The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-01
Army Horses and Mules Auctioned by Hundreds
Interesting Sights Auction Sales Farmers Gather From All Parts of Alabama to Secure Animals
 for Their Farms
By W. J. BOLES


 "what am I offered for this mule? S25? Say, I'm selling this mule not renting it. What am l offered? Fifty, seventy five, eighty, ninety, one hundred Say, this mule is worth S25O. Come on there Yes, you. I mean you; that's the other fellows bid. Make it s125. That's right. You can't buy this mule anywhere for less than s225." And so on until nobody will bid any further and the mule is sold
 This and similar "spiels" occur with constant and monotonous regularity one day in every two weeks at Fies X Sons stables. Second avenue and Eighteenth street. Over 10000 horses and mules are sold here in the course of year, rep resenting money va,de Of close to S2,0o0,OO0.
 Practically every animal sold at these auctions goes onto a farm in Alabama principally north Alabama, thus adding materially each year to the live stock owned in the state.
 At the sale held this week about 50 army horses and mules were included in the lot put up at auction. Each of these animals had been thoroughly tested and inspected before sending it here, and bore the guarantee stamp "S" branded on all animals found by the government to be sound and fit.
 The sale had been extensively adver- tised throughout north Alabama, and when Auctioneer w. T. Parker mounted the stand he faced between 300 and 400 men, including about 200 prospective buy CTS, nearly every one of them farmer. Before beginning the sale the prospec- tive buyers and visitors made tour of the stables, inspecting each of the 4o0 or more animals to be put in the ring later There were all kinds of horses and mules, from the heavy artillery horse to the small pony, and the small bodied, slen- der-limbed mule to the big one measur- ing 15 hands and weighing 1900 to 400 pounds.
 The first sale was that of a Shetland pony, buggy, harness and saddle. the out fit bringing $115. Then came the army mules.
 A pair of big black animals, bearing on their left front shoulders the letter "S," meaning sound, was put up first
 What am 1 offered? How much am bid?' yelled Auctioneer Parker. How old are they. Ralph? turning to Ralph Ties, who, whip ill hand. acted as of f1cial sponsor for the animals. After looking in their mouths Ralph said they were and years old, respectively. "Now, you've got chance to buy pair of fine mules. What am I offered?' re- peats the acutioneer. Bidding is started at s125 for the pair, and by five-dollar jumps gradually climbs to s200.
 'Trot 'em up and down. commands Ralph of the boy holding the animals. They are trotted back and forth between auctioneer and audience two or three times.
 See them move about. Don't you see you are getting mules worth $500 for only about half of that. Come on over there, don't miss this great chance, " pleads the auctioneer
 They are finally knocked off at sSS0, and a pair of white mules is brought on. Ralph Fies looks at their teeth, gives their ages, 6 and ', and the auctioneer asks for bids.
 ''Trot 'em," orders Ralph, and they are trotted.
 Then the bidding begins, and by fives and two fifties, finally reaches s320. The auctioneer asks if all are done, brings down his club--the club he used is a sec tion of rubber hose about 15 inches long on the counter with dull thud, say ing, "One, two, are you all done?'
 Moxie Fies, at his side. commands s>Stop. Men, this is no price to pay for