The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-07-25

From al quarters Of the state come the
mos. cheering reports az 10 the condition
OF the wheat crop. both wia:er and spring
sowing. II is now beyond all question snas
The crop w.il be far greater than was ever
before harvested iE the state. and the
price also promises TO be satisfactory.
". L Berhaa,. Western freight mana
ger OF the Great Northern. naturally keeps
r. close touch on the wheat situation. es-
pecsaliy III the country Immediately trfcu-'
tary TO the Great Northern Speaking OF
estimates Of the wheat crop. Mr.. Benharn
said he did not desire TO De quoted as
making any predictions on the subject:
any figures which he would give on the
subject would be looked upon as too ex-
travagant. This much could be said. now
ever. that shs crop was large. very large.
much larger than had ever before been
harvested in the state. His company rec
ogiaized this fact. and would do all that
e3ald possibly be done TO see that enough
cars would be provided 10 move the crop
in d reasonable length Of time.
Ii is matter of regret" said Mr.. Ben
ham. that Seattle is so poorly provided
with elevator facilities. In the absence Of
elevators. there is considerable additional
expense In handling wheat. The margins
on wheat are small. and a slight difference
In expense is sufficient TO divert wheat TO
another point
Mr.. Benhams opinion was that it would
be decidedly TO the interest OF Seattle as a
wheat shipping point If steps were taken
70 remedy tfsis condition. ard furnish the
proper facilities for handing the wheat
crop.
e. Cardin. manager OF J. Q. Adams &
Co. took trip through the wheat region
% Eastern Washington. from which he
has recently returned. The crop conditions
in that section are absolutely perfect.
~tr-tn - all IL ovid
nothing could possibly injure the spring
wheat except a hot wind such as did so
much damage in July OF last year. Wheat
this year is nearly month further along
than Ii was last year. and even ii such
winds did occur now the damage would
not be severe. In the Big Bend country
last year there was harvested but 10000
bushels: this year the crop will be at least
2,00o 900 bushels of first-class wheat
The same conditions, TO a modified ex-
tent. prevail in all portions Of the wheat
belt. In the eastern portion OF the Pa
louise country. for example. there is al
ways a good crop SO this year will not
present such a marked contrast with the
preceding one as prevails in the wheat
sections further to the northward. which
are nearer the arid belt. But even in the
Palouse reports are of a heavier annual
yield than usual and Of an increased
acreage.
Mr.. CardIn thinks. from his personal OBJ
servations and from what he has learned
frem correspondents, tha- the estimate OF
is 900 600 bushels OF wheat for this state,
as compared with 100000 last year. is a
conservative one. The prospect is that the
farm price of wheat will be fully SO cents.
With these prospects it would appear that
the golden harvest from the wheat fields
OF Eastern Washington will produce near
iy as much TO the farmers of this state
as the Clondyke mines Will disclose to the
treasure seekers this year.
The only danger to the wheat crop to-
day lies In a possible wet harvest time.
such as that Of 1893. That season millions
of bushels OF grain were injured so as TO
after the wheat had been threshed and
sacked Farmers had DO shelter for their
wheat, and the railroad warehouses were
far too small to accommodate 1t: SO it
was stacked UP out in the open air. Con-
ditions are dinAfspt now. There is a
great deal more warehouse room on the
railroads and the farmers themselves are
better equipped with vgranaries than in
1898 Even a wet harvest time would
not do so much damage now as was done
then.
Like Mr. Benham Mr.. cardin depIores
the fac. that Seattle Is not better pro-
viAed with elevator facilities to handle
the crop a fact which operates severely
against this city as a competitive point
for the grain trade. With proper fa-
cilities Saattle's share Of the grain trade
would be very much greater than 1t will
under existing conditions.