The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-07-12
MEMPHIS PACKERS
TO GET PIGS VIA
FAST MOTOR CARS



To get a bunch Of live stock to mar
ket quickly before a decline takes all
the Joy out of a seasons profits viii
be an everyday possibility when the
Memphis Packing corporations great
packing plant and local motor express
routes are in capacity operation.
Uncertain railroad transportation and
car shortage have led to a marked in
crease in the numbers Of fat hogs,
sheep, n cattle hauled to market in
motor trucks in the last year The
lat stock travel with greater comfort
ana are not so long on the road where
the truck supplants the freight train.
Although the movement Of live stock
TO market by motor usually costs more
than by railroad, this extra expense is
more than balanced by the quick de-
livery Of the stock before the market
has much opportunity to fluctuate.
Furthermore, when the lOrry is used,
as a rule, hogs from a single farm are
loaded in one truck, and there is less
danger of the animals fighting and in
iuring each other in transit than when
a carload of mixed hogs is shipped by
rail.
In investigating the extent of motor
truck transportation to the Omaha live
stock market, the department of agri-
culture found that for DO years the
movement Of live stock by wagon from
farms from five to rs miles away a
been fairly large. Development Of bet
ter highways and more rapid means OF
transportation, that Is, the motor truck,
has greatly extended this territory and
fat farm animals now are hauled by
truck to South Omaha from farms at
much greater distances than those Tor
merly served by wagon. A number OF
commission firms cater particularly TO
the motor truck, or less-than-carload
trade. Their business is increasing, be-
cause many farmers are purchasing
trucks for the special purpose of de-
l%ivering live stock.
Motor truck companies have been
formed in many towns and cities with
In a radius of 30 miles Of omaha to
meet the demands of farmers for such
service. These companies are develop
ing not only the live stock trade, but
also IA back haul" trade of groceries,
merchandise and general freight such
as feeds, fertilizers and farm supplies.
On n winter morning between $50
and 8 O'Clock 40 truckloads of live stock
were delivered at the Omaha yards,
and of this number 10 Of the vehicles
were owned by farmers.
The carrying capacity Of the truck
varies with the size, age, class and
weight of the animals. A standard two-
ton truck will carry about 20 head of
hogs. Tho floor space OF the truck,
when small stock. such as sheep and
hogs, are transported, is often increased
by double-decklng. AS a rule, the mo-
tor express companies operate trucks
Of four or five tons capacity, while the
vehicles owned by farmers usually carry
one or two tons.
Figures indicate how the motor truck
delivery of live stock at the South
Omaha yards has increased in the last
two years. In the first nine months
Of 1917 there were only 52,129 hogs in
the Omaha drive in" There was an
increase of 80 per cent in the same |
period in 1918, 142, 22O hogs being de-
livered by truck. The cattle drive in"
1917, was 10 S9 head, and in the same
period in 1918, 1851 cattle.
The Cincinnati, Indianapolis and
Louisville markets receive a large part
or their hogs directly from the farms |
by motor trucks, One typical. double
deck truckload Of live stock unloaded
AT the Cincinnati stockyards in the
presence Of a representative of the
department of agriculture, consisted of
three S60-pound cattle, seven calves
Weighing $50 pounds each, and II hogs |
a]yeraging 1856 pounds Another load
consisted Of seven 760-pound cattle,
while other loads were made up Of from |
10 to 25 hogs. weighing from lis to
225 pounds each.
At Kansas City a marked increase in |
me local drive in" has. resulted large
" from the increased use of motor |
trucks; During the first eight months
OF 1918, 1881 hogs were handled nv |
motor truck and wagon, an increase OF
1905 over the same period in 1917
denver notes an increase of 22S per
cent III sheep; IL per cent In hogs, and
10 per cent In cattle in the local drive
IN, during the first eight months Of
iSlS compared with 1917, At st.
Joseph, Mo, the drive In" during the
iast year has more than doubled
through the use of trucks. In a single
DAY at st, Joseph 1,4OO hogs. 200 cattle,
and u considerable number of sheen
were brought to the market in 100
motor trucks. ~
with good, permanent roads on the
noon. IN az parts of the country, and
transportation by truck more satisfar.
tory IN every way, the department in
p~estigRtors believe that the future
cheap II efficient marketing
stock In power vehicles. The effect
Of market fluctuations il reduced ia
minimum. because, in the main
9nIy a Few hours are required from the
farm to the stock ward, '' NV