Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-11

Waugh. the poultry and produce man.
There isn't time in the year when
the merchants don't have to ship IN
butter to supply their trade. or whom
they wouldn't be only too glad to buy
more butter from the farmers. This
talk about there not being money In
tho chicken and dairy business IL =
mistake. Just give me eight or ten
acres somewheres near close to town
and I won't ask any easier or q more
enjoyable way Of making a living. And
the farmers in the raising OF their
poultry don't figure right. They figure
that their poultry costs them 20 much
to raise. when in reality It doesn't cost
them anything. practically. except the
little time and labor it takes. The
chickens live of of what they pick up
around the farm, mostly, and whatever
they sell them for is clear velvet. The
new poultry company is figuring some
on putting in a small churn, 200 or 500
gallons, and that will solve the butter
problem to some extent.
A BUNCH OF OLD FREIGHT BILLS.
hardwood LEADER.
Agent Blair was digging among some
old freight bills the other day and
came across a bunch OF bills Of 1900.
little more than ten years ago. He
was somewhat surprised to find that
contrary to his expectations. freight
rates were practically the same now
Us ten years ago. If anything slightly
decreased. He has had 1t thrown in
his face SO often that freight rates are
so much higher now than a few years
ago that he had begun to believe It
h3nanlf He continued h{n
lions and made few notes which he
gave to the Leader to prove that he
was correct In contending that freight
rates are no higher than they were ten
years ago despite the popular belief
that the opposite is the case. In Civ.
ing these notes the Leader is giving
them to its readers simply as matter
Of news, If there is any news value In
them, and not as a defense for freight
rates. which may have been too high
ten years ago. We are not q champion
Of the railroads by any means. but the
figures furnished us by Mr.. Blair are
interesting in that they show the
freight rates In an intelligent manner
and can be easily understood by the
ordinary man not versed in railway
tariffs.
In 1900 the rate on oats and barley
from hardwood to Chicago was 10
cents per hundred; 1911 rate II cents,
a decrease OF cents per hundred.
Hogs were q cents per hundred In 1900
and the rate remains the same today.
Cattle have remained at % cents the
past ten years. The rate on corn to
Davenport was IL cents hundred in
1900, and in 1911 1t is IA cents. de-
crease Of cents per hundred. Wheat
to Davenport has decreased from Is
cents to II cents per hundred the past
ten years. To Minneapolis It has de-
creased from 10 cents to IL cents per
hundred during the same period. Oats
to Cedar Rapids has remained at II
cents per hundred since 1900. The
rate on butter to New York has also
decreased a little over / cent per hun
dred since 1900.
Merchandise rates to Sioux Falls,
Lester, Rock Rapids, and Sibley have
remained UNCHANGED the past ten
Years. a decrease of 20 per cent in the
carload lot and less is at present in
force
First class freight to Cedar Rapids
cost GO cents per hundred in 1900, and
now the rate is SO cents. All merchan-
disc class rates to Chicago, st. Paul.
Minneapolis and Mississippi river
points are the same now as ten years
ago. The minimum charge, however.
has increased from 25 cents in 1900 to
46 cents at present.
These are the facts as shown by the
records in the local depot. and altho
they may shutter popular belief in this
vicinity regarding freight rates It can
hardly be said that rates have adyanc-
ed during the past ten years. It would
appear that those who have been at
tributing a large share of the high
cost of living 10 this supposed raise
in freight rates have been barking up
the wrong tree and while 1t may help
some to make things cost more than
it appears they are worth there are
other things which contribute to the
cost Of what we eat and wear besides
the much abused" railroad.