The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-06-08
Bountfful Harvest At Hand.

preaching has been hitherto unap-
preached in its promise of fruitful
abundance for the Pacific Northwest.
Never with an equal acreage have the
conditions governing been SO favor
able for great crop of wheat. From
the Walla Walla district, where the
song of the reaper will be furnishing
music long before the close of the
month, up through the Palouse and
Big Bend countries, where the harvest
will be continuous until snow flies, re-
ports are equally sanguine, while the
tributary districts IN Oregon and Ida
no will each show an immense yield of
cereals. Estimates vary as to the
probable outturn of wheat, but none
are given which do not show liberal
increase over the total of any previous
year in the history of grain raising,
and it may he regarded as conservative
to place the yield of the three states of
Washington, Oregon and Idaho at up
wards of 50,OOO.OOO bushels, with
Washington producing from 23,0O0, 600
to 25.000,0OO bushels. 1t is also safe
to say that the export surplus, taking
the account carry-over stock from
the present crop year will be at least
100000 bushels greater than last
year. Puget Sound and the Columbia
will send abroad approximately 35 900,
600 bushels of wheat and flour during
the coming cereal year. OF this flour
exports will form no considerable part,
shipment of the commodity promis-
ing to reach a total approximatlng
2,5OOOOO barrels at least, but leaving
some 25,000,0O0 bushels for the wheat
exporters to care for State inspection
was inaugurated in 1894, and since
that time all wheat, oats, barley or rye
received at the terminal points men,
toned, for export, storage or milling,
has been graded according to the state
standards These standards are fixed
annually, at meeting OF the state
grain commission, held prior to Sept
ember Goth OF each year. At these
meetings representatives of the grow
ers. buyers and exporters are invited
to be present and give information
and advice. While governed largely
by the samples gathered from each
district for that particular year, the
/ policy now observed is to make as few
changes in grades as possible, and al
this time the weight test for the four
established grades OF club and blue
stem wheat are: Choice milling 60 1-9
pounds; No. I, So pounds; No. 2 Sc
No. 8, 81 pounds. Regulations are
made as to cleaness and other grading
essentials according to samples made
up and furnished by the commission
to those desiring them.
On busy morning the inspection
force will occasionally find from
$50 to 200 carloads awaiting their
attention on track at Tacoma. The
seals of these cars are broken by the
chief deputy after a careful inyesti-
CATION of their condition and compari-
sous with the records of receipts kept
by the railway employees. With a
sampling iron sufficient number ol
sacks from different portions OF care
punctured, to decide upon the grade
and as each car is removed to tht
warehouse to be- weighed under th'
supervision of an employe of the ware
house company, but deputized ant
sworn III by the state, each sack il
again sampled by a second inspecto
to see that it corresponds with th'
grade fixed by the chief deputy. Th'
exporting firms and warehouse com
panies have their own expert inspect
ors who keep tab on the work in pro-
gress, which is done for the protect
ion of the interests which they repre-
sent. When. the grain has beel
weighed in atthe warehouse each car
load is kept separated, and in~ cas-
(, either buyer or seller is dissatisfie'
with the grades as fixed, he may cal
for reinspection, upon payment OF u
which is to be refunded, provided hi
protest is upheld. In case OF refuss
accept the results of reinspection, a
) appeal to arbitration is provided fo1
), in which case the state chooses on
! man, the appellant one and they tw
a third, and three determining upon
! fin al settlement. The cost of inspect
ion is 70 cents carload for sacke
and so cents for bulk grain. Th
capacity of grain cars has now bee
) increased to an average Of 754 bushel
! I.to the car, hence an average of littl
. less than one mill per ushel.-Wes
Coast Trade.
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