The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-14
$4,000 MEN
ARE NEEDED
In Kansas Wheat Belt During
Harvest
ALS0tOOOOTEAMSWAN TED
Figures Were Compiled From
Trustees Report
ALS0100OO EAMSWAN TED

Dave Blaine of Pratt, was In the city
yesterday and to the Eagle made the fol-
lowing statement regarding the harvest
hand question in the Kansas hard wheat
belt:
Kansas will need thirty thousand men
and ten thousand teams to handle her
wheat crop this year. That is men from
outside the state and 1 include only
thirty-three counties from which I have
made an effort TO obtain reports. In Feb
ruary I began working on the harvest
hand question. I sent circular letters to
each trustee in every township in thirty
three counties Of Kansas. In this let
ter 1 asked them to ascertain from the
farmers how many men they used during
harvest of last year, how many of these
men were nOn-residents and how many
teams were imported for harvest. Then
1 asked them to get each farmer to make
an estimate of the number of men and
teams they would need this year during
the harvest and thresher season. 1 en-
closed a printed postal card for the trus-
tees to send me the information
Since the first of March have been
receiving replies on these postal cards and
by letters. 1 had made a compile of the
statements from each county and in this
way formed my estimate that thirty
thousand men and ten thousand teams
would be needed to handle the hard wheat
crop in the Kansas hard wheat belt, and
did not take into consideration the
eastern part of the state"
Mr. Blaine had corfaS Of tho rac0Jnfia1e
passed by the Pratt county trustees sent
TO the trustees Of every county in the
wheat belt The trustees compiled the
data as desired and reported it TO the
county clerk of Pratt county and the fol-
lowing is the resolution and report in
Pratt county and the reports from other
counties show requirements nearly as
large as those Of Pratt county:
"OfFice of County Clerk
Pratt, Pratt County, Kansas.
''Mr. D. w. Blaine, Pratt, Kansas:
Dear Sir: At the annual meeting of the
trustees of this county held in my office
March .. 1903, they adopted the following
resolution:
Resolved, That we, the trustees of |
Pratt county. Kansas, in annual meeting
assembled, pledge ourselves, individually |
and collectively, TO make thorough can |
vas of our townships and ascertain and j
make memorandum of the requirements |
of each grain grower, of the nonresident |
men and teams used by him in the har-
vest Of 1902, ana the probable number that !
will be required for the harvest of 1908 |
Said estimates to be based on a fair to an |
average crop, and that we will report /
same to the county clerk on, or before |
May l. 1903
FRANK GILLETT, Chairman.
az. E. HICKLE, Secretary.
q have the honor to report that each |
of the assessors have made returns TO
this Office in accordance with the above
resolution. The totals are:
-Four hundred and fifty extra teams
and lao extra men were used in the har-
vest of 1862, and it viii require go extra
teams and LBS extra men to assist the
grain growers of this county in harvest
ing their crop for 1908. The condition Of
the crop at this time is most favorable
and gives promise of the largest yield we
have ever had in this country. Very
respectfully.
"(SeaD JOHN MAWDSLEY,
County Clerk
81 have taken this matter up with the
railroads. said Mr.. Blaine. Il told them
that 1t was to their interest to make ex-
eeedingly low rates both into and out Of
Kansas for harvest. Give us good weather
and no state ever saw the amount of !
wheat Kansas will produce. The lowest
estimate of the value of this years crop !
is fifty million dollars and the securing
OF this amount of money depends great
dial on the railroads. Harvest viii last
IT, one hundred days before the crop can
I. called safe. and that is when it is in
the granary. If the railroads give US a
Tow rate, We can find plenty of work for
-he men and the wages will be close to g
and board per day, throughout the sea-
SON
IF we do not get the men from other
sections the railroads will have to bring
them in themselves. The farmers took the
men off the sections TO work in the har-
vest fields in order TO take care of the /
crop last season and the railroads had
to bring in the men and they Will do tho
same thing this year. 1t will mean great
business for the railroads if they aid US
in getting the crop harvested as il should
be- They will give us low rate into this |
section. but those men must return 10
their homes in the fall and many will not !
come unless they can get low rate back |
home and this is what We want the roads |
to give It will help US and help them |
selves"
Mr.. Blaine has had several talks with |
Governor Bailey in regard to the harvest /,
Hand Situation and the executive has 4