The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1905-08-17
DIFFICULT TO GRADE
THa MULE IS A DIFFICULT
PRODUCT TO CLASSIFY.
Missouri Stock Dealer Gives Some
Points Of Interest Regard
ing the Hybrid
Output.


Kansas City, Mo.-"The classinca-
tion Of Missouris great proouct the
mule, is the hardest of all live stock"
says John Grant. of the Arm OF Wal
colt. Beers & Grant, at the stock
yards.
ITO most people the animal is sim
ply a mule. with a strong inclination
to emphasize his presence with a kick.
To most buyers he is good or bad.
large or small, smooth or rough will
probably bring a certain price on the
market or will not be wanted at all.
While among dealers who supply the
different demands he Is classified ac-
cording to weight. bone, size. color
age, mouth, teeth, broken or unbroken,
length and breadth, and also IN regard
to the locality of the buyer.
I'm the first place. green, unbroken
mules are never wanted. Once In
awhile we receive few and generally
have to sell them at a sacrifice. The
principal classes of mules known to
the market are: Cotton mules, lum-
ber mules. railroad mules, sugar
mules, farm mules levee mules, city
mules and miners. Miners arc classed
as surface and pit mules.
"Coston mules are the commonest
kind in regard to numbers. They
range from 13 to 16 hands, and from
4 to years old are the best ages
Their build makes little difference SC
long as they are smooth. In price
they range from $50 to $l65. Lumber
mules are the largest, heavy boned
rugged grades, 1873 to 1872 hands OF
better. They are used In the big lum
ber camps for logging, and must have
the weight for good heavy pulling
In price this class ranges up to $3.50.
similar to the lumber mule is the
railroader. Some lighter. but on the
good heavy order, and from SIS to ~
cheaper. They are used In grading
hauling and all the work that !!
known In the construction Of railroads
Sugar mules belong 70 the fanc,
class They must be smooth, bull
rangy, small head and neck, small
bones. In height from Is to 16 hands
and in price from $l65 to $21O. Farm
mules vary In size, but are formed
from the rejected ones OF the forego
ing classes. Their PRICES range 81
to 325 lower.
The miners are the hardest class
to supply. They must be either darl
bay or black In color. White and sor
rel mules are never used. When th'
mines have long shafts, in the Penn
sylvania coal regions especially, the!
say a white mule resembles ghos
and frightens the other mules beyont
control. The pitters must be long II
body, heavy boned and have goot
weight. They range from IL to To-:
hands and bring from $l35 to $500
while for any other trade they woult
bring $50 less. Surface mules are uset
on the long hauls on top Of ground
They are heavy, but taller, and hav'
not such large bones.
"Levee mules, as the word implies
are used near steamboats, and dock
for the heavy work. They are gener
ally single workers and must be
the rugged class. Their looks mat
ter little so long as they are SCUM
and fit for hard work. A city mule in
cludes the small, light grades, such
you see on delivery and transfe
wagons. The high prices in the las
year have reduced the number greatly
The government buys all classes
mules, but that is done according t
contract and prices hold wide range
They never buy a low-priced anima
and they are rigid in their examina
tions"