Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-31
HORSE SUPPLY IS
NOT HURT BY WAR.
L. r. FLEENER, FORMERLY OF OF.
TUMWA, SAYS FARMERS
HAVE GREAT MANY LEFT.
HAS AIDED MARKET
Dealer Says That Without Conflict
Stock Would Have Been Worth
But Little; Many Shipped
From Iowa.

! L. r. Fleener, formerly of Ottumwa,
but now of Des Moines, connected with
Morris Williams in the Ottumwa- Des
Moines horse market, declares that the
european war is not draining the ma
ton of horses. Mr.. Fleener was form
erly auctioneer at the local market
and has been in the business for TWEEN
ty-seven years. Following is an inter
| view he gave the Des Moines Register
and Leader:
Pursuant to the circulation of mum
| erous reports to the effect that
the European war had created a
drain on the American horse mar
ket, threatening extinction to the
salable beasts of burden in this
country, Des Moines man, one of
the. largest horse dealers in the west,
declared yesterday that there was
no likelihood of such situation
coming to pass.
On the other hand it was asserted
that the war had created demand
for horses and maintained a price
| which enabled the farmer to dispose
of his stock at a price he would not
have been able to realize under
ordinary circumstances.
Lee R. Fleener, who conducts his
stables at South Ninth and Murphy
streets. has been in the stock bust
ness for twenty-seven years, and dur
ing that time has bought and sold
perhaps more horses than any other
man in half dozen states. He al
ways has kept in close touch with
the market. He knows values and
has kept prices at his fingers end.
War Helps Prices.
ri realize that many thousand
horses have been shipped out Of the
United States since the war began in
Europe" said Mr.. Fleener. "Practic-
al horsemen realize, too, that had 1t
not been for the conditions across
the ocean stock raisers would have
been unable to have got anything
like fair prices for their horses this
year.
Instead of the European war en-
dangering our horse market, 1t has
helped it beyond measure. The cen
sus for 1915, prepared by the fed
eral government, shows that at that
time there were 20, 300, 900 horses in
this country. The official figures
also show that for use in this coun-
try, including the demand of the
United States army, only 16,OO0,0OO
horses are required. When you take
into consideration the general depres-
sion that has made itself felt In this
country since the war began, l would
say that very small portion of this
number are being used today.
| No Local Demand.
| LAS an example Of the way the de-
mand has decreased during the last
year, usbed to sell as many as fifty
horses every week for use in Des
| Moines These animals were used
principally around buildings In course
of construction. I have not sold fifty
horses in Des MONIES during the past
year. relate this Instance simply
to illustrate the condition Of the mar
ket. This state Of affairs prevails
not only in Des Moines, but it applies
to every community in the country.
Mr.. Fleener declared that Iowa and
Illinois were furnishing more horses
to Europe than any other states IN
the union. During the past four
months he has shipped $3.50, repre-
senting more than $1,000,000. Since
war was declared he has shipped out
of Des Moines 10000 head. All OF
these animals were purchased within
radius of seventy-f1ve miles of Des
Moines. Mr.. Fleener estimates that
Iowa has furnished $4,000 horses to
the warning nations.
''This drain has not resulted In any
danger to the supply" continued Mr..
Fleener. Stock raisers were getting
higher prices for their horses two
years ago than they are getting today
in spite of the war. am paying now
for English gun horses SITS. Two
years ago l was paying 5000 for the
same horses In 1907 this horse was
bringing s275.
Supply is Large.
There are thousands of horses in
| Iowa today for sale. can go out
within a radius of seventy-flve miles
of Des Moines and buy twenty horses
every day in the week that will pass
inspection Farmers are anxious to
sell. They have more horses than
they know what to do with. 1t is
my opinion that il it had not been
for this war horses would have been
bringing today just about half OF
their present market value. The
war could continue for three more
years and this country could ship
horses to foreign countries at the
rate of $4,000 per month and 1t
would not have the least tendency
to endanger the supply. cannot
conceive of situation where the
stock raisers of this country would
be unable to supply any possible de-
mand for government or home use.'
Mr.. Fleener declared that the
British government had issued an
order that no more horses should be
bought in this country until after
Aug. s. The reason for this, he said,
was that transports could not be Sc
cured to ship them on. England has.
$4,000 horses on feed in this coun-
trv now, it was said. The French.
Italians and Belgians, however, still
are buying.
.. Horses Not Scarce.
Motor power has not kept the price
Of horses down. said Mr.. Fleener. 1T
has kept values from going up to an
unreasonable height.
"As additional evidence of the fact
that horses are not becoming scarce
81 = 49, i