Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-12
ONE ROUND ON STOCK YARDS
Senate Puts in Lively Afternoon on
Regulation Measures.
TWO REPORTS ON THE ORIGINAL BILL
Differ Only In One section, but sum.
cicnt to Cause n Division and
Dispute of Considerable
Dimensions.

LINCOLN, Feb. 11.-(Special Telegram.t- -
The first battle over the bill to regulate tho
Omaha stock yards was fought In the sem
ate this afternoon and while the contest
practically resulted in draw, the stock
yards people got first blood. The decisions of
the referee. who in the case was the lieutenant
governor. as presiding officer OF the senate.
were not satisfactory to many members OF
the senate, but as his decisions in no wise
affected the result this afternoon, they did
no serious harm, although they are likely to
be challenged tomorrow.
The contest arose over the majority and
minority reports Of the committee on agri-
culture to which Senator Grothans stock
yards bill has been referred. Neither report
favored the original bill. In fact both re-
ports offered entirely new bills practically.
alike In respect to all sections but one. The
bill offered by the majority makes a reduce,
tion in the yardage and weighing charges.
as well as in the feeding charges, while tho
bill presented by the minority reduces the
feeding charges only. AS a result Of the
struggle in the senate this afternoon the
original bill was sent to the general file.
1t is expected that contest Will
arise as to whether the amendment
suggested by the majority and minority of
the committee accompany the original Bill
to the general file. But as both amendments
may be offered in committee of the whole. !
whatever the ruling Of the lieutenant gov
ernor may be, there is little In this phase
of the contest worth fighting over. The
minority report was signed by Johnson Of
Clay and Farrell of Merrick, both middle
of-the-road populists. and Caldwell OF Muck
oils, republican. 1t was as follows:
REPORT OF THE MINORITY.
Mr.. President: We, your minority of tho
committee on agriculture, to whom was re-
ferred senate file SO. dissenting from the
majority. beg leave to submit the follow
ing:
That the bill has been considered by your,
committee at several of, its meetings, at
which time there have been present live
stock shippers from different parts Of the
Stock stock yards id Of Omaha .''e9 u '"e ''
That Statements both for and against
but but at t'-iy5 no time have there been any argu-
ments based on facts presented to show
why this bill should become law yf on for the
should be declared a pubic market, or why,
s Present SPossa saaao.ished an" fses but @ the onS
bill was that the stock yards company,
being an an incorporate ms institution It
other hand, the Union Stock Yards COM
pany, by its representatives, while admit
laws of the state Of Nebraska. affirm that
their company is large and the succesS-
Still they have no rights under the state
laws that allow them to ACQUIRE property
sy Or ang a FL
been acquired by purchase. y
Stock yards have but two fixei charges.
and If the ratrons of the yard see fit to.
incur either or both of them. this matter
rests entirely with themselves; whilst, on
the services Of the patrons, without any
expense to. them whatever, unless the
maS of reaze hd Sene by
of their stock, thereby incurrng the
charge of the stock yards company. n
to place the same on sale but desires that
it shall be reshipped to some other mar
stock yards company to that effect. and
the yards company, with its experienced
it to the loading chutes, and the rairoad
empty cars. reloads the same and delivers
whatever to the owner The stock yards
company not only perform all Of the serv.
the stock Is Goncerned; but 1t also as.
sumes all liability for damage or loss q
quired free of charge
WHAT THE YARDS DO.
If, while the stock is in the yards, the
market price on this kind of stock appears
and the owner places the
grain grain in in any ny quantity desired will viii be 'furt
nished and fed to the stock. and aftet
a sale has been consummated, the stock
is weighed and certificate as to the
correctness Of the weight Is given to both
the seller and the buyer, of which a record
Is Is, made &c on the books of the he compSny: n,Sin
and for food are the only charges madS
by the stock yards company, and cover
the expenses incurred by. the stock yards
for the successful handling and
disposition of live stock; and these ex-
penses, whilst they are numerous covering
thn not nf mil
the expense of weighing live stock all
the cost of construction and repairs. foe
business Of the company is carried on day.
and night, tools lost and Injured stock
and this last item is considerable each
year; cleaning yards; salaries of over 800
men, contingent expenses, such as in
surance, books. stationery, printing, saly
aries Of officers and agents. clerical forcs
these expenses are incurred for the mains
tenance of the Omaha market the benefits
of which. accrue to its patrons and ship
pers OF live stock.
They show that by large expenditures OF
money they have built up in our state not
only the third largest stock yards company
in the United States, but with their money
they have assisted in the construction
four large PaSbas bs thereby " mak S
state can find ready sale for all kinds Of
live stock thereby creating home market
at the doors of the producer
II was further shown that in the year
1896 over 1900 head of stock had been sold
by the farmers ana others and shipped
from the country direct to the packing
houses. and that this stock was unloaded
and handled through the stock yards,
sufficient yard room. given all
the water required, and at all times the
stock yards company was held liable for
the safe handling and delivery of such
stock and all of this service and water
was furnished at no expense whatever to
the shipper or packer; and. as shown,
that the purchase OF live stock by packers
outside Of the stock yards and handled
as above is common practice.
CHARGES SAME AS ELSEWHERE
As for the weights and quantities OF
hay and corn furnished every bale of hay
Is weighed and has q tab fastened on the
same, showing its weight, and all corn
furnished is carefully measured. The yard
ing charge and the feeding charges at
Omaha are the same as made at Chicago,
81. Louis Kansas City and Sioux City.
ing Of the committee were loud In their
praises of the home market as furnished
al Omaha, and stated that the prices
realized for their stock were on the average
better than when they were Obliged 10 seek
The markets further east. when freight
charges and shrlnkage were taken into con-
slderation. and declare that everything
market rather than try to tear 1t down
Or TO put It under the restriction OF the
aw for the only reason that II is AN in
corporate body.
After ali of the facts herelnbefore re-
,ited were placed before the committee
md the committee considered the bill in
with such facts and agreed
Upon form OF substitute bill and had
he substitute bill before the committee,
ha nNnfff ma ri nf M