The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-03-20
FROM EAhM TO BARRooM.
Tne Journey and Gradual Increase In Price
of Bushel of Corn.


Tne Journey and Gradual Increase In Price
of TsusheI of Corn.
Illinois is the great corn state and
Peoria is the center of its most prolific
belt. Peoria is a 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 be
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 are poured every day 10000
bushels of corn. The sugar houses
use from 5000 to 10000 bushels more
each day in the year. To supply the
constant demand the product OF 1,OOO
acres of rich corn la 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
9,OOO 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 are other than financial. But
consider simply the mere element of
value. Corn was sold the other day in
Peoria for 35 cents per bushel. It came
all the way from Nebraska, perhaps,
where it brought but 25 cents. In
transit two dealers received a commits
sion of cent each. The railroad COM
pany received cents for its freight
and other charges. The distiller paid
35 cents. He took and converted it
into four and half gallons of finished
spirits and fed one of his steers on the
refuse. The distiller sold the spirits to
a local dealer for SIS. 10, of which Uncle
Sam received $4.O5 as tax on the spir-
it's, leaving a balance to the distiller OF
~ cents after he had paid 35 cents for
his corn. The spirits, after being well
watered and compounded, are sold at a
profit by the cOmpOunder and rectlher
to the dealer, who sells out at Is cents
| drink. The four and one-ha1f gal
Ions have swelled to nine, and before
it gets through it swells many head
and also the revenue of the city where
it's lines may be cast. So that, in its
travels from the Nebraska crib to the
Chicago saloon, that bushel of corr
has increased in value from 25 cents tC
4 many dollars, and with its constant
running mates has furnished employ
ment to at least to fifty men or more
and has contributed to both the nation
al and municipal revenues. Sucl
magic there is in the juice of the COLDER
corn. OF the juice of that one bushe
of corn, at least 100 persons. have i'm
bibed, from the pious old lady wh'
took it for ''la grippe" to the jolly OLD
topper VINO TOOK IL Tor tine vIgnu.
To resume, that bushel of corn wa
thus scattered on the highways of busi
ness and pleasure: Farmer. 25 cents
railroads, SS cents; commission men,
cents; distillers, 70 cents, ~ cents
feeder, 10 cents; Uncle Sam, $4.0s
compounder and rectifier, 25 cents; re
i tail dealer, SO; city, IS. The cor
sumner got whatever was left in tn
spirits, each according to his strengt
or weakness.