i
V Special Edition TP
he Alliance Herald
Section One
1
HEAD BY EVERY MEMBER NERRASKA STtKTC iROVERS ASSOCIATION. ALL T1IK NKW8 OP ALLIANCE AM) WESTERN MJtUAsKA
- OFFICIAL OIU1AN KERRASKA VOLrNTEER FIREMEV8 ASSOCIATION. IT REACHES HEADQUARTERS FOR 15.000 FIREMEN
VOLUME X
ALLIANCE, BOX BUTTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA, -THURSDAY, JULY 29, 1915
NO. 34
GOING TO LIVE
STOCK MARKET
Some ' Interesting Information Re
garding the Marketing of Live
Stock from Nebraska
"Hey-hey-hey!" Crack, snap,
crack. "Hey-hey-hey!"
An account of the shipping of cat
tle from the great ranch country of
Nebraska to the lire stock market
will be interesting to the many read
erg of this paper. This description,
of course, must be comparatively
brief, but will contain enough infor
mation to give a suggestion of how
live stock is handled.
The amount of misinformation
that people of eastern states have re
garding the great ranch country of
.nfurasKB is truly remarkable. Out
in the sand hills means to them the
t juniplng-off, place of civilization. As
a matter of fact, some of the most
prosperous people on earth are found
in the ranch country, and people who
represent the highest type of modern
civilization.
And. by the way, feeders of the
corn belt country have learned that
the best stufT that they can get for
their feed yards comes from western
Nebraska. Let us take a little trip
from the ranch to the market.
Tom Jones is a Nebraska boy who
has spent the last year working ort
one of the big ranches in the west
half of this state. Going to market
is no new thing to most of the men
on the ranch, but this Is Tom's first
trip. A dozen cars of cattle were
loaded at the station that Is the ship
ping point of that part of the coun
try. Tom and several others from
the ranch board the way car and off
: they start for Sioux City, one of the
leading live stock markets of the
country, and by the way, one that
has been Increasing the most rapidly
recently In the amount of business
handled. . Owing . to the improved
service that the railroads are now
giving shippers, it is not necessary to
feed enroute, and in a comparatively
short time they find themselves In
the busy mart on the east banks of
tne Big Muddy. ;
Exclamations , like
the ones thnt
begin this article greet the ears of
Tom and his companions as thev
leave the train and start out on a
iuur oi inspection 01 tne stock yards. 'our destination, ueaa nogs ana auer a saie nas Deen maae, mane providing you accompany your stock
Going to the Exchange Building, cattle in cars are not worth much at your own settlement with the buyer j and want' to make selection of a com
Tom is surprised, and" nleimed with stock yard harkets. and railroads and adjust all claims bf railroads for mission hnnaa a ft or vnur arrival Sal-
the cordial recension, that. is given
luriu. ne live SIOCK commission
uien ana me omers connected with
the transaction of business at the Ex-
change Building are all live wires.
They find indeed that it is "A Live
Bunch in a Live Town." After mar-
keting the cattle, they take in the
city, which in modern Improvements
and methods of business stand In
the front rank of the cities of the
middle west.
Y. A. Hart man, editor of the Dallv
Live Stock Record, Sioux City, has
writien a nine Doomet entitled, "A cnarges on an extra car. would stock- yaraa as they are operated In before loading, consign your stock to 'a' lounq. mreciea wun contagious
Trip to Market," which is a story of amount to. If you have a few more this country Is the providing of plac-ihlm and let him do the handling, disease are at once marked "V. S.
detail showing- all processes in han- cattle, hogs or sheep than will com- es for the handling of live stock ad- Commission charges for selling live Suspect", or "U. S. Condemned", If
dling live stock from the farm or fortably and safely fill a car, the vantageously . between producer and stock at the several stock yards mar- aiiy ot vou' "tock Is found to be In
ranch to the market. This booklet much more advisable policy would be seller and the packer, or such other kets of the country are fixed by the fected with a contagion and is tagged
is copyrighted, but through the cour-ito take the excess back home, or go concern or Individual as may be In exchanges. The man who charges a either suspect or condemned, it is
tesy of Mr. Hartman, thla paper is back and get enough to fill another the market for the buying of live more or less than this fixed chare la kPt under surveillance of the gov-
given the privilege of reprinting It.
