The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-01-17
oREGONIAN ANSWERS WALLA
WALLA FARMERS.

lIs
nation on the subject as possible, the
Farmers Educational and Cooperative
Union composed of farmers, and grain
growers in the walla Walla valley,
have submitted series OF questions
Ito the Oregonian on the subject OF
shining wheat in bulk. The Orego-
r,ian in reply to the questions. goes
into the matter very thoroughly ana
ends by advancing the opinion that
conditions are not yet ripe for shipping
wheat in bulk. The Oregonian's reply
is as follows:
"Can we export wheat in bulk? IL
so. what would be the cost OF the
change? Do you think it advisable 10
make the change now
IN the above queries sent The ore
CONAN by the Farmers Educational
and Co-operati Union of Walla wall
la attention is called to a question that
has for a number Of years been the
subject of much discussion by farm
ers, shippers and railroads. 1t gains
incre asing prominence each year be-
cause the number. of farmers coming
to Oregon arl Washington from states
and territories where wheat is shipped
in bulk is increasing, and they natur-
ally regard the methods of their old
Northwest. The Oregonian is not an
expert on the subject, but notes from
observation that the OILY determined
attempt ever made to ship wheat IN
tt2ulk from this region was failure.
The Peavy Elevator company at the
time of its appearance in Oregon and
WASHINGTON was the largest grain ell
evator in the world. and it spent
large sum of money bnilding chain
of elevators in the Pacific northwest
for the purpose of handling wheat in
bulk.
TT experienced trouble in transport
ing the wheat TO tidewater and in
sendire it foreign. Specially con-
structed cars which would hold bulk
wheat were not always available in
the largo numbers required. and gon-
dolas, stock, coal and furniture ears
could not be used for grain in bulk.
The impossibility Of ventilation on the
long trip to Europe III which the wheat
ships pass through the tropics twice
forced the elevator company to "lil1e'
the ships with outside tiers of sacked
wheat, thus greatly. increasing the ex-
pense OF both aiding and discharging.
The foreign. buyer insists On "condl-
ton" being guaranteed, and climatic
Influences made this impossible with
mixed cargo. or with one wholly in
! bulk The building of the Panama ca =
nal. which will enable vessels TO reach
/ the European markets in half the time
now required, will undoubtedly admit
of the change being made, but so long
as the grain must stand the 14.000-mile
trip around Cape Horn the change is
hardly probable.
Citing what is done in the east as a
! reason for what should be done here,
! is not good logic. The bulk of the
crop grown east of the Rocky Noun
tains is used for milling purposes and
is sold at the elevator and shipped
throughout the year as the mills re-
quire it. Here the bulk is sold for ex-
port as wheat, and as a rule is stored
in the warehouses a long time before
| it is sold Most of the largest grain
producers of the Pacific Northwest are
very particular to raise good, clean
wheat. which commands the top figure,
and would not put their wheat in an
elevator. where it would be mixed with
| A dozen other lots. some of which
might be inferior. In the elevator the
receipt wculd call for a specified num-
Der of bushels of No. l wheat, and in
he delivery the identity of a particu-
When it is stored in the sack. the
grower can sell his own crop of wheat
on its Individual merits
The wheat trade of the Pacific
Northwest is in the hands of men who
have made study OF world wide
conditions, and their abandonment of
the elevator system after giving il a
fair trial would indicate more clearly
than anything else that the time is
not ripe for shipment of Pacific Coast
wheat in bulk"