The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1900-06-29
ELRvAToEs IN THE GRAIN COUNTRY.
Especial Correspondence

ELEVATORS IN THE GRAIN COUNTRY.
transportation facilities TO get the
grain 10 market. There is not SO much
10 be feared from this source now as
there was few years back. Formerly
the operators were often hampered for
cars in which 10 receive the grain, and
this is SO in many localities yet
But within Il few years there have
sprung up thousands Of small elevators
Jhlckly dOtting every feeder as well as
the main railroad lines in the grain re-
giOnS. Some OF these are mere road
side bins, where the farmer may drive
upon an incline ana shovel his load
out, but many OF them have a capacity
ranging from 10000 10 10000 bushels
and have endless belt elevators. Ii is
chiefly from these wayside StOrehOuses
that the grain finds its way into the
enormous elevators ut Chicago. Duluth.
Superior. st. Paul, Buffalo and other
railroad centers OH the way To the sea
board east or south.
Wheat is shipped in only one kind Of
car-the box car-for IL must not be
exposed To the weather. The standard
car holds 1000 bushels, or GOOOO
pounds. though few ears are made
which hold $4,000 pounds.
OF the various routes To the seaboard
the one via the great lakes from Chi
cago. Duluth ana other distributing
points to Buffalo and 10y the Erie canal
from Buffalo To New York is the cheap
est ami hence the most popular when
time limits do not count While the
railroads are more expeditions, they
are more expensive, but in good years,
such rs this one is. there is considera-
bic business for all.
The handling OF the crops Of the
northwest Is Il process which employs
thousands Of men. millions of capital
ana vast plants or heavy machinery.
With the development Of the country
ami the extension OF the railway sys-
TENS the mere mechanical transferring
~ the grain from the producer Ia the
consumer has grown into an enormous
industry. The elevators employed in
this industry i'm Minnesota ana the pa
kotaS q. me number over 2.nnn ami
have. a combined storage capacity Of
T5.uOu.uou bushels, according L. the
latest estimates available. Through
them pass practically all the wheat.
corn. oats. rye. barley and tiaNSeed
raised i'm the northwest.
Onc uf the old timers Of the ~. Paul
board Of trade and Il dealer in grain foI
many years WAS asked the other day
hy what means the wheat crop wa-
handled before the elevator system
was established. Ills prompt ana i'm
prrSSiyr reply WAS. "Elhow grease.
That seems Uu have been about the way
II H. IL has been only about 80 years
since the tir>t elevator un the modern
ulan WAS erected in Minnesota. Wheat
growing WAS not then the great and
yylLcSprcad industry that il IL today
The country north ami northwest "i
-. Paul was not AZ now. GridIr"nc'
hy railways and was not very thlchlA
settled. In the days wheE there Wcr,
no elevators the bulk OF TIA grain WAS
raised In the Minnesota river valley
and was tiulted down the MInnc>"ta
river 10 ST. Paul in hargcS. Here IN,
horces were formed into towS ana tax
cu down the MlS>lNN!I'lH l''N' ~ H''''''
boats, or else the grain WAS unShlppt,
and stored in archouScS on the lrNec
All the grain in those days WAS han
died i'm sacks The larger part of th'
crop was taken through 81. Paul III
stead of through Minneapolis ami Du
luth. the two great grain ccntcrs OF the
present day. The leading country mer
~. m he
ers. paying in cash or trade or in both
The city warehousemen were the Gus
toners OF the country merchants ano
sent out buyers just as the elevator