East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-09-19
LOW RATES MAKE
SHEEPMEN HAPPY
PROFITS INCREASED BY
CUT FOR FEEDING
Railroads Add Much 10 Stoclmen's
Purses in Lessening Cost of Care
at 2s Hour Feeding Stations-Small
Cost for Adding Weight While
Stock Recuperatcs After Long
Journey 10 Eastern Markets-Hali
Cents Mean Dollars.

II was not until the heavy ship
ments OF sheep to the eastern mark
kets began to set in this fall that the
wool growers OF the western states
really appreciated the tremendous
value OF the reductions made in the
pasture charges for sheep unloaded
in transit.
Up to a few months ago all the
feeding stations of the various rail-
roads entering South Omaha and Chi
cago had been charging a cent and
half per head per day for sheep un-
loaded and pastured and watered.
These stations are located just out?
side the markets, and are controlled
by the railroads and consist of great
tracts OF pasture land with good wa
ter where sheep weary and thin from
long travel may be held a few days
to recuperate.
These feeding stations are located
as follows: on the Chicago and
Great Western at Underwood, III.
on the Northwestern, Ashton. La
Fox Belvidere. Rochelle, ILL.,, and
Long Pine. Neb., near Omaha. On
the Burlington. at Montgomery, Ill.
ana West Burnham, Neb. on the Chi
cago. Milwaukee and St Paul, at
Montgomery. H., and on the Union
Pacific at Vahey. Fremont and Grand
Island. Neb.. as we'll as the stations
at Sidney, North Platte, Laramie and
elsewhere, where stock may be un-
loaded in conformity with the 2S-hour
law.
This summer, learning that plan
was afoot to raise the rate to two
cents a head. the railroads were pc
titioned to grant a lower rate on ac-
count of the unsatisfactory condition
of the sheep business. rather than
make the increase, and within few
weeks all the roads except the Union
Pacific had secured material reduc-
tions in these pasture charges.
The Northwestern and Great West
ern reduced their charge to one cent
per head per day. The Milwaukee
reduced TO a half cent and the Bur-
lington reduced to three-quarters of
a cent for the first 10 days and half
cent thereafter.
The Union Pacific still declines to-
make any reduction and as a result
much livestock business is being di-
verted from that road to others.
The importance of a pasture where
sheep can be fed, watered and rest
ed close o market is very great, as il
gives the shipper time to let his ship
ment pick up in appearance and
weight, adding greatly to their value
on the market.
While a cent and a half seems a
small amount, it means a charge of
SIS a day on a shipment of 5000
sheep. Supposing the market to be
dull, to hold the sheep more than a
few days waiting for better prices
would rapidly eat into the profits of
a years work.
With a rate of a half cent per head
per day, as granted by the Milwau-
kee, the shipper of 5000 sheep pays
only s25 per day while his sheep re-
cover from the effects of long jour
ney, and take on weight. Located as
he is the shipper is at the same time
in a position to closely watch the
market and a promising report will
enable him often TO get his rested
sheep on the market the first thing
the following morning, an advantage
which will more than pay for the ex-
pense Of holding on pasture.
One stockman figured that he
afford to hold his stock two weeks |
for a raise OF two or three cents in
the market price of lambs, and with
the new feeding charges, the shipper
is saved not only from $25 to S50s a
day in charges on every train load, |
but also has an advantage in market
ing his sheep which can not be esti-
mated in dollars and cents.
The credit for the reduction, which
will be so great a help to the sheep
man, is due entirely to the officers Of
the National Wool Growers associa-
ton. who almost before it was known
that such a move was contemplated,
had secured their object, by which
in a single shipment alone the ship
per saves more than his membership
fees in the association in a lifetime,
and which would have been paid
we'll had it cost the association s25
instead of practically nothing.
A..