Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-05
MORE GOOD WHEAT THAN
CAN BE EASILY HANDLED
One OF the Strange Things OF These
War Timcs-Labor Shortage
Troubles the Millcrs.
FARMERS URGED TO LET Ur
Wheat Growers, Having Good Price
Guaranteed, Can Well Afford Not
TO CROWD the Market and the Mills.
Rare Circular.

For the past ten days or two weeks
labor shortage and some other u3-
usual conditions brought about by the
war have been troubling the grain
dealers and the millers of Richmond
not a littln.
The wheat-Erowcrs who market
their graz in in Richmond. now being as
Sn"cd by the Rovernrent OF a set price.
no more and no less. for wheat have no
reason for HOLDING it while they watcn
tho market conditions. and they have
been simply rushing II in TO have It
quickly converted into cash The re-
suit Is the mills arc crowded 10 suf-
location and. besides. they are having
any amount of trouble getting as many
laborers rs they require TO handle It.
One day last 'rce!; one OF the mills
had forty cars Of wheat on the railway
siding and could find no hands to un-
load II at the mill, and had to leave /:
IN me care OF Tho railways and be sub
ject TO hcmurraee charges. OF course
this mill and others so situated had 20
get OFT the market as wheat buyers an,
that threw tho commission merchants
who had large shipments from their
farmer customers 20 sell. in stcH.
This thing has been going on now fpr
two weeks. and tho commission me-
chants. we'll as the mil,.rs. have
been urg ing the farmers TO hold up "a
while with their SHIPMENTS They
have sent out circulars in which they
tel! their country friends that there
is no risk on their part in holding the
Grain. for u is dry and in fine condition.
insnring them from any loss by dam
aging In the sacks in the farmers
barn or storc-room and, Of course, they
take no chances Of weakening OF
prices. as Uncle Sam has set the pric.
that must be paid for wheat whenever
II reaches the commission merchan s
lla- \
later date.
One OF these circular letters reads rs
follows:
"on account OF the dry condition Of
wheat, the shipments have been go
heavy for the past ten days that the
mills and other dealers arc loaded up
and arc asking us 20 notify our friends
70 hold of shipping for a short while.
so shat the wheat can DC properly taken
care OF as Il comes in
Will let YOU hear from us as soon
as situation IL relieved. The mills and
others want the wheat. but can only
take II according 10 government reSu-
intions"
This brief circular is given in full
for the reason that It happens TO BE-
OF kind tina: was, probably. never
mailed out ot Richmond before. Ger
tainly. the oldest inhabitant cannot cal,
70 mind time when commission mo-
chants and millers had to beg farmers
rot TO ship wheat to Richmond. Ever
since Father H%rd established grain
market here; certainly. ever since the
day that the HaXalls and Dunlops and
trcnshaws and heirs of Ciallcgo organ
ized the Richmond Grain Exchange. the
custom has hccn to beg the farmers
Of Virginia 10 ship all the wheat they
could possibly rake and scrape to this
great nou.-mak King town and biscuit
consuming community.
AS the circular briefly explains, Rich
rond wants all Of the Virginia grown
wheat that vas harvested this year 20
come to this town now, but under the
circumstances, il is not in n hurry
about II. Strange things come to pa IS
in war times.