The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-10-03
STOCkMEN SUFFER LOSS.

There is again complaint among
northern Montana shippers OF live
stock that railroad transportation
facilities are not sufficient to handle
the traffic, and in many cases con-
siderable loss has resulted to owners
of cattle and sheep that have been
shipped to market. Inability to Sc.
cure cars on the date for which ar.
engagements had been made, and slow
runs while the shipments were en-
route, have operated to deprive ship.
pers of some of the profits they would
have otherwise obtained. The live.
stock has deteriorated in condition
and weight, thus reducing its market
value: aud in several instances the
shipments have reached the market
on what are known as "off days."
when there is usually less demand
and lower prices than at other times.
That northern Montana shippers
are not the only victims of these un-
satisfactory conditions, is evident
from recent editorial remarks in the
Drovers Journal. This Chicago au.
thority, in discussing what it calls "a
crime against shippers" makes these
comments:
Some railroads which serve the
long haul territory of the west are
practicing methods of handling live
stock shipments that are little short
of criminal. Shippers of sheep and
lambs and western cattle, as we'll as
from range territury, are complaining
bitterly of their treatment and losses
that result from the practices of the
roads.
According to complaints made by
most reputable men it has become
common practice with the western
roads to sidetrack full trains of live.
stock headed for market and give
right Of way to trains of empties go.
ing west. Owners of this livestock are
compelled to stand at times from forty
minutes to an hour or more along
some siding waiting for some train of
empty cars to be hustled through un-
disturbed on its way west.
At this time of year the damaging
results of this process are extreme.
Livestock shrinks enough If given the
quickest possible run to market.
When a train is compelled to stand
Tor IN hour Or more on a siding in
such broiling heat as has been X
perienced in the northwest during the
last few weeks the loss by shrinkage
is much increased. The effect of heat,
as we'll known to the occupants of pas
senger cars in hot weather, is much
worse when the train is standing than
when running, and every hour the
livestock stands on sidings increases
shrinkage greatly.
Big shippers from the west declare
that there Is as yet little evidence Of
benefit from the thirty-six hour law
which has been put into effect, As the
railroads seem inclined to take adj
vantage Of it ia the way of sidetrack'
ing trains Of livestock at will between
unloading points rather than to in
crease speeds, and continue to utilize
old feeding points rather than to ar
range to give shippers the full benefit
of the law.
An earnest effort was made by biz
shippers of the west to have incor'
porated in the law revising the ole
twenty eight hour law q minimum time
limit for livestock trains of eighteen
to twenty miles an hour, but the rail
roads very easily defeated this plar
of the western men. They now con
tinue to operate their trains on al
easy time schedule or no schedule a
all, and the weights of the shippers
cOnsignments for market continue Il
lose out through the Stats about u
badly as before.
The plan OF giving trains OF emptie
or lumber and grain right of way Owe
trains Of p%erishable stock is littl
short of criminal process, and tn
railroad which seeks 10 do the bulk o
the business from competitive territor,
in the west should speedily abolis
that plan Of handling freight tratii
which is causing so much dissatisfal
ton to livestock shippers.