The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-29

profitable to them. 1t is said that the
acreage in alfalfa was yearly grow
ing larger, that the production of pork
was on the increase. and that the SUI
gar beet industry was also taking large
areas which formerly were sown to
wheat. In giving reasons for this
change of front on the part of the
farmers, he laid the fault at the door
Of the miilers in general. The farmers
had been led to believe that the millers
were their enemies, and in this they
were not altogether wrong. The mil
lers had forced the price Of wheat
down to the lowest notch during the
marketing season. and had in a man
ner discouraged the planting of the
cereal. He instanced the movement
of wheat in the northern part of the
state during the early autumn of the
year just past. This wheat had been
allowed to leave the state at an aver
age price Of 50 cents per bushel. 1t is
estimated that 100000 bushels were ex-
ported at this price. all Of which will
have to be brought back again at from
IS to- so cents per bushel direct loss
to the state of at least $4,000.
In speaking of the shortage, Mr.. Mil
Ter. the head Of the IntermOuntain
Milling company. said that it was esti-
mated that before the next harvest at
least 400, 600 bushels of wheat will have
to be imported. $4,000 of which has al
ready entered the state, for which 3d.
800 has been paid, or IS cents per
bushel. Taking this estimate as cor
rect, and the amount consumed, from
harvest TO harvest, at 100000 bushels.
which latter is based upon the con-
SUMPTION Of other wears, It would leave
nv a
in the 100000 bushels exported. Those
figures, however, cannot be taken, ow-
ing to The fact that a large amount of
wheat has been used for feed. This
condition is directly owing to the fail
ure of the corn crop in the corn states,
and the consequent rise in value of this
cereal Corn brings on the market in
carload lots S1.60 per 100, making wheat
at rs cents per bUshel the cheaper feed
The amount of wheat fed is hard to
get at. but it is placed at 100000 BUSH
els by the best judges. Taking this as
correct, it would place the past seasons
crop at 1900, 600 bushels, nearly 100000
short of the crop of 1900. The total
value of the crop Of 1901 would thus be
placed at S1.170.000, at the average
price of 90 cents per bushei.
The mill men during the year 1901
have beer very busy Mr. Miller. who
has been quoted above. said that never
in the history of the state had the
mills been run so near to their total
capacity. Only one mill has been idle
in the state. that of the Salt Lake
/ Milling company IN North Salt Lake.
One mill at NeTnal was destroyed by
fire but its place was taken by new
( mill at Spring City, Sanpete county of
3 2 frac In
/ operation seventy two mills of daily
/ capacity Of 3.315 barrels. In computing
4 the capacity of a mill the twentyfOuT
hour day is always used. but as only
three or four mills in the state have run
the night shift, il is estimated that
; $4,000 barrels of flour were manufac-
tured in Utah during 1901, or I05, $40, 0OC
pounds, which, at the average of $2.SC
/ per barrel, would make the value OF
I the OUTPUT Of the mills for the past
/ year 1852, 600.
The outlook for the year just entered
is not a bright one for the milling in
dustry. With the importation of wheat
conditions change entirely. The loca
mills come in competition with the large
I mills of the country in a manner they
never have done before IT practically
F places the balance of the freight rate
5 in favor of the outside mills who have
the raw material at hand In other
words. the danger line of the impOrta.
ton of -four instead of wheat is very
near and may be crossed at any time
which would throw the local mills idle
or at least materially decrease Their
activity until after the next crop is
harvested.
During the year past a huge com
bine of all, or nearly all. of the loca
mills. was attempted. A syndicate il
which several Of the local men were
I connected was formed and option!
taken on the most active of the UtaI
mills This option expires with thu
I New Year. With local conditions az