St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-26
THE HORSE NEEDED
More Than Ever since the Intro
duction of Railroads and Ma

duction of Railroads and Ma
chinery.
I'm 1S3Oit was the writer's pleasure to
cinnati. in favor of building the Little
Miami railroad from Cincinnati to
Springfield" says the agricultural
writer of the Des Moines Register. HE
portrayed, in glowing colors, the great
benefits such a road would be to the
town and country-that it would stimu-
late all branches of industry, in moving
cheaply and rapidly the farmers
produce, as we'll as cheaper and
quicker transportation for the accom-
mediation for all classes of city resi-
dents. 1t is true Judge Burnett'S fig
ures. in the light of the present day,
were feeble, if not ridiculous. But
when he set down. fine-l0okiDg Speci-
men of a farmer who lived on the line
of the contemplated road between Gin
cinnati and Xenia, O., very etfectually
replied to him, so far. at least, as the
farmers along the line considered it.
The farmer very honestly believed and
said that
RAISING HORSES
was the best and most profitable branch
of agriculture-that it was about all
farmers could get to market without the
cost OF transportation being more than
the price of the article in the market.
That horses could be driven across the
mountains and find good market in
Baltimore and Philadelphia. But if
these railroads were built all over the
country, and do the transportation, the
occupation of the horse would be gone.
And he predicted that if Judge Bur-
nett and all such visionary men con-
tinued to project plans to ruin all of
the business of the country, it would
not be ten years before horses would
not sell for S.. and all of the farmers
would be broken up and have to go to
the poor house. And so plausible were
the farmers arguments that the citi-
Zens along the Little Miami not only
refused to aid the road. but hindered
and annoyed the officers and workInen
in the construction of the road.
This is lesson for men in various
situations i'll opposing or Obstructlng
public improvements. The cOnStruc-
ton and increase in the number of rail
roads has largely increased the demand
for horses. 1t has not only enriched
the inhabitants and thereby made de-
mand for fast horses for the race track,
but largely increased the call for bet
ter and faster class of horses for the
carriage. But our Ohio farmer of nearly
sixty years ago feared railroads would
especially destroy the demand for
HEAVY DRAFT HORSES.
How badly was he mistaken? The
advent of the iron horse in the world
infused new life and energy into all de-
partments of industry, aud increased
the demand for all classes of motive
power for land or sea, for farm or fac
tory. And in no department was the
demand increased to a greater extent
than for the heavy draft horses, the
animal which in agriculture is the great
motive power which moves the world.
The railroad would of itself be of but
limited use without the draft horse. His
energy and power supplies the road
with traffic, and by him are the fields of
the railroad enlarged. There never was
an improvement or agency which so
greatly increased the demand and slim
ulated the price of draft horses as the
advent of the worlds greatest improve
ment, the railroad.