Wichita eagle., 1890-03-01
ABOUT WICHrFA's HOG AND CATTLE
MARKET
Some Opinions OF Mr.. John Whitaker. the 81.
Louis and Wichita Packer--A Word TO
Farmers and for the wichita
Market.

| Mr.. John Whitaker, OF ST. Louis, spent
yesterday looking after business matters
| in the city and meeting friends. He said
that it was logical that big hog crop
would follow big corn year. So far the
receipts for hogs from the southwest was
the result Of the crop of IS and last years
corn crop would be followed by an increase
Of the number of hogs raised, the ratio OF
corn and hogs for the two years being
about the same in the absence OF increased
market facilities near home and also with
absence Of decrease in price of corn. Bui
the market facilities for the southwest be-
ing increased and the price of corn decreas
ed the two facts would certainly result IN
increasing the ratio OF hogs raised from
last year enormous crop OF corn. 50 FAR
the number OF hogs received at the Wichi-
II market not as many as could be
handled by the packing houses, but
while this was true The receipts had been
more than he had anticipated when he de
cided 10 put in a packing plant 80 all IN
al! he is very well pleased with the Nich-
tia business and for the future is quite
confident of fine showing. IN speaking
of tue future he referred TO the fact that
the Oklahoma country would soon COM
mence 10 raise hogs and the best market
they could reach would be at Wichita. aud
hence IN increase OF business could be
expected as soon as corn ia Oklahoma
could be fed 10 hogs.
Reaching a conclusion from the price of
corn aud hogs he said that in his judgment
there is no doubt but that the farmers OF
southern Kansas can realize handsomely
on their corn by feeding it to hogs. He re
GREETED very much that the price OF corn is
so low as to cause complaint from the
farmers but he is certain that they
can avoid losing prices by raising hogs.
One difficulty in doing this he said come
from the fact that many farmers have
corn in abundance and no money with
WHICH TO buy hogs. While many were
able TO start in the hog business without
assistance others were not and he sug-
gested that the commission men could not
place money to any better advantage than
to loan money TO farmers who would look
after the business and thus enable them
to raise hogs and meet the situation in
way to make the most of it. Should this
be done the receipts in due time at the
Wichita markets would be four thousand
hogs per day, what it should be. In Il
year or two the market would certainly
show thirty thousand hogs per week.
Concerning the cattle business be said il
took time TO do everything, but he
thought few more months would
show great improvement in the
cattle receipts. The Wichita commission
men should use every effort possible TO
cause a market to be established aud to
have all the cattle in this southwestern
country handled at Wichita. Let the
shippers find out that it was only day or
two away from home to do business at
Wichita and the market just as good
The time would come when eastern houses
would buy the hogs and cattle OF the
southwest at the Wichita market and the
various packing concerns in the countr y
handling Kansas hogs and cattle would
come to the Wichita market and buy.
For long time Kansas City had been
playing that role. but the time would
come when the Kansas City territory
would be cut down and Wichita would be
one of the leading markets of the west.
Mr.. Whitaker said that from the time
Wichita commenced TO talk packing
houses and hog and cattle markets the
Kansas City fellows have made it point
TO work harder than ever against this city.
While this was true and Kansas City's
capital was working hard TO avoid the in
eviteble, Wichita in due time as a result
of having the advantage would command
the business of the southwest