River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-06-28
FROM EARil TO eARRooM.,
The Journey and Gradual Increase In Prfc
of a Eushel of Corn.

of Bushel of Corn.
Illinois is the great corn state and
Peoria is the center of its most profits
belt. Peoria is great grain market
and especially for corn. Vast quanti-
ties of the golden grain are shipped
into that city for general distribution
and loaded into its mammoth eleva-
tors by the hundreds of thousands of
bushels a great deal of corn is shipped
from Peoria, but a vast quantity is
used there. There is more corn used
in Peoria than in any three cities in
the union, even though these cities DO
New York, Philadelphia and Chicago.
The reason is obvious, says the Peoria
Herald. Peoria is not only the center
of the great distilling interests. but
there are located two of the greatest
sugar houses in the country. Down
the capacious maws of the great dis
tilleries arc poured every day 10000
bushels of corn. The sugar houses
use from 5000 to 10000 bushels moro
each day in the year. To supply the
constant demand the product of 1000
acres of rich corn IN nds is daily shipped
into Peoria for home consumption.
Aside from these there are fully 5000
bushels used daily for other purposes.
So that it is safe TO estimate that fully
5000, 900 bushels of corn are used in
that city annually for manufacturing
and other purposes. The greater part
of this is manufactured into spirits.
1t is wonderful to consider the
changes made by bushel of corn in
its transition from the owners crib TO
the glass of the consumer. These
changes are various and far reaching.
They arc other than financial But
consider simply the mere element Of
value. Corn was sold the other day in
Peoria for So cents per bushcl II came
all the way from Nebraska, perhaps,
where it brought but % cents. In
transit two dealers received commits
sion of cent each. The railroad COM
pany received S cents for its freight
and other charges. The distiller paid
80 cents. lie took and converted it
into four and a half gallons of finished
spirits and fed one of his steers on the
refuse. The distillcr sold the spirits to
local dealer for S5.l2, of which Uncle
sam received S4.05 as tax on the spir-
its, leaving balance TO the distiller of
~ cents after he had paid IS cents for
his corn. The spirits. after being well
watered and compounded, are sold at n
profit by the corpouneer and rectitier
to the dealer, who sells out at 10 cents
q drink. The four and one-half gal
Ions have swellcd to nine, and before
it gets through it swells many head
and also the revenue of the city where
its lines may be cast. So that, in its
travels from the Nebraska crib to the.
Chicago saloon, that bushel of corn
has increased in value from % cents to
many dollars, and with its constant
running mates has furnished employ
ment to at least 10 fifty men or moro
and has contributed to both the nation
al and municipal revenues. Such
magic there is in the juice of the golden
corn. OF the juice of that one bushel
of corn. st least 100 persons have inn
bib9d, from the pious old lady who
took it for ia grippe" to the jolly old
topper who took it for 'the tight"
To resume, that bushel of corn was
thus scattered on the highways of BUSH
ness and pleasure: Farmer, Is cents;
railroads, IS cents; commission men, ,
cents; distillers, ~ cents. 72 cents;
feeder, 10 cents; Uncle Sam, S4.05;
compounder and rectifier, 25 cents; re-
tail dealer, $40; city, So. The con-
sumer got whatever was left in the
spirits, each according to his strength
or weakness.