The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-01
MULE MARKET IS FL0URISHING Much Prestige Regained
 Last Year. UNUSUAL STIMULUS EXPECTED Montgomery Ranks as Ieadin
 Center of South.
 e Despite crsse fer speed, Local Dealer. Declare Market for Horses and
 Mules h on the
 Increase.

Although on account of the financial depression beginning in the fall of 1907 and running through 1908. the mule market of Montgomery suffered se- we're setback, much of the loss in pres tige was recouped during the year Just ended It was estimated that the de- crease in sales through this market was about 10000 mules during the year ending September 1, 1908. as compared with the magnificent, unprecedented year previous.
 Local dealers say that moret mules have been sold during the year just ended than during the year 1s07-oS. and that they expect an unusual stim- ulus to the market in the next month or two. The cotton crop was generally late this year For this reason there could be no just accounting of the sales. Yet 1t is believed that more than 5000 mules have been sold without counting the beneft of an ordinary fall opening.
 The history of the Montgomery mule market has been an interesting one. It has shown a gradual growth until 1t ranks today as one of the leading centers not only in the State, but the whole South, for the purchase of horses and mules Panicky times have retard- ed this healthy growth which culminat- ed in the remarkable year of is0s-o7. when 1t was estimated that 10000 mules changed hs nds. But other markets have suffered approximately; and in, reality advantages of Montgomery mart are retained.
 Also, part of the dullness of numbers is made up by the unusually high prices for mules that have prevailed ever since the depression set in. Cart mules, of course, continue to sell around sf50 and $250.. but the great big long-eared. hard tails of the farm ing class are counted ordinary when they sell for less than s200. $250 end $275 It Is said that not since the sharp demand when the English were forcing civilization upon the Boers Of South Africa. which sent the market skyward without equal, has the fiabby- cared beast of burden been so yaiua- ble. And the demand is just about be- ginning according to the expectations of local dealers.
 It may be that America. the South and Alabama are speed-crazy and auto mobile crazy. but it has had no nffect on the horse and mule market SO far as Montgomery experts can notice. The demand, In view of the stagnant busi- ness conditions and the recent adverse Legislation. is considered very fair. the inquiries in the last few days being brisk. These inquiries come from prac- ideally all those sources that created the big market of 19o6-05.
 It is still Montgomery's ambition to equal the stand that Atlanta has taken in the mule markets of the United States. The local dealers realize that this is difficult task. Atlanta has es- tablished her prestige in the distant past, and has been forging to the front in conspicuous style for over a decade. Yet 1t is a fact that Montgomery ts making great inroads in the way of Atlanta, Probably more of Monfgorn- ery's mules are sold in Georgia than any other outside State.
 Montgomerys mules are purchased in the most desirable big marts of the North and West-and not few in the South. Some come from St. Louis, some from Tennessee, and some from Kentucky. But always the slogan is. "The best quality for the sake of a permanent good market"