Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-11
DIXIE GOES AHEAD THE RISE OF THE MULE
BY FREDERIC .. HAsKIN.

rour n ope hundred or more and are turned the
barns covering some twenty-five acres. The buyers.
with the exception of those from Europe are dealers
from various small and country districts Tuey
retail them the farmers making an average proat
OF perhaps SIS $50 mules OF the better grades
Thus Atlanta acts q clearing house through which
a large part of the south buys and sells tts mules
In Atlanta the business Is carried forward with
great drectness and upon high plane OF honesty.
Every sale Is contest In Judgment but rhers no
effort to conceal defects in the mules. an animal
his splint or wind-broken the fact is not con-
cealed and deduction in price made aecoFdinsly.
There something OF speculative chAraster In the
trad,nr as the value OF mules somstinss nuctuatss
from to 10 per in few months. The growing
Importance the mule Is In the tact that the
average price increased about 20 per cant u ens
last ten years.
7-ha Atlanta live stock business b. gsrge1y In the
hands a families. who have been trading aerses
and mules for generations. The story OF enc nuns
here which is prominent In the trade 10 oonpiets
history of the mule business In the south the great
grandfather present head OF the business owned
hIg plantation in Georgia, and every yesF he drove
20 Atlanta about mules which he raised or oougnf
from his neighbors. He auctoned them on IN tue cs'
and was considered to doing enormous business
His SON. the grandfather of the contemporary
scion. thought the business could be enlarged oy
reaching wider market He formed oypsy e-nos
who wandered all the south with cneir aToses oI
mules selling them along the way In GIRLS
way he disposed of two thousand mules In year.
Than came the railroads pouring mules into AZ
lanta by the thousand. ANY number over four mules
took carload rate. possible to reach tae most
distant farmer few hours. So ths REPRESENTATIVE
~ the third generation $4,000 mules In single
year and his son. the present owner or the business
has increased 1t still further. He sometimes has $1,000
mules in his stables at dme-more mules tnsn AIS
great-grandfather ever saw.
Although the horse business has skunk ~ corpan.
o i,b the mule trade thousands OF horses are sim
sold annually the Atlanta market ana casto" ue
crees that they must always be sold at auction Inc
horse auctions are perhaps the most picturesque pnae
- thA whole business The buyers form IN TWO Lohs
lines with lane the middle, where tne ses.ers
.+and and every one is armed with wnip SIX Ieoe
Ionx The horse led down the gaunEiet py "es.1
Al ths whips crack the horse plunges and caVorts
"a. negro swinging and yelling at the haftsr.
"rtye wears old and sound and right ana wofkseF
chants the seller in a tremendous basso shes got
clean white tooth and fine wtnd-and the long pes
gets the persimmon"
An auctioneer presiding a sort Of pulpit records
the bids and bellows with in his voice that ne
Is being robbed. The owner continues TO extol the
value of his stock, and the horse Ia meFeisssiy
Nyhpped I'D the enclousure they stopped ana
examined for spnts. ring bones and other minor de-
fects TIE seller quickly resents 30 per-
sona insult any Investigation Of the matter or age
"Aw why do you want to look at her teethT' he
demands "Didnt say she was ave years cidr'
The closing bid often surprisingly low. especially
On the lighter horses which would have been in great
demand for buggy and saddle before the days OF the
gasoline engine
The horse has seen the days OF his greatest glory
bevond doubt. Not the mule. In war ~ In
peace he is king Of hard lahor-and Atlanta 10 his
southern capital.