The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-11

Inc nlR0csJ ROlu DTlCO TOT DOrbe0 DTlOr TO re-
sumption was S7o.s9. the average for 1871.
The price Of mules for the samo year was S91.6
and for these animals that is the highest av-
eragc for any year In tho entire period. but the
highest figure for horses was that OF 1884
($74.64l. exceeding the figures for 1871 by %. rs.
That prices should have been high during tho
earlier years of the period covered was to have
been expected, tho loss OF horses during the war
having been so heavy that tho increase in their
number for the decade ending in 1870 was only
IA per cont, as against over A per cent. in
the preceding decade. and nearly 45 per cent. In
each Of the two decades which followed. Tho
fall in prices which began in 1871, as shown in
the figures for Feb. /, 1872, may have originated
in . gradual recovery from tho loss in numbers
which the war had caused, but tho panic of 1878
and the business depression of tho next six
years had no doubt, much to do with its extent
and continuance.
Tho lowest average during this earlier period
OF depression was that for Jan. l., 1879, tho
figures for that date being $50. SO for horses and
$50 for mules. From that time there was a
sharp advance until tho maximum figures,
namely. S74.64 for horses and es4.2 % for mules,
were reached on Jan. /, 1884. The decline dur.
ing the first five years after that date was slight
and not without interruption. During the four
years from Jan. 1. 1889. to Jan. l.. 1893, 1t was
much greater. amounting to 14.S per cent. for
horses and Ill per cent. for mules; but tho
most rapid fall occurred during the two years
from Jan. !, 1893, to Jan. !, 1895. horses de.
clining by 4o.7 per cent. and mules by 32.7
per cent. between those dates. A further de-
cline Of S4.7s per capita on horses and $3.50 per
capita on mules occurred within the two years
ending on Jan. /, 1897. and tho figures for tho
date last named arc the lowest on the records.
At that time horses were worth, ON an average,
"A little mora than fun,nStba and rnnloa n IJttIa
less than one-half Of what they were worth
thirteen years before. Common range horses
are sold in many localities for almost anything
that they will bring. Prices as low as 81 per
head are mentioned by correspondents Of tho
department in some parts of the range country.
Many cases are mentioned In which horses havo
been given away to get rid OF them. and some
In which hundreds have been shot to save tho
pasturage for more saleable kinds OF stock.
To very considerable extent the fall in the
average, price Of horses must represent a de-
horses have been offered In many OF the moro
Eastern States, especially. and in the South, In
cheaper to depend upon the supply thus obtained
than to raise horses at home, and numerous re-
pert Rqsssi from h,s almost a1'nast every StHts represent 1 III:
cruited far les, than usual from tho better
breeds kept In the older States. and far more
than usual from the horses promiscuously bred
in the range districts, which could not fail to
The price OF mules 10. OF course. largely do
pendent upon that of horses, and in discussing
il viii be as we'll to confne our attention 10 tho
latter. Tho correspondents OF the Department
Il of them a saEnsst t i"Pi lSSy pri espt to the ais:
placement OF horse power on street car lines by
electricity and other mechanical motors; and
the bicycle comes In for frequent mention. espe-
cially as a cause OF reduced demand for livery
horses. Scarcity Of money. the depression In
in the values OF agricultural products are among
other explanations offered. In many of the
AUX Of horses from tho West and Southwest ss Is
mentioned by a number Of correspondents as
the chief cause OF the depressed market.
This last explanation points In the direction OF
tho cause to which the statistician OF the De-
partment q Agriculture appears to attach tho
tho price OF horses is exceptionally heavy and
needs, some cause not universally operative to
may be chiefly found In the rapid Multiplication
OF horses FOR innny years IN the vast grazing re-
mental railroads, where animals could DO pro-
duced At a nominal cost for subsistence IN the
f IT. msan G .i%s sTe 1fim IF The ranges IN ssssn wh by tb IN
progress Of agricultural settlement, and in tho
consequent forcing OF the surplus Into the mar:
horses prices have fallen more than In the case
ot cattle or XIII, s;lh,soP; he ri In,t the 60 ex ]on1 sn IN
wider market afforded by thelr, easy expectation
in the form of meat. II may DO worth while to
TIC CHEZ classes OF farm animals since ISL has
been rs follows. Horses, 57.s per cent. mules.
bO.5 per cent. milch COWS, 26.I per cent. other
cattle. 2o.2 per cent; sheep. 1913 per cent;
swine, 20 per cent.
The effect upon prices produced by the substi-
tuition of electricity and other mechanical motors
for horse power Ia undoubtedly much exagRer-
ated In many. quarters. In 1890 there wrro
mites were operated By animal power. II has
been stated that the present year opened with
over 10000 miles OF electric road and that this
was more than 90. per cent. OF all tho street
railroads in the United states. This would
reduce the length of road now worked by
animals TO between 1000 and l,5OO miles.
The larger part Of the street railway mile.
age constructed since 1870 consists or roads
for the availability of cheap and efficient motive
power. Tho number of horses actually displaced
on lines where they were formerly in use may
be roughly estimated Al from 10000 10 10000,
and II would be u very liberal estimate TO sup
pose that In tho absence OF rival motors an ad-
diii0ual 10000 or 10000 horses would by this
time have been required Tor street railway
work. Il we ohould cro4it The bicycle with some
thing like an equal effect in displacing horse
power. the total displacement. would not exceed
100000. or at most 100000, horses. When
the fall OF prices hogan the displacement
was altogether, insignificant, and even In