The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-01-13

MADISON COUNTY. OHIO, CATTLE
SALES.
Monthly and quarterly sales, or ''mar.
ket fairs" as they are termed in Eng
land, have long been well established
there, and are most popular and salts
factory-sale days on which the graZier
feeder and seller bring their fattened
animals, and the butcher comes to pur.
chase his supplies, both at auction and
on private terms and, SO far as we are
advised, the system has gained i'll favor
with both classes, until now many OF
the best dealers consider the plan in
valuable.
Essentially the same idea was inaugu-
rated in the ''Kentucky bluegrass re.
gfon," ut Paris, many years since. A
monthly court brought the planters and
stock-men together, whence originated
the idea of having at the same time q
general sale and purchase of cattle,
mules, horses, &c. Northern men here
meet Southern purchasers of mules and
horses, including many brood mares,
and thus are the cotton and sugar States
enabled, in large part ut least, to make
purchases of such animals as meet their
wants, and the North to dispose of her
surplus stock at fair prices.
The plan usually pursued is to place
the stock in the hands of some salesman
to be sold to the highest bidder. Quite
a number OF responsible men fill these
positions, and the system is now thor
Oughly established. Hundreds of ami
mails usually change owners ON these
''monIhly court days" and each year
adds to their importance.
Other communities have emulated the
10 MIA nd etc foA 81, Sln1y
prises; but from various causes, chiefly
from want of system and energy ON the
part of the originators, these fairs have
been allowed to decline, and finally
have been discontinu ed altogether. The
only other continuous similar success
was originated about fifteen years since,
by few of the enterprising cattle-men
of Central Ohio. The call was issued
in February, 1856, in pursuance of a
programme previously arranged, where
by the cattle sellers and buyers of Madi-
son county, Ohio, were invited to meet
in the public square at London, Ohio ;
the former to bring their neat stock,
which they desired to sell, and the lat
ter to bring cash and their bids.
The numbers sold, and the prices OBJ
tanned, have steadily increased, until
now both sellers and buyers and stock
men who desire to keep advised OF
price, quality, and weights, attend to
these stock sales, not only from adjoin-
ing counties but from many other coun-
ties and States, including southern, east
ern, and northern Ohio, from Indiana,
Illinois, Kentucky, and often from
States far remote.
For several years past a number of
the regular furnishers have been pur-
chasing, chiefly three and two year old
steers, in the open markets of Chicago,
st. Louis, Covington and Cincinnati,
and shipping their purchases monthly
for sale, not only to the graziers and
feeders of Madison. but to many of the
larger feeders of the Scioto Valley.
The stock is generally sold by auc-
tioneers, who receive a commission on
sales, in the public square to the highest
bidder, usually for cash, but sometimes
on thirty days time, or until the next
sale day. Each owner of cattle looks
after his stock, keeping it separate from
that of others, and brings it in as OPP
portunlty offers, or as he may elect.
The sales usually open at about II
O'Clock, and from that hour until all are
disposed of-usually to 5 o'clock in
the afternoOn-the cries of half dozen
statesmen may be heard rapidly ''knock-
ing off" the lots placed i'll their hands
for sale.
The statesmen have the cattle driven
into the square, sellers and purchasers
surrounding them the auctioneer pass
es about constantly among those who
desire to purchase, taking their bids.
and either disposing of the animals or
Withdrawing them for the owner should
prices not reach the required figures.
Lots withdrawn in the morning are
often brought in again later, and sold at
an advance on former bids. The stock
so offered consists of stock cattle, ready
for grazing, or, in the later months OF
the year, for turning into feeding LOTS
for full feeding for spring market. or
put to grass for better sammer price.
The fat stock is not brought in for
sale, but very large number of cattle
is sold, at an agreed price per hundred
pounds by the cattle-men to the ship.
ping purchasers at the monthly meet.
| ings of stock-men.
1t will be readily seen that most i'm.
| portant advantages result, which are al
! least two-fold: first, sellers consult
with each other, and obtain by sucl
concert the best prices of the home mar
ket; second, shippers thus meet in :
| few hours those who desire to sell, and
are enabled to purchase without person
ally visiting ali at their farms, as wat
| AOA CuSCs 11Ic IlSh VI liz
| large sums of mOuey is also obViated
as the payments are all made by checks
| Within the past few years another
feature has been added: horse buyer
and shippers for eastern and southern
markets are regularly obtaining desired
supplies of all the various grades OIL
qualities of drivers, street car animals
and heavy dray or omnibus horses, q
well as lower priced animals and les
valuable mares for the southern trade
all OF which are brought in from tn,
central counties of Ohio, and chang
hands quickly. This branch of tn,
trade is almost universally carried OIL
at private sale.
By this system of selling horses a
home, any month in the year. farmer
are enabled to economic much in tn
keeping of useless animals; during tn
corn season large number are requir
ed, which are of no use to the grower
after July, until the next spring. A
the early spring sales such extra horse
as may be required, aside from the reg
ular stock, can be purchased from per
} sous having a surplus; many colts be
ing taken and broken in this manner
which can be readily disposed of a
soon as the summer grain work
closed, thus reducing the expense o
} wintering-no uncomfortable iten
since grain, hay, and farm lands haY
advanced in value-and allowing tn
purchase of meat producing animals t
consume the provender hitherto fed t
these horses.
Aside from these more importan
sales of neat stock and horses, othe
branches of trade have been satisfacto
rily added Many sheep are annual
J fattened by the neighboring farmers