The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-18
French and British Representa-
etives Busily Engaged In In
specting Purchases
Will Be Shipped
Via Newport News
Union Stock Yards Doing Ire
mendous Business In Supply
ing Demand Caused By
European Conflict

Richmond has become one OF the
greatest horse markets In the country
! Thousands no one in authority will
say how many of Virginia and West
ern horses are being bought for war
purposes at the Union Stock Yards
here and viii be shipped by way OF
Newport News to France and Eng
land
! Two French officers arc busiIy en-
gagged In inspecting horses as they ar
rive and some reports have it that al
least 5000 horses have been bought
the last week or two
| These horses, II liz stated. must be
not under four nor more than ten
years old. They will be used for
mounts for cavalry and for hauling
the artillery. The great demand FOR
horses will. doubtless, cause a general
advance In prices.
That the first consignment of nine
hundred horses will be shipped with
In the next week. was confirmed yes
terday by reporter for The Virginian
although the two French purchasing
agents In the city are maintaining the
greatest secrecy In regard TO their
movements.
Arranging for Cars.
W. r. Taylor. traffic manager OF the
Richpond, Fredericksburg and Po-
tomac Railroad Company. yesterday
afternoon stated that he had been ap-
preached in regards to securing the
necessary number of cars to take care
Of such shipment. when asked the
direct question by Virginian re-
porter,
James Smyth. one OF the Smyth
brothers who are part owners Ia the
, edged that two purchasing agents VINO
are attending the sssies now being con-
ducked there were representing the
French government Already In tbs
large tncIoeurs about one Thousand
horses are awaiting shipment and
have been paid for by the British gov
eminent on behalf Of its ally. accord
ing TO Mr.. S,nyth.
Although the buyers are maintain
ing secrecy In regard to their identity.
and their purpose In buying horses. a
! virginian reporter yesterday entered
the yards AMI for several minutes
stood unnoticed at the side OF the two
Frenchmen, both horse experts. n
they purchased horses at rapid rate.
When his identity became known. the
reporter was asked to leave the es-
adjustment
Mr. Smyth. while acknowledging
that the two men were French pur-
chasing agents. refused to give out any
information a. to where the horses
would be shipped for transportation
acrcss the water.
Probably Go 70 Newport NewA
From Mr.. Taylor and one or two
Chesapeake and Ohio officials 1t was
learned that the shipment would prob
ably be consigned to Newport News
although this fact could not be abb
solutely established.
The two agents Of the French gov
iernment were bury buying horses
when reporter for this paper walked
Into the yards. He stood for several
minutes by their side as they discussed
the fitness OF several horse. turning
Idown some az unft while accepting
others. as fast as they could be led
Into and out OF the tnclcsure by two
or three yard hands
In separate yard covering about
two ordinary squares, the horses fav-
orably passed on were placed, and 1t
was taken for granted that the others
in this yard had been passed on. The
yard probably contains over q thous-
and horses. and ms the first shipment
only calls for the transportation OF
about nine hundred. 1t seems that the
present shipment II only one Of many
which will be made from Richmond.
| In fact 1t has been stated that fully
three thousand horses have been con-
ltracted for here, while purchases are
being made at many other points In
the state.