New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-13
SCARCITY or GRAIN At THE HEST
From TIL. CHICAGO T,'bpa.. May 9

From The Chicago TrbRa, May
From careful inquiry, personally made both OF peo
ME from the country and along the lines Of three Of
the principal roads leading into this city, con-
WINGED that the expectation INDUCED il by some of our
contemporaries in regard to the quantity of grain to
come forward to this market during the present sea-
son are not founded on facts. The crop Of last year
was by no means remarkable; il has probably been
largely over-estimated as the events Of the Spring
and Summer will prove. Thought was large enough
10 have left, in ordinary season, very consider
able surplus in the handa of the farmers the eXtraor
binary duration of the Winter has cleaned out their
granaries and cribs entirely; and even in our own
State thousands Of men who usually have corn and
oats to sell have been for month past and are yet,
buying from their neghbOrs 10 keep their cattle aud
hOrses alive until q few warm and pleasant days
bring out the grass. All along the Mississippi,
an the Iowa aide there is the greatest distress among
farmers for feed, and many Of them, 20 great is the
scarcity are losing entire herds by starvation.
tbman from Maquoketa tells US that III that region
by the way, of the riches: and most productive
parts Of Iowa-Cate are dying by hundreds, aud that
farmers who hauled their surplus TO the river aud sold
II in the fall now buying II back by wagon loads
nj three times the price they got for 1t ak months ago.
In the country west of Davenport, and about Iowa
City the same state of things exists. Al Quincy the
demand for com 10 take over into Missouri Is much
Greater than the supply; and distiley at least Is
buyng grain a; ~. Louis, and sending up The river
by the boat load Ia avoid stopping work u Il would
Ioblged 20 depend upon home supplies. ~ KeoSuk
supply small rs II is indeed, in every other pant of
the West from which we have heard. Along the
ST. Louis and Chicago road there is more corn bur not
half the usual quantity. Along the Galena AR Lane
Galena and Chicago the Chicago Burlington aud
Quincy, and the Chicago aud Rock Island roads
hardly full CRIB is 10 be In one word the cat
lie have eaten up the entire surplus Of corn oats hay
and in many places the potatoes also. The Winter
has exceeded its usual length by full forty days and
in those DAYS the mischief has been done. LIT the
doubtcr take his pencil and make his own figures.
There are in Illinois fully two million horses mules
cows oxen and other cattle. Admit that only hall
OF this number, saying nothing of the three million
sheep and swine have required forty days extra feed
aud then what, after Their wants were supplied,
would be left Of the very moderate crop Of 1856
II the warning that may be gathered from our &C
count-"hlch we admit, is doeful enOugh-wiN pre-
vent any from overst0ckinc or from selling presen
stocks upon expectations of speedy pay, or il 1t WI
stimulate the farmers TO SOW and plant wider ARA
aud 10 pfachce more economy in the use OF their ha
and gam IN subsequent Seasons, W. shall have accom-
plishcd all we desire.