The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-17
Big Bill TO
America for
War Horses
Allies Expenditure Nearly
800. 900. O0O-NO Fear
of Famine.

q year OLD, the morse n mule Dill OF
,he Entente Powers Is approaching the
500. 900, 900 mark, an item exceeded
only by the cost Of the various food
products and some Of the more i'm
ror,ant war materials, such as cotton,
steel products. copper. leather goods
and automobiles. An apt comparison
is found in the fact that the exports
Of explosives for the fiscal year ending
June 80 were one-third less than that
Of the value Of the horses sent across
the Atlantic for duty in the war zone.
In less than a years time America
has become the worlds greatest horse
market. AS this Is being written esti-
mates as to the number OF horses
bought by the English. French. Italian
ami Belgian Governments range from
400. 000 to 500. 900. The great Belgian
and French horse markets, the finest
in the world, literally have been wiped
out. Such Belgian stock as escaped
''AihENutipIi ~ Nv ScI lIldlS mas DeeH
killed or Is being used in the service
Of the small army stiIl battling for
Eelgium's cause. France long since
GO iscatcd her valuable Percherons
for service at the front.
Despite the vital part the automobile
has played in the modern game of
war, the horse still IS n most important
factor, II one may judge by the export
statistics compiled by the Government
for the fiscal year. During the twelve
month period which ended June 80 this
year Europe paid American automo-
bic manufacturers s6S, 100. 900 for
motor trucks and parts. The horse bill
for the same period came to ssi.-
000, 900.
The mobilization Of the dumb ami
ma! CORPS Is proceeding on a scale al
most as vast as that Of the manufac-
ture Of war supplies in the grea:
Eastern factories. In no other way
has the world war been brought as
close home Ia the American farmer
Is n the horse business. Whole conn
ties III the Middle West have been
turned INTO n vast feed lot TO ac-
cpmmodate the demands OF one for
eCu Government alone. There is
scarcely a town in the West with a
surplus Of horsetlesh which has not
been invaded by the horse buyers and
agents Af tho fn,,r Enta,,o b--
tn" American farmer. as he is the
worlds greatest owner of horsenesh.
j. hhd.nG himself much sought after
ny we n"rS" buyers who represent
INC agents, who IN turn have con
tracts for the purchase OF many thou
sands Of horses for unknown coun-
tries at war.
Nor" than 81 ,0OO. 900 worth of horses
hre being assembled each week in the
tSht great concentration CAMPS for
war horses in this unit This
ms been going on for many weeks.
"hd 'her" is every prospect tina as
'"" war draSs on f.urope's horse bill
WEI continue 10 grow AT the rate of
q" s2.000,0o0 To $4,000, 900 n week.
p"' ilte The enormous scale on
WINCH horses ar" being bought for
IN" warning nations there need he
v" Tear OF n famine in horsefesh
IN tins country The 800. 900 horses
wien have gone to Europe, or are
on theIr way, constitute but a small
proportion Of the total. according 10
lac last census. taken in 1913. which
showed that more than 90, 900 900
horses We're owned on the farms of
'he country.
Tie American horse market Is en-
j"\'ng the greatest prosperity f. has
ever kno~n, save possibly during the
u" II the civil war. The horses
ana mules purchased by the American
Government at the time of the war
with spain and the lS2. 900 bought
nrf" hy the British nation uring the
Ho"r war become rather small items
"hcn compared with contracts
awarded UP to the present time dur
nG the world war.
tn" great concentration and distri-
h''l'n camps are located at Lathrop.
No; Grand Island, Neb.: East ST.
Louis, IN; Chicago. Kansas CITY.
Dover New Orleans, and Miles City,
Mont Montreal, New York, Virginia
ports and New Orleans are the chief
ports for the shipping Of horses TO
Europe.
Perhaps the greatest concentration
''Nls are located at Grand Island and
i"itlrop. For twelve months n steady
Stream 90 British gold has poured into
These Two wal horse camps. Build
lh@' have gone up with the rapidly
o! a boom mining camp. There are
nay barns " blocks long and 100
rect VIDE, feed barns. grain elevators.
Offices ana many acres Of shipping
pens. Scarcely II person in these
wv" communities but has been able
y ENJOY some measure OF the great
wealth brought by Tho horse BUSH
''sS The farmers who are supplying
it' immense stores o! feed products
i'" becoming wealthy in "A years
'mo
orc day late IN June 1000 horses
J. released 10y British gents awaited
St.i!n'nt east. The value Of this one
~ Of horses was in the neighbour
rood Of $500, 600, In the last six
H."uthS from 5000 to 5000 horses
'afe lcen sent ont OF Grand Island
every week for Montreal, the chief
Ii.'i-h shipping port, The same may
." s1.d Of The business conducted at
4'nthrop and also ~ East st. Louis.
Where more than 10000 horses have
l""n purchased for war service. The