The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-09
FOOLED BY ESTIMATES.
SCARCITY or YHIPs RESULT OF
UNDERWRITING WHEAT CROPS.
Early Preaictions Presased Large
shortage, which Subsequent
velopments Falsined = Too Late
Then TO Handle the Drain.

Special Dispatch to the Post-Intelligencer.
WATERvxLLE. Dec. s.-InQuiries have
been pouring In 10 grain buyers from all
over the state. asking the cause Of the
low price of wheat. Thousands, even mill
lions. OF bushels not sold have been ship
ped to the Sound and placed In storage
by the producers. awaiting more favorable
prices, but the market does not seem to
go up. Shipments from the Big Bend
have amounted, probably, to a little more
than half, and In some sections two
thirds, OF the crop. This II said TO be .
heavier proportion than has gone from
any other of the Eastern Washington
belts. Only part OF the grain shipped
is sold. The rest is lying In storage
awaiting better figures. or the wheat stiil
held at home. most is in the granarics OF
the farmers. There are but small amounts
In the warehouses along the Columbia.
Speaking of the situation IN general, a
grain handler has undertaken to throw
some light on the subject by pointing out
that one OF the results OF erroneous crop
reports. early in the growing season, Is
now seen in the scarcity OF ships. ''The
exporters were fooled at the start In the
estimate Of the CROP" he says. From
various parts of the state. especially the
extreme eastern and southeastern sec
tions. Including principally the Palouse
district, which has hitherto been the larg-
est wheat producing region, there came
reports that the crop outlook was bad and
the yield destined to be all but Failure.
From as far west as Adams and kiaesln
counties the same gloomy condition Of
things was reported and insisted upon by
alarmist correspondents till the outsider
would think the whole eastern grain belt
had gone to the 'demnition bowwows'
Grain buyers could not go out and look
over every acre OF land. In spite Of
hAv Iva fhArr t~>A s.A
what by the oft-repeated dismal stories.
This continued during the early season.
Then. suddenly. different reports began
to be made. BY and by every correspond-
ent, at every little station In the coun-
try. seemed to be trying to Guido his
ncighbor In giving accounts Of the great
wheat crop that was about to be harvest
ed. Newspapers were full Of the reports
of prodigious yields.
was done when the season for engaging
ships to handle the crop was let slip
by, and now. when nearly every vessel on
the sea is, engaged with other charters
and rates are high, the farmers are clam
oring to know why prices are not better
for their really large crop. and exporters
ma their storage consumed and not
ship In sight"
Another said: Last week there were
only three vessels loading or lying in port
with wheat on the Sound. Another ship
which has been there for wheat cargo
was refused because the charter was too
high. We are hoping that II the govern
ment dismisses q number Of transports
now in service that this will have a ten
dency to ease up the strain on shipping"
The consoling feature of the situation is
that the producers, finding themselves
thus confronted, are SO well able to hold
their grain. Some of them are resolved
to hang on till the prices and transpor-
tation facilities change. All other farm
products are high, they argue, and when
present unusual conditions are relieved
wheat will be certain to RISE"