Fergus County argus., 1904-02-03
WOOL MARKET
ALMOST SURE
General Manager Robert Rantoul, Of
the Railroad Company, States
What His Road Will Do.
PROPOSITION REASONABLE ONE
A Warehouse Company viii be Form
ed by Local Business Men and
Woolgrowers.

General Manager Rantoul OF the
Montana railroad company. was in
the city for several days last week
and during his stay the first steps to-
wards the establishment of a wool
warehouse in Lewistown were taken.
At his suggestion, an informal meet
ing of business men was held Thurs
day morning at lO:S0 o'clock in the
office of Hilger & Busenburg Owing
to the short time those who were in
strumental in bringing the meeting
about were unable to notify all of the
members of the Business Mems asso-
citation. Those present were David
Hilger Walker j. Wells $. S. Hob
son. A. w. Stoddard, w. ID. Symmes.
Halsey r. Watson, George J. Wiede-
man, Alexander Lehman. George J.
Bach. John NJ Vrooman. Leslie II.
Hamilton, president of the Sage Creek
Sheep company and Genera Manag-
er Robert Rantoul
Mr.. Rantoul started by saying that
the railroad is very favorable towards
the establishment of wool market
in Lewistown and were prepared to
lend all assistance possible to that
end. In his opinion. he stated that
the best mode OF procedure would be
to form a warehouse company of To-
cal business, professional anC stock
men. This company shall subscribe
the amount necessary for the build
ing OF warehouse of adequate size.
The railroad company agrees to lease
for a nominal consideration, all o. the
ground necessary for the warehouse.
the lease to run for ten yeGrs with an
option of renewal. In additi"n the rail-
road company will bring in free of
charge on their owr line. all of the
material which will have to be i'm
ported for the war; TShCusy ana will get
a special rate on the n. p. thus cut
ting down the freight bill to the min
imum. When the warehouse is COM
pleted Mr.. Rantoul stated that his
company will build all of the track
age required for getting the wool into
and out OF the building and will make
a good wagon road on one side. They
will then surrender to the warehouse
company. in case one Is formed, all
of the profits to be made from bal
ing, etc, and will pay them for hand
ling the wool. The railroad company
will make rate of sl.20 per hundred
on wool shipments from Lewistown
to 81. Paul, provided the wool is bal.
ed. This is but ten cents per hun
dred greater than the rate from Bill
ings or Great Falls to st. Paul. The
rate on sacked wool will be sl.35 per
hundred pounds.
In answer to a question from Mr..
Hamilton, Mr.. Rantoul stated that a
low rate will be made by their rail
road to woolgrowers who wish to ship
their wool into the Lewistown market.
He was not prepared to state exactly
what rates will be made, but as an ex-
ample said that the rate will be 5
cents per hundred from Moore.
4 The business men thought that the
proposition Of Mr.. Rantoul was a lib
eral one and some time was spent in
discussing the kind of warehouse
needed. II has been decided to put
up building 600 so feet in size
and made of corrugated iron. The
foundation will be of stone and II is
estimated that such a building can
be put up for 5000. II will contain
\ 10000 square feet. which is sufficient
room for the storing Of 100000 lbs.
of wool II is estimated that there
will be not less than 100000 pounds
here the first year and a warehouse
holding half of that amount will be
amply sufficient. II will be as large
as the warehouse room In either Bill
ings or Great Falls. where three and
, four times as much wool is handled
annually.
David Hilger said that he would
put in a modern baling machine and
bale the wool at the same rates charg
,, ed In Billings and Great Falls. That
will be a matter for future consider
alton. Leslie II. Hamilton. of the
Sage Greek company, spoke very en-
couragingly of the plan of establish
ing a market and stated that n the
; proper facilities for handling and
sampling the wool are provided he
: was sure that all Of the wool shorr
: at the Sage Greek plant. aggregatinl
not less than half a million pounds
will all come to Lewistown. Wool
growers from all parts OF the county
who are in the city this week attend
: ing the Jury term of the district cour
are almost unanimous in their expires
: sions Of support Of the local market
, Several from the western end of tn,
: county say that the greater part o.
, \ the wool Of that community will b'
!. brought here to be sold. North. soutl
u and east II is the same story. NAM
Of them will bring their wool here be
u cause they can get II to marke
u cheaper from this point than any 9th
u er. and all of them are coming be
cause they believe the prices will nv
e erage one or two cents better than oi
, lany other market.
4 Hilger. w. d. Symmes and Halsey r
Q Watson was appointed to solicit sub
]. scriptions for the stock OF the ware
q house company to be formed. The.
q have. as yet. received no writer
lpledges. but from talks with the bus
'e ness men are assured Of getting tn
required amount OF stock subscribed
Four or five OF the larger bushes
firms have signiHed their willingness
to subscribe $500 each. Severa
s. smaller firms will subscribe $500 an
= lover. Leslie H. Hamilton, presiden