The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-06
CATTLE INDUSTRY IN DANGER.
WESTERN BUYERS CLEANING OUT
THE CATTLE RANGES.


tinue the BusIness-Heifers and
Young Cows Being bought Almost
acknowledgement Inspector
Crcamer to Investigate the situa-
lion for the Agricultural Depart
ment-A Tract of 14,OO0 Acres
bought in Chatham County and "a
cattle Chute Erected on the Gem
trail Railroad.
Are the Western cattlemen attempting
IN ctean out the cattle business in South
east Georgia. This is the opinion Of Mr.. ].
f. Creamer, the inspector of fertilizers
for this district, and he believes that he
has good reasons for saying so.
EITHER there is a dearth of cattle on the
Western ranges said Mr.. Dreamer yester-
day. or the Western cattlemen are en-
gagged in a concerted effort at the instance
Of The packers combine, 10 knock the
bottom out of the Georgia cattle business
by buying up all the young breeding stock,
and leaving nothing behind with which
he cattle growers can continue the bust
ness profitable"
Mr. Dreamer believes the la ter 10 be the
case. ii not, he asks, why is it that the
buyers who have been operating in South
east Georgia for the last twelve months
have bought almost exclusive female cat
lie So far as beef purposes are concerned
The male yearlings and two and three-year
ods are even more desirable than the fe-
males as Well lattened steers usually COM
mand The highest prices in the market
&c h.ai n l,a
buying up the he.fers and young cows
and leaving the bullocks and steers unless
they intend 10 put an end TO the cattle
business in South Georgia.
Thousands of cattle have been bought
in this section of the state during the
last twelve months by Western buyers and
shipped to the Western ranges" said Mr..
Creamer. Whether bought for breeding
purposes or for beef l am unable TO say
bu, this thing l am assured of, and that
is that SO per cent. of the cattle which
have been bought and shipped away
were females, chiefly young heifers ana
COWS up to four years of age The buyers
have almost cleaned out the cattle in the
territory surrounding Savannah, and there
is not now enough beef cattle in the ter
rt0ry surrounding Savannah to suppIv
this city should the Western beef supply
be suddenly cut off. The result of this
Is that this winter there will be practi-
cally no native cattle to compete with
the Western beef, as has been the case in
past seasons, and the packing house
agents Will nave the local market al their
mercy. Heretofore the competition of the
native beef has tended to keep down the
prices of the Western article but such
will not be the case this winter. Beef Is
now cents a pound by the carcass. and
Is practically certain to go to cents this
fall"
Mr.. Creamer has the best of evidence
that the case is as he states it. In the
INST place, ne was offered position last
fall by Tennessee concern having West
ern ranges TO act as cattle buyer for them
IN this section a a good salary Having
MS present position in view at the time,
however, he declined the offer. He was
also unwilling TO engage in the work of de-
po2ulating the Georgia cattle ranges In
addition 70 this ne has recently visited
several of the counties in this section ana
found the conditions to be as he stated
them
"Bulloch and TattnaH have been practi
cally cleaned clear of beef cattle" said
Mr.. Creamer Pretty much the same
conditions exist in Bryan, bingham and
sereven. In the latter county there is
hardly enough cattle left to supply the
loc@l demand"
The mistake which the cattle owners
nave made, said Mr. Creamer. rs in
selling the cream of their stock and thus
cutting themselves off from future pro-
auction They are killing the bud of the
business as il were. The young bullocks
are OF but little value except for beef pur-
poses, and the old cows are of but little
value for beef and are not as valuable for
productive purposes as the young cows.
me general cleaning up of the young cows
ana helters in the cattle country will re-
SUIT IN a smaller production each year in
S'edd OF an Increasing production to meet
the growing demand. The results will be
Dad Tor the farmers and cattle raisers as
wen as for the people of Savannah who
NlH have to pay more for beef because
% The lack of native beef to keep down
me price by competition"
Mf. Dreamer will, in few DAYS. leave
VII tour OF inspection of the counties of
,"'S Section, for the purpose of ascertain
w IN detail the conditions as they now
eAlsl ana reporting thereon to the commits
S'her of agriculture. He believes it to
W tHe intention of the commissioner to
"'Iu Ihe farmers of the mistake they are
making in cutting the ground from he
heath their feet in selling the CATTLE which
,t. De Kept for the purpose of contin-
aug the business. and thus playing into
uIe hands of the beef trust
. mere IS only one good feature about
ans state of affairs" said Mr.. Dreamer.
ana that is this. If the farmers of
Sou5 heast Georgia will import a better
9'aue OF cattle from Upper Georgia 70
"Ne the place of those they have sold the
cuts VIII be beneficial to the business.
A. Is We'll known, the cattle of this sec
w." are as rule, of poor grade. While
11e farmers of Upper and Middle Georgia
e S hot own so many cattle as those of
tS2u, Georgia, their cattle have been
"ed up to better grade They are of
~ ger frame and take on fat more readily.
81 lne opportunity of improving the grade
~ lHe South Georgia cattle by bringing in
UlGr breeds from other sections is a
sooa one though it is to be feared it will
Ho, ne taken advantage Of"
H. rev people are aware" said Mr..
te'mer' that a very large tract of land.
t gooot 1900 acres, formerly belonging 10
ne i1ouston estate, has been purchased
nus county, and a cattle chute erected
VII 'he line of the Central Railroad few
'''es from Savannah Whether this has
7Vu zone for the purpose of shipping cat
away from Savannah or of handling
e "glH 10 Savannah, 1 cannot say, but it is
'"enl that somebody intends going ex-
"sllvely into the cattle buying business
III