Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-01-17
FARMERS OF SCOTT COUNTY IN,
cgNseo BECAUSE OF RAIL.
ROAD CONDITIONS.
APPEALS BEING MADE TO
POWERS IN CONTROL
Farmers Facing Loss Of Thousands OF
Dollars and No Relief in Sight
Authorities Say Embargo 10 Nsees
sary in Order Is Balance Prices
Appeals and Replies Thereto.

With desperate car shortage, equal
to anything that disturbed commercial
conditions a year ago. livestock rails
ers in Scott, county are up in arms ut
new menace which threatens to cost
them thousands of dollars and work
irreparable loss unless railroads are
able to come to their aid at once. The
picture seems TO be darkened by the
imperturable assurance of those in
authority that there is no imme iiate
relief in prospect -
The volcano of hostility in the hog
shipping centers Of the county became
active several weeks ago when it was
discovered that transportation facil!-
ties were contracting and that it was
impossible TO get cars enough TO ship
the hogs to market. Eldridge and NJ.
Joy seemed to Ice the storm centers OF
the trouble because large share OF the
shipments are made from those points.
Complaints began to pour into the Of
flee Of G. r. Bliss. county agricultural
agent. begging him to use his influ-
ence in an endeavor to bring about
some sort of relief If possible. Com
munica tons were Immediately dis
patched to the food administration and
to the Milwaukee heads over whose
lines the shipments are made from the
points named.
Situation Growing Worse.
Today the question is no nearer So
luton than 1t ever has been and the
situation seems to be growing more
desperate each week.
The MiIwa uiee is able to furnish but
100 cars for 113 stations and there are
from so to 100 farmers who ship from
these stations In this county there l.,
an average OF $50 farmers in town.
ship and also an average OF one sta
ton for each township. These $50
farmers. according to Nv Bliss. raise
an average Of at least 100 hogs annu-
ally. This is over A carload per farmer
and under normal conditions three
quarters Of the hogs are shipped to
market during December. January and
February.
Last season the marketing was de-
layed by the soft corn and cold wea-
ther. This year the conditions are re-
versed. The hogs have been ready for
the market earlier than usual and tn"
weather is ideal for shipping. II will.
therefore. easily be appreciated how
utterly inadequate for this territory ar
allotment is which provides but one
car per week for each station. There
is urgent need at Eldridge and Mt. JOY
for fifty cars Immediately. Practically
all of the hogs weigh from 225 to oI3
pounds and the weight in many in
stances runs up to 300 pounds. These
animals, should be on the market now
to avoid loss. Hogs weighing from
275 to 800 pounds cannot be fed corn
economically at $3.50 to $3.50 bushel.
Besides this there is the danger Of
cholera, influenza and other diseases.
Ask Immediate Relief.
At a meeting Of the Scott County
Farm League on Jan. s a resolution
was passed appealing to the food ad-
ministration to relieve the situation as
quicklyt as possible. The market at
the present time is ranging at from
$3.50 to S17.s5 per hundred and natur-
ally the farmers are anxious to take
advantage OF the situation.
In his communication to the food
administration Mr.. Bliss calls atten-
ton to the fact that when the govern
ment requested the Scott county far
mens to raise $4,000 bushels of wheat
they raised 1900 bushels while at the
same time, also at the request of the
government, they increased the output
of hogs fully 10 per cent. Now to find
themselves without a market when
every day means loss il hogs are
nn ah innad Whan fhaU tn in.
crease in weight is a situation not con-
ducive to amiable temper. If the
ondition continues the losses inflicted
on the farmers will be staggering.
In replying to the appeal Of Mr.
Bliss. the food administration at Chi
cago says substantially in COM
munication of explanation:
Il presume you are aware that price
stabilizing has made it necessary to
regulate the hog run to the important
markets. Without such regulation 1t
is likely that the markets would be
flooded with consequent drop in
prices below the guaranteed average
OF $780," The letter concludes with
the observation that ut does not seem
to us that the regulations should SO
operate rs to produce condition such
as you have described as obtaining at
Mount JOY"
Outlook is Desperate.
Regardless, however, of how it seems
to the administration, farmers declare,
the fact is that the condition exists.
And what is more. 1t is getting worse
and more desperate.
The Milwaukee explains that the
reason the cars are limited for the
Chicago run is the embargo placed on
loading hogs for that point. The COM
pany declares that for the past Few
weeks it has been allowed a certain
allotment OF cars for loading to the
eastern market. Inc company explains
that this allotment has been so small
that it has not permitted the COM
pany to furnish one car per station for
loading purposes. during any one week.
During the, present week the allotment
has been 100 cars for 113 stations.
The Mount Joy association with
sixty members has received but three
cars in five weeks. It needs eight ears
Immediately and two weekly there
after. Similar conditions prevail at
Blue Grass and other SHIPPING points
Of the country.