Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1913-03-06
is BULK GRAIN PRACTICAL?
New West Trade, a Spokane Paper,
Thinks Not-Gives Several
Reasons Why


Thinks Not-Gives Several
Reasons Why.
Bulk handling of grain, question
that has been agitated off and on in
the Inland Empire for a couple OF
decades, is again in the spotlight, and
farmers enter into it with as much
enthusiasm as if it had not been tried
and proven a failure, not only once
but several times. To show the re-
peated effort and the repeated lack
of success one has but to point out
the many elevators standing idle and
neglected in many parts of the In
land Empire.
In theory this proposition is all
right, but experience has demonstrate
ed that, under the present conditions,
/ it is practical impossibility. Some
of the causes for this are very evil
dent. In the first place, if the farm
ers dispense with sacks, they have to
construct special bins in which to
place their grain before it is hauled
10 market. Then wagon boxes con-
structed exclusively for the purpose
of carrying grain must be used for
conveying the grain to the elevator,
where it will be dumped in with
masses of other grain of the same
grade.
Now right here is where the first
kink comes in the system. In many
sections of the country the grain is so
varied in quality that it is almost i'm
possible to make a classification that
will be equitable to all parties con-
cerned without having an innumera-
BILE number of compartments. This
would give rise to complaints; the
result is that many farmers will chose
to keep their wheat in sacks where 1t
can be segregated, rather than have
it mingled Unfortunately with grain
of an inferior quality.
Now if grain is to be handled in
bulk economically, specially construct
ed cars will be required; this is some
thing the western railroads have not
yet provided, and it will necessitate
= considerable expenditure on theil
part. Whether or not they will be
willing to do this is matter yet tc
be determined.
After the wheat has been shipped tt
, the coast special provision must bt
/ made for it's handling by steamship
lines and this is the great obstacle tt
handling grain in bulk. The holds o
the ships must be partitioned off ant
many small compartments made. Thu
grain is put in these to keep it from
! sliding around in rough weather sucl
. as is invariably encountered when tn
: boats round the Horn. If the grail
h is allowed to shift in the ship, tn
I reaching it's destination the bins ar
j. torn out of the ship to make ROOF
for return cargo.
n Summing it all up, the cost and il
d convenience of handling grain in bull
n under the existing conditions, NOR
z, than outweighs the advantage derived
II 1t is true that in many sections whes
~ is handled in bulk, but conditions
. those parts of the country are diffe
y ent. The wheat is more susceptible
d to classification, is harder and les
81 liable to sweat, and, there being
d greater amount of it transported, tt
- railroads have constructed cars wit
L special doors. Shipping condition
+ are also different in other parts
e the world where grain may be shippe
in hully caticfa otnri1u
q When the Panama canal is opene
n shortening the voyage to Europea
y ports and eliminating the roug
d. weather around the Horn; and whe
y all the grain. land of the northwest
E. developed, increasing the quantitit
- of wheat to be Handkerchief, if tt
"a farmers can secure the cooperate
20 of the railroads and steamship line
the handling of grain in bulk may c
e. this coast become a fact.