The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-20
QUESTION AS TO SCALES.
Stock Yards Controversy Waging
Over Shiel & Co.'s Action.

Stock Yards Controversy Waging
Over Shiel & Co.'s Action.
The shutting out of the firm of r. r.
Shiel & Co. from the privileges of the Live
Stock Exchange at the stock yards has
brought on a discussion of the causes
leading up to the expulsion of the firm, in
which both parties state their positions in
entirely contradictory ways. The firm of r.
r. Shiel & Co. has been engaged in bust
ness at the stock yards over twenty years,
or ever since the yards were built, and it's
business, which consists largely of the pur-
chase of hogs, has, 1t is said grown to large
proportions. The point of contention ac-
cording to both parties, is the right of the
firm to weigh all it's hogs on one scale, the
same as is done by other shippers doing a
smaller business. The stock yards exchange
refused to allow it to do so because, tits said,
in this way the firm practically monopo-
Lies those particular scales which are most
in demand by the other dealers for reweigh-
ing. The company suggested to Shiel & Co.
that the proper thing to do was to weigh
on all three scales, which would enable
them to finish the days run much earlier.
This, however, Shel & Co., after a trial,
refused to do claiming that when the hogs
are weighed in this manner, the shrinkage
eat up the profits. In fact Shiel 8, Co. claim
that on several occasions the losses from
shrinkage in weight have been considerably
greater than the days receipts from COM
missions. The firm alleges that the Live
Stock Exchange is operated for the pur-
pose of compelling all buyers and sellers,
whether large or small. to do business along
certain lines and since the trouble has
been started, the firm proposes to return to
its methods of business which were in force
hafn fDtN1 frlaV1 Of fhc ixreC
Exchange 1t has, therefore, addressed let
ters to its customers explaining the situa-
ton from its own point of view and re-
questing that shipments be billed through
to various ports on the seaboard TO be I'M
loaded, however, at Indianapolis, in care
of the firm.
The firms representing the Live Stock Ex-
change give their version of the matter by
claiming that the avowed object of Shiel q
Co. in requesting that all their hogs be
weighed on one scale was to compel the
hogs they buy to lie in the alleys a long
time, so that the country shippers will have
to stand the shrinkage, instead of the buy
ers. This demand the statesmen refuse to
concede, and also refuse to sell the firm
hogs until it would accept them as other
buyers do, to be weighed on the scale most
convenient of the three scales provided by
the Stock Yards Company This action was
taken, according -. to the statement of the
of the hogs sent to this market The fol-
lowing firms are. arrayed against Shiel &
{ Coz Helm rf Ie%s Co. Co., I Adn Ba bgeE
Co, Tolin. Totten. Tibbs & Co., Stockton,
Gillespie, Clay & Co., NJ. Sells & Co, Mid
ellsworth, Benson, Nave & Co., Powell,
Beasley & Co, Clark, Wysong & Voris j.
G. Kershaw & Co.. The Capital Live Stock
Commission Company, Dye, Valodin & Co,
w. II. Hoshal q Co.
Yesterday Shiel bid above the market
price for hogs, but none was delivered to
him. 1t is said he proposes to go into the
market to-day and bid even higher than
yesterday. The whole controversy, it is
said. has a tendency to cause dstrust
among farmers as to the Indianapolis
yards.