
Cay Lee
Starefard Oil Company
Worss
California
Koermmsexer
Pric
Chie Gee
Messrawesa
New York State
Toravid Cuueratio
Cruba
Seca Poe
Chicago
John T. Alexander
Jacksonville
Alexander
Pennsylvania Railroad
Jay Gould
Erie
Gustavus Swift
America
Swift
Armour
Cudahy Brothers
Sandwich
Swift & Co. Corporation
Armours
Louis I’. Swift
Boston
J. Ogden Armour
Gustavius F. Swift
Michigan Avenue
Oconomowoc
Wis
P. D. Armour
United States
Brighton
Massachusetts
Tiffany
Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
Kansas City
Omaha
Missouri River
California Fruit Transportation Company
Armour Interest
Swifts
Swifts and
Beef Trust Report Highlights Massive Slaughter Volumes
Commissioner Garfield reports 1903 slaughter totaled 5,521,697 cattle or 45 percent of U S output. Average price 4 45 per cwt and live weight 1115 pounds. Profits per head from dressed beef 99 cents and by products 50 cents. Refrigerator car profits 25 cents per head with 13 1 to 13.5 percent return on investment.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
New England
Barnstable
Brighton
Watertown
Albany
Clinton
Massachusetts
Chicago
Philip D. Armour
New York State
Milwaukee
Horace Greeley
Herman O. Armour
Joseph F. Armour
Philip
Philip D
Callan
Ireland
Patrick Cudahy
America
Bagatelle
P. D. Armour
Cudahy
Armour & Co
Armour
Cudahy Packing Company
Gulatavus Swift
Swifts
Todward C. Swift
L. F. Swift
J. Ogden Armour
Beef Trust
Commerce
Garfield
Congress
Swift
Morris
Gustavus
Ibis
Merve
Faith
Chicago Packing Houses
Chicago Livestock and Packing Business
Armours- Swifts-Cudahys
Commissioner of Commerce
James R. Garfield
United States
Man Overboard Cue Prompts Rescue Lesson
A fragment from Cassell's offers a brisk quip about teaching a stranger to swim when an unknown man calls for help. The exchange highlights improvised aid and the need for basic water safety.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Cassell
Pusheek’s ure Promises Blood and Nerve Cure
A vintage advertisement touts Pusheek’s ure claiming to cure blood and nerve diseases including rheumatism scrofula catarrh and indigestion. It asserts unique efficacy and urges purchase from druggists for $1 or by mail from Dr Push eck Chicago. Possession is nine points of wanting something else.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Pusheek
Pusheck
Chicago
Puess
Prosperous Canadian West Land Yields 25 Percent Annual Profit
An letter from P H Rynhard of Starbuck Manitoba describes 480 acres bought for 12000 yielding 2973 bushels of wheat and 1200 to 1300 bushels of oats and barley from 200 acres with land value increase. He cites neighbours who fenced and cultivated half their 160 acres and earned profits and fortunes over 10 to 20 years.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
P. H. Rynhard
Starbuck
Manitoba
Canada
United States
S. L. Short
Carrot River
Saskatchewan
Unclear Docket Quip As Judge Comments On Hats
A fragmentary exchange quotes a judge remarking on prosperity and a wife’s hats with sarcasm. The lines imply social satire rather than a full case, leaving the scene to the reader’s inference.
Effects of Prosperity on Prices and Wages 1897 to 1903
The Interstate Commerce Commission report details a six year surge in prices with breadstuffs up 65 percent, meats 23.1 percent, dairy and garden products 50.1 percent, and clothing 24.1 percent. Farmers and stockmen benefited most, miners saw metals prices rise 42.1 percent, while railway freight rates fell from .798 to .763 per ton mile. Railroad employee pay rose about 85 percent.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Interstate Commerce Commission
Also Mentioned on This Page
Cameron Landon
Great
Chicago Combine
Beet Trust
Imran E. Sekit
Philip D. Jurrasur
Michael Cud@bisr
Partie
Ems
Swiuiert
Indus
Swift Bros. & Co
New York
Pennsylvania
Connecticut
New Hampshire
Swift & Co
Europe
St. Paul
St. Joseph
St. Louis
Swift & CO. Capital
Armour & CO. Capital
Nelson Morris & CO. Capital
Cudahy & Co. Capital
Hammond & Co
Omaha Packing Company
Fowler & Son Packing Co
Anglo-American Provision Company
Wall Street
Nelson Morris
Interstate Commerce Reports
Fruit Trust
Tennessee
Consignee
Michigan
Custavus
Gustavus F. Swifp
Oid
ASME
Colorado
Grosscup
United States Supreme Court
Missouri
Heef Trust
Kemp's
Balsam
Leroy
Carters
Charles F. White
Rochester
ITES
Q. Picayune
Mercer County
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!