West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-04-11
THE Low PRIZE HORSES.

Every once In awhile we hear
some Republican, either through
ignorance or demsgoguery, taking
about the low price of horses and
dull sales and charging it to the
Democratic Administration. MANY
people who are not posted on the
subject and do not investigate for
themselves, are more or less IN
huenced by such clap.trap argu--
ment. People In the rural commu-
mites who are not familiar with the
rapid march Of improvement in the
large cities, have no idea how cleo
tricity is being utilized for motive
power, and the wonderful spread of
the trolley system for street cars in
and about all the cities and larger
towns in the past five years, can
hardly be believed by any one un-
acquainted with the business.
Where thousands OF horses aud
mules we're purchased at fair price
every year for use on the street
railways, electricity has entirely
supplantod them, and every new
line being put in is either by cable
or electricity, and all the old lines
are rapidly being converted into
electric lines, and now street cars
run by horses are laughed at and
Joked about as old fashioned and
out OF date. Not only on street
railways, but in all the big mines,
where for nerly thousands Of mules
were used, electricity is being put
in to run the coal out. The follow
ing extract from scientific article
on the subject Is Of special interest.
and Is taken from paper that has
nothing to do with politics, and as
for the author, we have no idea
what his politics are. 1t is a mere
matter Of fact and scientific news.
with no politics in it. Hero is the
extract
While tho trolley has stimulated cer-
tain industries and spurred the genius
OF the inventor, it has worked great
hardship in several directions The
president of one of the most successful
trolley roads in the United States told
me day or two ago that an average
OF at least ten horses were employed TO
every car in operation under the old
system. The total number of street cars
now in use is IL, 009, of which %. Ar. or
more than half, are electric. At least
100000 horses would be required to
haul these cars, were it not for the in
PRODUCTION of the trolley At the be-
ginning of the trolley extension the
value of good railroad horses averaged
Sls5 each, but they have since been
bought for from s25 to $40 or from one
fifth to one-third of their former value.
AS fast as the companies adopt electric
power, they throw their useless horses
upon the market at whatever price is
offered.
As the average life of the railroad
horse is but about four years. the an
nual demand was formerly for about
$4,000; the present demand will be an.
parently for about 100, 900 had not the
trolley stepped in. AS a matter of fact,
however, the farmers probably cannot
now sell more than from 10. 600 to Is. 600
a year, and the call is rapidly decreas-
ing. Unquestionably this has had
much to do with the present distress in
regions where horses are the staple.
Added to the falling off in the demand
for horses, there is also a much smaller
demand than before for hay, oats and
other fodder
And yet ignoramuses and dema
gogues will continue to charge the
low price of horses and mules to
the administration in power, when
1t has no more to do with it than
the man in the moon.