Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-12-03
COUNTRY ROADS so BAD FARM
ERs CAN NOT HAUL GRAIN
TO TOWNS.
NO CORN TO BE HAD
IN CITY OF CEDAR RAPIDS
Farmers Not Worrying as They Think
Higher Prices Will Prevail - Only
Ono Third of Crop crbbed in viein-
ity of Fort Dodge and Huskers Are
offered z Cents Per Bushe.

Cedar Rapids, Dec ga corn pan
ic," such as has seldom appeared in
this city. began yesterday. Several
feed stores ran completely out of corn,
and lot of consumers We're thrown
into excitement in their efforts TO buy
at least little OF the grain, being final
" forced to be satisfied with oats. The
situation has been deplorahle thruout
the month of November, but it reached
its climax yesterday. The scarcity of
the staple American grain was the
main topic of conversation among 1il
people who own horses or poultry and
the city market was flooded with ques-
tons as to the seriousness of the stu
alton. Those who thoroughly under
stand the matter say that no relief can
be expected at least Ter a week.
The situation had been deplorable
turnout the month of November and
finally reached its climax yesterday
November is generally very good
month for business on the local grain
market. but during the period this year
scarcely enough 10 supply the feed
stores was hauled in by the neighbor-
ing farmers
Bad roads are mostly responsible for
this little excitement among the city.s
grain buyers. The country roads are
in so deplorable conditions that farm
ers will not venture ohaul in their
crops, especially If they live any dis
lance from the city. Nothing but colo
weather, severe enough TO thoroughly
harden the roads Will enable the farm
ers to come to the city. Another anG
that a very important cause of the alb
sence Of corn is the condition in which
The gelds are at present. About one
half of the crop is still in the fields
and as the corn mostly lies on tbs
ground, the farmers are frantic il
their efforts TO finish husking before
the grain is damaged by snow ant
rain storms.
Farmers Wait for Prices.
The farmers, however, get SONS
satisfaction out of the situation. The,
are NOT over anxious to bring theil
crops 10 the market. They are WAITING
| for higher prices. and altho tn.
corn is very wet and is subject to con.
siderable shrinkage, they firmly believ.
that their profits will not suffer by thi
holding out. If the demand for corr
continues, as it surely will, there Is n,
doubt that the prices will go up. Ok
corn sold far above the quoted pric
yesterday, but buyers are reluctant t
raise the quotations for fear of a erea
quantity of poor grain coming in tina
would force them TO again lower tn
quotations.
The farmers this year are using
peculiar method in husking their corr
! The wagon is partitioned, and the ear
are sorted. the wet corn being throw
into one compartment and the dry int
another. The corn crop is great on
this year, but the stalks were swept t
the ground by severe storms, and tt
corn is very wet. In this part of II
: country none of it has been found
i for milling as yet altho several a
y tempts were made. When the col
n dries thoroughly, it is said that II
g sirinkage will be about one-third c
L the weight. Yet the demand in Ced;
Rapids remains urgent, and VIII
would at other times have been u,
nerchantable corn, is sold here vii
little trouble.