Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-28

sal" is contest In Judgment: bu,
mere Is -" effort to conceal tn" de-
i"ois IN Tic mules. If an animal haA
Il splut Vr IS w.rh- broken the Ia,
Is not concealed. ana a deduction u
price made accordingly There H
sometime. Of speculative charar,.I
tn the trading. ny the value OF mui.s
sometimes iiurtuutcs from ) to 10 nor
cent ia "a few months The grown.
Importance "f the mule is seen In the
t'tt mat IN" ar"iHS" price has in
creased about 20 per cent in the last
ton years.
business In Iiunds of Few.
Inc Atlanta livestock business is
ihiGeiy IN the hands OF Il few families
who hay" been trading horses anu
mules for generations The story az
one family here, which IS prominc,l
lh the trade, Is a complete history nf
tho mule business In the South Tho
great grandfather of the present head
OF the business owned big planlu.
ton in Georgia. and every year ho
drove to atlanta about zoo mules
which ho raised "r bought from his
nc!Shbors. iic auc:ioucd them off in
Tia" city, and was considered TO he
doing an enormous business
Ills son, the grandfather OF the con-
temporary scion, thought the business
could be enlarged by reaching a wider
market. He formed GYPSY bands"
who wandered all over the South with
their drovcs % utsles. selling them 10
farmers along the way In this way
he disposed Of 2,op" mules a year
Then came the railroads. pouring
mules int" Atlanta by the thousand
Any number over four mules TOOK .
ear load rate. II was possible TO reach
the most distant farmer in fcw
hours. :" tn" cpiescntativc ~ tbs
third generation sold 10000 mules ia
a single year, and his SON the pres
Ont owner OF the business, has in
creased II still further lie sometimes
has 10000 mules IN his stables at
t!mc-more mules than his great
grandfather ever saw. Although the
horse business has shrunk by compari-
son with the mule trade thousands OF
horses are still sold annually in the
Atlanta market, and custom DEGREES
that they MIST always hc sold al aur-
ton.
selling Mt Auction.
The horse auctions are perhaps the
most picturesque phase OF the whole
business. The buyers form in two
long lines, with q lane down the mid
die, where the sellers stand. and every
one Is armed viii, whip six feet
long The horse is led down III.
gauntlct 10y a negro. All the whips
crack the horse niunccs and cavor,s
The negro swinging and yelling at thu
halter
Five years old aud sound and right
ana worker chants the seller III u
tremendous basso. shes got clean.
white tooth ana Il fine wiud-and the
long pole gets The perSimmon.
An auctioneer presiding in sort Of
pulpit records the bids. and bellows
with tears in his voice that he is be.
ing robbed. The owner continues TO
eXtol the value OF his stock, and the
horse is mercilesslv whipped up and
down the Enclosure, then stopped and
examined for spiints, ring bones and
other minor defects. The seller, how
ever, quickly resents as u personal in
suit any investigation OF the matter
az age.
Jaw, why do YOU want TO look AT
her teeth" he demands. Didn't | say
she was five years old"
The closing bid is often surprisinc-
iy low, especially on the lighter horse.
which would have been in great dc
nand for buggy ana saddle before the
days Of the gasoline engine
The horse has seen the DAYS OF his
greatest glory beyond "A doubt Not 50
the mule. In wa" as in peace he is
King OF hard labor--Ind Atlanta is his
Southern capital.
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