Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-14
MANY CHANGES BEING MADE.
STOCK YARDS COMPANY MOVING ITS
BUSINESS INTO MISSOURI.
Horse and Mule Market Abandoned
So Far as Encouraging 1t With
Money Ii Concerned-Rea-
sons for the Change.

Changes at the stock yards have been
following fast upon the heels Of one an
other since the first of the year. Whatever
the motives of the managers of the yards
may be. none of them has been detrimental
to the general trade. 1t has been less than
a week since spectators were all put on
the Kansas side of the yards. and the fresh
stock yarded in Missouri, in pens similar
in every way to those in Kansas. The only
reason for the change seems to be the de-
sire of the company to get as much of its
business out of Kansas and into Missouri
as possible. and with the moving out to
Twenty-third and Grand avenue last week
OF Wolcott. Beers & Co. and Erwin. Grant
and Co., who held the horse business at the
yards last year, vacated much useful
ground and buildings and at once brought
the company face to face with the fact
that most of its horse and mule business
must leave it. and if conducted as in the
past II must be at a heavy loss. The stock
yards company has therefore decided to go
out of the horse and mule business. save
So far as to provide a place for the sta.
stock the same as cattle. hogs and sheep.
In reply to a question on this point yes
terday Colonel c. F. Morse. general man
II will go back to the beginning and
make a general statement in regard to the
connection the yards have had with the
T stock yards company has been. for
the past twenty years. making the same
effort to develop the horse and mule bust
ness that 1t has to increase and develop the
cattle, hog and sheep business. 1t has pro-
vided every facility that seemed to be nee.
essaay, and anntd has expended a great deai 10, o.
have been made for carrying on the bust
ness. but in the way of bonuses, advertis,
to be desirable to Stimulate the business.
Numerous methods have been tried at diff
ferent times, but for the last eight or ten
horse and mule business on the same foot
ing as the other business Of the stock
yards IDS that Is to say; we have IA, tried to ne eS-
dealers and others. which would attract
shipments and make this a place where
horses and mules could be sold on their
'For a time. it seemed as II this plan was
going to b. successful. During two years.
here were consigned directly to this mar
ket n were sold at auction on commits
sion and the transactions closed up with
almost the same promptpess as those s,s, Of
l referred to, from various causes there
came a great depression in the horse n
mule business. accompanied. at the same
ever existed before. not only amongst the
various dealers in Kansas, but as between
Kansas City. St. Louis and other cities.
II u lIupOSclDlc " Il VI SoAl.
mission man in horses and mules to pay
anything more than the smallest possible
margin Of profit for his feed or for the
ness, and even when handled on these very
close margins. many of the dealers made
losses instead of profits.
the stock yards company either to go out
of the business or else to practically be-
come a dealer in horses and mules. The
latter course is what the stock yards COM
nanv haC haan p1lrSrinO for tho 1oCf Won
and a half. Captain Tough, manager Of
the horse and mule market, being the
active party who has carried on the BUSH
:ty and skill, and to the entire satisfac-
tion of the stock yards company. The
latter company has kept whatever capital
and, as l said before, by force of circum-
stances. has become interested in the d.
rect transactions in horses and mules. al
Il tnf first s Wlrneai in iny the saf bns an 3 Th,s wh has
been very unsatisfactory. and there has
been but little profit in the business. 1t
never was the intention of the stock yards
COMPANY to do anything more than fur
Fish facilities for a horse and mule BUSH
ness, the same as 1t does for cattle. sheep
and hogs. and during the past year. after
a great deal Of elaboration on the part of
the officers n directors of the company.
it was decided that the only proper course
for the company to pursue was to with
: aw from the business and let it be trans
,rted by those who could properly go
ir o it,"
The stock yards company has. therefore.
e ne out OF the horse and mule business
: , far as encouraging the trade with the
use of its money and will only take care
of 1t so far as c~onsignments are made, the
as in cattle. hogs and sheep. For the
present. Captain w. s. Tough will still
have charge Of the horse and mule stables
until the plans and specifications for new
sheep and hog houses are completed, which
are to take the place of them and the
ground adjoining, which. when completed.
part Of the yards in Missouri. It is under
stood that Captain Tough will. when he
leaves the yards. join the horse n mule
at Twenty-third and Grand avenue,
and build 4 big sales stable there and be
associated with his sons In business for
himself. .
With these changes have come a policy
of economy with the yards and they are
said to be working on closer lines. but 1t
has been SO far with the inner workings
of the yards. The construction department
has not felt it and the policy seems to be to
all the facilities necessary for the
care of the trade.
Their feed charges now are 60 cents per
bushel for oats, GO cents per bushel for corn
and 50 cents per 100 pounds for hay. against
the old charges. and 1t Is this reduction
that must answer for the closer workings