The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-04-21


passing through the Twin Cities and Duluth
en- route between the great clipping centers
Of North Dakota, Montana, wash
ingon and Oregon and Eastern cities for
securing and manufacture there into yarns
and fabrics To what extent ST. Paul and
Minneapolis are capable Of becoming not
bnly markets for wool, but for merchandise
composed of commodities manufactured from
wool must be left TO expert knowledge WIN
respect to commercial bearings on the gen
sral subject to determine. There Is no
soubt that the industry has been subject to
vide fluctuations as between success ana
allure in the past owing to frequent changes
m the tariff affecting the value OF raw ma
jer;al.
II is true Also that owing to climatic
ambitions. primarily, and, Furthermore, to
ack of proper care in the growing OF HOOKS
ne quality of native wool has not attained
hat degree of perfection which AFFORDS as
urance against preference being given to the
product of Australia and other foreign coun'
.ries But no one familiar with the subject
IAN doubt that by the application Of more
.orerct methods in the rearing OF sheep with
4, view TO supplying grades of wool adapted
Tor use Ia connection with the manufacture
Of the higher classes of products, the pronts
resulting from this industry might be largely
Increased.
A comparison between the wool OF a mock
Of Merino sheep, say, reared In Australia
and that of another flock of the same breed
reared in Montana or North Dakota, must
satisfy any one of the superiority of the for
mer over the latter 1t does not require an
extremely sensitive touch either, to enable
one to distinguish the difference. Ii rea-
son is asked for, 1t will be forthcoming In
the statement that the difference is due to
both care and climate; but it is claimed that
proper attention to the former will go far
TO offset the advantages OF the latter.
The runs provided for the Australian sheep
are selected with a view to cleanliness; the
sheep ranches of both the Northwestern and
\ Southwestern sections of the United States
are Wild land and in many instances not SUI
hciently far remote from ground under cul-
tivation, whence the dust is lifted into the
atmosphere and carried by the strong winds
OF the plains and through ravines and along
mountain slopes to a final resting place in
The fleece of the grazing fiocks. This accu-
mutation OF dirt and sand, entering into the
growing wool produces an immense per-
centage of discount in value when the clip
Ping season arrives.
The sheep is also close cropper OF Vege-
teticn. Cattle ranchmen in the Northwest
have learned this to their sorrow The sheep
goes to the root, and his velvety lips absorb
everything green as he goes along. This
the progress Of his period of feeding the
growth of his wool Is natural and wholesome.
IN Australia, owing to the climate, this regi-
be maintained but in our North
western country the approach of winter neces-
states change IN the bill of fare; and
somehow or other, probably owing to the fact
that the animal is bred and grown here for
his meat uses rather than for his wool pro-
duct. This period of change is neglected by
growers. The consequence is that from the
time he is denied the privileges of natural
grazing, and Indifference is shown to the
regularity and quality of feeding, the strands
In his fleece become jointed and knotted and
this makes the deterioration in the quality of
The clip.
Attention has previously been called to the
added weight contributed by these accumu-
lations of sand and dirt in wool to the freight
charges for transportation of the raw material
from the great clipping areas of the North
west to the securing plants and manufacture
ing establishments Of the sea board states.
II is a surprising fact that this waste, together
With the natural grease of the fleece is esti-
mated at between 40 and rs per cent, and it
IS certainly not unfair to place the immense
figures at about so per cent. The total ship
ments Of wool passing through the state of
Minnesota, by the way OF st. Paul and Du-
luth, over the lakes, last year, aggregated it
g said, approximately 100000 pounds. Now,
assuming that the rate for transportation of
raw wool is one cent per pound only, 1t will
be observed that there is distributed among
The railway and lake lines $4,000 per annum
Tor the carrying of dirt alone in connection
with this traffic. How much of this sand
might be distributed among the laboring ele-
ments of Minnesota by the establishment at
some point within Its boundaries of securing
plants capable of handling this commodity?
nnf fhn lnao
such plant here at the head waters Of the
Mississippi river prove initial movement
looking to the addition of wooden mills for
the manufacture of woolen goods at this gate
way to the Northwest?
The success Of the North Star Wooden mill,
at Minneapolis, affords an evidence of what
can be accomplished by pluck and persistency
and enterprise. Throughout a generation CT
time 1t has withstood, in its final struggles.
the assaults or fluctuations in the tariff and
severe depression in trade, and today it is an
industrial institution of one of the Twin
Cities, OF which the commonwealth as a
whole, has reason to be proud But this con-
Germ makes no pretension to a command of
the Northwestern trade. 1t has its market
ready made for it, through Marshall Field g
Co., OF Chicago, and other Jobbers to tire east
ward But its products of blankets, Aanneis
and heavy wooden goods are among tie best
IN the world. They are, in fact unsur-
passed anywhere, both in quality and etyle
and Patterns and shades. There is no doubt
mat duplication of such an In stituti IN here
would be equally successful. In a certain way
tie advent Of a new concern of like charac-
ter would be regarded as in the nature of
competition, but the North Star company is
so firmly established, it's product is of So
higS rank and the channel of its trade so
liked that any enterprise would have
practically an open fed.
In the location Of new industries In grow
ing capitals the mistake is often made of
starting them on too gigantic scale for the
requirements of the territory to be served
Hence, as in the case of the North Ssar COM
pany itself, the greatest results along in
oustrlal lines spring from small beginnings
Ihe modern loom is available to those who
associated themselves together with a. limited
capital stock as to those who command larger
volumes OF funds. Men of credit can COM
mand credit almost everywhere; st. Paul
ought to be no exception when enterprise
Intelligence and honesty are found to con-
tribute, by these agencies, to her Industrial
Importance.
Just now the growth of sheep In Minnesota
is showing signs of increase. The Topography
OF the state. with its abundance of woodlands
and highlands and lowlands, and fresh water