Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-27
HORSES IN GREAT DEMAND.
Fifty Per cent Increase in Numbers in
Ten Years-Prices Double

Drovers JoUrnal-Human ingenuity
and inventive genius for more than
half a century have striven in vain to
introduce horseless age. The steam
engine was supposed TO herald the ex-
termination of the horse, but it only re-
lieved the noble animal from the bur-
den Of transporting the products Of the
farm to distant markets and gave the
usbandgnan the enlarged service OF
the horse to exploit agricultural pro-
duction. Instead of the horse being
anita gonistic to railroads he proved
potential adjunct in the production OF
comm ODDITIES that became the principal
traffic of the great transportation
lines.
The railroads were followed by BIZ
cycles, motorcycles and trolley power
in operating street car lines. The lat
est public utility to supersede the SER
vices of the horse is the automobile,
which has decreased the use of car
rage horses on the boulevards and
driveways of many large cities. In
many instances the admirers of the
horse have been compelled to forego
the pleasure of their use thru the dan
ger incident to encountering many
motor vehicles. Fanciers maintain a
stable Oh CdI.la &c lLDl SeS III SpiAJdiiN
ZION with automobiles, using the latter
for long distance runs and the former
for local pleasure use. For a decade
skilled mechanics have devoted their
attention to the Improvement of horse
less vehicles for both pleasure and
commercial use, until the motor car
has reached high degree of perfec-
ton.
Notwithstanding the substitutes for
the horse in motor power vehicles IN
the last ten years horses have 1ncreas-
ed from 13537,524 in 1900 to 21,O40,ooO
in 1910 Average prices have advanced
| from s44s1 per head in 1900 to slos.ls
| per head in 1910. In ten years horses
| have increased 7.502,47S head and
gained s635S in average value. In 1900
the total value of horses in the United
( States aggregated s603 9,442 and In
1910 the government appraised the
value of horses at s2,276, 900, an
increase of s1,s72. 393,55S.
| From the splendid showing made In
! the increase of the horse industry and
| the advance in value of horses in the
| last decade 1t does not appear that the
| Industry has been depressed by the use
Of motor vehicles. The cause of the
! steady advance In prices is the enlarged
domestic and foreign demand for
horses and the increase of their earn
ing ability in developing and operating
the natural resources of the country
The nation is In the midst of marvellous
expansion of population and develop
ment OF natural agricultural and man
ufacturing resources which call for en-
ilarged use of horses. Demand exceeds
the volume of production and main
tains prices at the highest level In the
history Of the industry.
The history Of the Introduction anc
operation of motor power in contrast
with the use of horses Indicates thai
the horseless vehicles have slim ulated
rather than depressed the horse indus
try. Automobiles are forcing ciassi-
fcation of horses according to COM
mercial and pleasure use and elimi-
mating the small general purpose horse
from the markets. A choice draft ami
NAL light harness horse or gated sad
der finds a demand that exceeds the
supply. Tnere Is every encouragement
to breed good horses, as. judging ths
future by the past. demand will con
tinue Of volume equal to the capacit,
Of production at prices that will make
the Industry One OF the most profitable
il branches OF animal husbandry.