San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-10-30
WANTS OUR HORSES.
American Animals Again in De-
mand in England
A Most Agreeable Change in the Status
of a Great Industry-The Grow
ing Shipments of This
Year.

In spite of the alleged dullness in
the horse market on account of the BIZ
cycle craze, $4,000 have been shipped to
England this year, and there is a con-
stantly increasing demand.
A year ago those farmers-and there
were thousands of them-who were
making most of their money raising
common or railroad" horses-were
about the bluest class of men in the
United States. To-day they are again in
good heart. Then they were convinced
that the industry in which their capital
was invested, and from which they had
won their profits for years, was
doomed, that they must abandon for
ever the one business towhich they had
devoted their lives, and with which they
were familiar, and seek other ways to
make their farms productive. Many of
them, indeed, sold their horses at big
sacrifice and closed out without cere-
mony. Now they are beginning to go
into business again, their pastures and
paddocks are once more being brought
into use, and they are satisfied that the
outlook is full of promise.
This most desirable change in the
status of great industry has been
brought about so gradually that few
persons not directly engaged in the
horse business knows anything about
it. Its cause, according to William f.
Doerr, one of the best-known horse
dealers in the United States, has been
the apprehension-somewhat tarlily
shown, to be surely the English of the
facts with regard to the horse market
in the United States.
1t was some time last year that deal
ers on the other side began to send their
buyers over here. They had never done
so to any extent before. Possibly this
was in some degree because they did
not favor American horses, but chiefly
for the excellent reason that American
horses could never before be bought
nearly so cheap as those of foreign
breeding. The first English agent went
at his buying, perhaps, with some hest
tation, but he soon became confident,
for he found not only that the prices at
which he could buy here were much be-
low the current prices abroad, but also
that the American horses were harder,
more enduring, grade for grade, and
better looking than the English animals.
The first shipment of consequence
was sent over rather early last year,
and as soon as the horses were seen and
tested there rush of English buyers to
the states began. Ever since then the
shipments have been constantly in
creasing. But the traffic has not even
yet reached its height, since there are
at least 100 English buyers now in the
land, picking up horses wherever they
may. Seven. or eight hundred horses
are now being sent over every week,
and the total shipments Of railroad
horses to England this year are likely
to reach $4,000 or more.
The English have not yet adopted
electricity on their tram lines to any
extent. Their adoption Of street cars in
the first place was slow, and, although
they are now using them more freely,
they are still behind as to the method of
hauling them. Some American horses
are being used for other purposes, but
not many. The grade of horses former
ly called "railroaders" are so much bet
ter adapted to tram work than any
other sort that they are all snapped up
for that purpose.-Chicago Journal.