Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-12
WHEAT RUINED.

WHEAT RUINED.
But this loss to the railroads has
been insignificant, compared with the
loss sustained by the farmers OF Da-
kota, although the railroads cannot
so through till spring under an ex-
pense of less than S3,000,000, besides
an equal amount in loss of traffic
which the blockade has occasioned.
Millions of bushels of wheat are stack
ed upon the ground covered with moth
ing but from foot to three feet of
snow, and it is estimated by n travel
ing railroad man who spent three
weeks in the North Dakota wheat belt
that at least 90 per cent of this grain
will be total loss.
The amount Of grain ON the
ground" said he, lis almost beyond
belief. / saw stacks of grain which
contained 5000 bushels of wheat COW
cred With is inches of snow When
this snow melts it will not run off, but
will soak into the grain and make
it unfit for anything but stock food.
Lumber in North Dakota is very cost
ly and farmers cannot afford of build
extensive granaries. They have de-
pended upon the elevators to store
their grain, but this year for one
reason or another the railroads did
not furnish the cars necessary to haul
the grain as fast AS it was received by
full now, and have not been able 10
receive grain since Dec. l. The loss
on the grain crop of this State alone,
because the railroads would not haul
the product to market. will reach well
into the millions, compared with
which the fuel shortage and loss
VIII be Insignificant"
CONDITIONS ALARMING,
IN the investigation of the railroads
of the northwest this shortage of trans
portation facilities from the grain CEN
ters OF the wheat belt 10 the eastern
markets was overlooked. The fuel
shortage overshadowed all other sub
iects and little attention was paid to
investigating the reason for not taking
care of the grain crop as in past years,
AS result of being unable to realize
upon the crops and the necessity OF
allowing large part of their grain to
remain on the ground. the farmers have
been hard pressed for necessities to car
ry them over the winter. while the
country merchants have not only ex-
hausted their credit, but their stocks
have gone TO keep the people from
starving.
LESSONS LEARNED.
Fifty million dollars is low esti-
mate of the amount of money tied up
by the action or the raitfOdS III not
handling the grain crop early Cir
cumstances occurred later--like the
great snowstorms-which tied up the
roads and made IL impossible to take
care of the traffic. and the railroads
also have lost heavily. The policy OF
holding back shipments so that earn
ings may be equalized the year round
month by month, has been an eXpens-
I've one, and 1t Is likely to produce n
revolution in railroadlng. The roads
must be prepared 10 take care of the
traffic quickly and clean II up. The ef-
feet viii be to do away with agreements
to hold back until lake navigation Is
over, that the roads may enjoy long
err haul OF freight, and this lesson win
teach the farmer the value of having
storage facilities for his grain indepen-
dent of the railroads, and then IL he Is
forced 10 pay high rate of freight dur
ing the winter months he can wait tin
summer and ship via the lake route At
the same time he viii be able to raise
money on his stored grain In case OF
necessity. In fine, the situation this
winter has taught the railroads, the
grain grower, and the fuel dealer n les