Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1913-02-27
Is BULK GRAIN PRACTICAL?
New West Trade, a Spokane Paper,
Thinks Not-Gives Several
Reasons Why,

y" "oSt 'tdoC' d spokane PAPER,
Thinks Not-Gives Several
Reasons Why.
Bulk handling of grain, a 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 a 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
to market. Then wagon boxes con-
structed exclusively for the purpose
of carrying grain must be used for
conveying the grain to the elevator,
where 1t will be dumped in with
masses OF other grain of the same
grade.
Now right here is where the first
kink 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 wheGe it
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 ears will be required; this is some
thing the western railroads have not
yet provided, and it will necessitate
considerable expenditure on their
part. Whether or not they will be
willing to do this is a matter yet to
be determined.
After the wheat has been shipped to
the coast special provision must be
made for it's handling by steamship
lines and this is the great obstacle to
handling grain in bulk. The holds of
the ships must be partitioned off and
many small compartments made. The
grain is put in these to keep it from
sliding around in rough weather such
as is invariably encountered when the
boats round the Horn. II the grain
is allowed to shift in the ship, the
friction will cause it to sweat. Upon
reaching it's destination the bins are
torn out of the ship to make room
for return cargo.
Summing it all>up, the cost and in
convenience of handling grain in bulk
under the existing conditions, more
than outweighs the advantage derived.
1t is true that in many sections wheat
is handled in bulk, but conditions in
those parts of the country are differ
ent. The wheat is more susceptible
to classification, is harder and less
liable to sweat, and, there being a
greater amount of it transported, the
railroads have constructed cars with
special doors. Shipping conditions
are also different in other parts of
the world where grain may be shipped
in bulk satisfactorily.
When the Panama canal is opened,
shortening the voyage to European
ports and eliminating the rough
weather around the Horn; and when
all the grain land Of the northwest is
developed, increasing the quantities
of wheat to be handled,-then, If the
can secure the cooperation
of the railroads and steamship lines,
the handling of grain in bulk may on