The sun., 1905-09-03
Big PROFIT IN HORSES AGAIN.
UEsTERN BREEDERS ONCE MORE
MAKING MONEY.
f-fteen Years Ago the trolley knocked
the Bottosn Out sf the lsu.iness Then
the llOer war anu tho SPAN VIZ War Re.
1 yIyoh It-GO0d H0rses In Deu,aHd.

f1fteen Years Ago the trolley knocked
the Bott ON Out se the lsuainess Then
the l,oer war anu tho SPAN VII War Re.
f, ,I,oi N-Good Hersss In Demand.
LINGO N, Neb., Sept. 2.-Waile Phlla-
dephia has been able so far to maintain
her position as the greateat horse market
n the world, It will not be very l,ng before
the supremacy passes from her to either
chicago or Kansas City, with the chances
f.yoring the latter. The greatest source
az supply in this country for horses Is the
West, and the tendency Ia for the market
to edge up to the fouut OF supply.
Every spring and summer crowds OF
b,,yers from the seven great markets,
Philadelphia. Chicago, New York. Louis
vile, Boston, Kansas City and st. Louis,
sronr the farms OF the trans Mississippi
and trans Missouri Statcs, buying up all
.the surplus animals. just now horse
raising il one Of the most profitable bust
nesses in the United States
Fifteen years ago the bottom very sud-
denly dropped out Of the business. Tho
street car systems In the cities changed
with slight warning from horse power to
cable ard electricity. and not only threw
upon the market thousands Of horses that
had been in use upon street car lines, but
deprived Of value many thousands Of other
three four and five year olds that were
upon the breeding farms in readiness for
the succeeding years demand.
Most OF these animals we're sacrificed.
In Philadelphia, New York and Chicago
they we're sold at about SO or $i2, their
actual value for rendering purposes. Fol-
lowing this came the panic, and in addition
70 the disappearance Of the market for
horses for general purposes there was no
longer any demand for carriage or saddle
horses, which are always the first to be cut
on in the days Of adversity.
Hundreds OF breeders went out OF bust
nees, but the pllckier ones sent agents to
Europe to see u a market could not he se-
cured. They found the European tram
ways still using horses, and In short time
American animals we're snpplanting the
scrawny stock muse abroad. Later many
horses were disposed OF to European armies.
and when still later came a few wars the
business was again upon Its feet.
Thousands OF animals were sent to Cuba
soon after the American occupation. There
Is still a good demand there for the lighter
h ;
truck raising and smAll farming. The
South also was induced by the low price Of
horses and the high price Of mules some
years ago to buy many Of the lightweights
for use in the cotton field.
The Boer war created a demand for nearly
ehundred thousand animals. Eighty thou
sand were shipped In one year by the English.
and the Western bronco became familiar
sight az an English cavalry horse ..-;.-
business men no longer buy the streeters
for their own use. A streeter is Q horse
that once was popular for light wagons
cars and general use. These have been sup
Planted in most Of the cities by the sleek
heavy draft horses. products Of tho breed
ing OF imported stations and native mares.
Not the least interesting feature Of the
horse business is the annual visit Of buyers
to France and Belgium. where pure bred
stations. raised By experts under overn-
ment supervision. are yearly purchased by
Thousands. These are later res0ld to West-
ern farmers and breeders, who think moth
ing Of paying from 81 600 to ~, 900 for sire
for their stud.
From seven to eight thousand coach
and draft horses are yearly imported
from Europe. These animals are brought
.over in punches OF from twenty-five
TO one hundred and fifty, and they
are all being absorbed by the breeders.
the infusion OF pedigreed blood is en-
HANGED double and treble, creating grade
that is in demand here and also in the very
countries from which the stations were
Originally imported.
Scattered all through the middle West
are farmers Of means who buy these i'm
ported stations and dispose OF their get
ht good round figures. Thousands Of these
crossed animals are sold In America. Many
pf them are on the city streets, drawing
heavy loads.
They are big and strong and capable
;cd moving tremendous wagons. They are
regarded as the only horse that 1t pays
TO buy for trucking purposes, even though
the first cost. from $50 to $3.50. is great.
As many as 800 horses . day are dis
posed Of at the larger marketing points
IN this country, These sales are almosS
as interesting as circus. There is some
thing doing every minute and there Ia
plenty Of excitement mixed with the pro-
ceedings.
Many OF the auctioneers sell a horse
q minute and keep It UP for long time.
They are gifted with perfect knowledge
Of all the pedigrees and they real of words
In an unceasing tumble. the only intelli-
gibie ones to the chance visitor being the
announcement Of the sale to some one
who seems to have bid at some time OF
another. What other bids were received
are unknown to the stranger.
Sometimes, II the bidding is SLOW, horse
Ia put through his Faces In front OF the
crowd. As each animal Is led out to be
sold placard Is posted advising bidders
Of the qualities Of the animal. II horse
rs defective In any particular this Ia also
noted. II the horse Is rnisreprese ented the
money ia paid back
Attached to most OF the market places
are grounds where horse may be hitched
up and tried for speed, gait or action. Al
the conclusion he Is driven about the en-
closure at top speed. and as soon as he is
stopped men rush UP to him and place
their ears to his throat and nose to detect