Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-21
THE HAY OUTLOOK.
NO IUMBLR ANTICIPATED IN THl FODDER
THIS SEASON.
How This Year Bas Compared With Othsrs-Iitl'
BAlsd HsY RsiIg Shipped Into 1OWn--
The Difficulty Of IMPORTATION.

A commodity that figures quite
conspicuously, and at times DANGEROUSLY
in the commercial market, is hay. And
OF late it has been watched with consid-
cradle regularity, owing to the some
what unusual situation Of the market
here, but particularly in western cities.
Yesterday afternoon the REGISTER re-
porter had d talk with Mr.. w. d. Mar
shall, the grain and feed merchant on
Main street, who is we'll versed in the
situation.
"Do you know" said Mr.. Marshall
that the. local hay men, il they only
knew it, have got the hay market right
in their own hands. There is little
competition from outside sources, on
account OF the abundant crop here, ana
shortage prevailing in the West. You
may be surprised TO know that 0aied
hay In Chicago is higher to-day than
it IS here, selling at from S1l to Sl2,
while in Wheeling we are putting IL
out at 50 or $40. While the local deal
ers have imported no hay from Chicago
for about three years, time was when
they did to considerable extent, ana
with So freight added, we were then
able TO ship baled here and sell 1t
cheaper than we could the local pro-
duct. But the present high prices now
prevailing in Chicago are owing to
- . 81 40 in tho WaSf | was
talking with Mr.. William Marshall, q
butcher aud stock dealer from Neoras-
ka, the other day, who is at present Wis
itlng his father, Mr.. John Marshall,
who lives near st, ClairSville, and he
said that the crop throughout the West
and Northwest had been way below the
average this season."
"Where do the local dealers obtain
their Out-of-town baled hay or late
years?" asked the reporter,
"Well, we usually obtain it from such
places as Roney'S Point, Valley Grove,
West Alexander and other places" said
Mr.. Marshall. but this season the
dealers have drawn on no out-of-town
places for baled hay. There has been
enough hay right in town. Do you
know that If no hay had been raised
here this season, believe we could
have almost supplied the market
throughout the year with the hay that
was left over from last year. This,
added to the crop of another year,
makes big supply on hand"
"Do you think hay will tumble any
before spring." asked the reporter.
"Oh, no." said Mr.. Marshall; "on the
contrary l believe we are going to ex-
perieuce higher figures. While loose
hay is now selling at 50 and $40, ex-
pect to see change in the next month.
Last winter was the dullest hay market
| have ever seen. Tons Of hay went of
at So a ton, while the average for the
winter was not over IS, and the winter
before struck an attitude OF about 50.
1t will be remembered that the last two
or three winters were wet winters, and
it is generally expected that this will be
a dry winter, aud this alone generally
effects hay to the tune OF about 81 rise.
Not quite the same quantity Of hay
was raised here this year as last
but believe it is of little better quail
ity, as the farmers have had good
season, and the harvesting was done
under favorable circumstances. | be-
lieve there IS as good a hay locality
here as there is in the country. l
wouldn't be surprised il hay reached
as high as SIG a ton before the year is
out. Of course it depends in a meas
ure upon the status of the market in
Chicago. II it continues to rise out
there, local hay will likely keep in the
procession"
Has there been any wide fluctuations
in the price Of hay Of late years?"
''Not of late, although four years ago
it ran as high as $50. But hay in
Wheeling reached its climax about the
time Of the Franco-Prussian war, when
the fodder was perched serenely at $50
ton. This was not caused in any way
by the war, but by the condition Of
previous crops. For three years before
the crops had been unusually light, and
it must be remembered also that it was
time before the hay presses were in
vented, and 10 hay could be
shipped into town from other
places. But later after the
hay press was invented then shipments
became more frequent. Farmers here
abouts now have hay presses, that is, a
large majority OF them. We are getting
hay at pretty easy figures now, consid-
ering the fact that at Sl2 hay is general
~ considered pretty reasonable
care the farmers shipping much hay
out of town now?" asked the reporter.
mo. very little, If any," said Mr.
Marshall. ~ believe they are shipping
some from Brooke and Washington
counties to Philadelphia, but none has
gone from here. There was time, and
not so very long ago, when we used to
ship hay all along down the valley
OF Virginia, but the freight
rates here have gone up to such
an extent as TO render 1t impossible. In
order to ship hay out of Wheeling it is
subjected to many transfers, and every
transfer counts. II We had the same
rates sending goods ont of town "a We
get for goods received from Chicago,
there might be some sense in working
no the trade. But where we pay SO 3
ton from Chicago TO Wheeling, they ask
us about So for shipping on that and
other roads A while ago the Farmers
Institute held meeting to see about
consulting the railroad officials about
this matter, but | think nothing def
mite was done. believe another effort
will be made in the near future TO get
reduced rates.