Following is an extract that . will
make good reading for stockmen and
others interested ln the live stock
business:
Every man is interested in the.
market for the commodity he pro
duces, whether that commodity is a;
product of the soil, the pasture, the!
feed lot or the shop. -Very few, if j
any, men who raise and feed live'
Block do not keep more or less; in-i
.formed upon market conditions and
current prices for the V particular
class of stock he 1$ producing. He
watches newspapers for reports from
the market. He keepa in touch
with the morning reports from the
central market that are wired to and
bulletined in his home town. He
- ' baa an approximate Idea of the sell-
. ing value of the stock in his pastures i
tnd feed lots. But, ln these days of
intensification; of intensified farm-.
ing, live stock feeding, and of niar- i
keting, how many farmers and feed
ers understand the process of advan
tageously marketing their own live
stock?
The Question was recently asked:
"Suppose a man who knows nothing
of marketing methods wants to mar
ket his own stock, what methods or
processes should he follow?"
The question suggests: selection,
preparation, delivery to shipping sta
tion, ordering and loading of cars,
care of stock ln transit, delivery at
stock yards, care in yards, sale of
stock and delivery to buyer, settle- (
ment, transmission of proceeds to the
home bank or to such other destina
tion as your obligations may suggest.
These suggest the entire process of
being your own shipper and, once;
" understood and followed, there is lit
tle likelihood of the farmer and feed-)
er going wrong in handling his own
stock from' feed lot to market and
back.
(et Stock l4Hlel Right
Load light. The federal bureau
of animal Industry has recently '
evolved and promulgated regulations
governing condition of cars ln which
live stock is to be moved from one :
' J point to another. These regulations'
; were born of an emergency. But it I
is not unlikely tbey will be made I
nomianent. nosaibly ith modifica
tions as conditions may arise. How
ever the government is not in the
live stock transportation business
' and does not prescribe conditions and
!
requirements for the most expedi-
tlous, safe and intelligent transport
of live stock from one point to an -
other. The government regulations
simply aim to prevent the possible nt'sslon house preferably . the lat
spread of infectious disease among ter This live stock contract Js your
live. stock and says:. "Cars must be authority to ride on the train to cae
cleaned and disinfected under pre- for your stock. You cannot secure
scribed regulations before stock can transportation without this contract
be moved in them." And then, there
is, of course, the regulation that
stock in transit. must not be kept in
cars more than thirty-six hours with-
out being unloaded for rest and feed.
The government does not presume to
say how much stock can be crowded
into a car, nor how long the car may
stand on a side-track after It has
been loaded. It is up to you. aside
from the cleaned and disinfected car,
and you should at all times avoid ov-
erloading your car. The assertion
;is made that shippers often suffer
'irrpntpr lnRPK frn.u nvrlnnHlno- nan
than any other cause. Do not try to
beat a railroad by crowding above
minimum weight into a car. This is
bidding for grief when you arrive at
can hardly be convicted of negligence
u -- ovrnuaumit, eBiieciauy
wnen n loaaing is one oy me snip-
Per. Icing of cars and bedding with
and are strongly advisable during
hot weather, and In times when lc-
log and sanding are advisable, then
is Just when you should be alone
with your stock on the train or have
a mighty certainty of the kind of
man who is with the car. It Is easy
to lose more in dead animals, due to
suffocation from overloading at any
time of the year, than the freight
car.
.A live stock contract is necessary.
This the agent of the railroad at your
loading station must issue before the
.11
Z-4t V:y u::?p2- Of -vv., y it-" V.xl..x . 1 il .. '.'i v
I. V y tf.i -V ;.. ;v i"-v i
Grade Hereford Raised ia Sand Hills, Fed in Northeastern Nebraska
Same Man, Took First Prize for Fat
Map ShozOing Railroads
car is moved. You can have this live
"stock contract made out to yourself,
! to the Stock Yards Company at your
i point of destination, or to your com-
when return transportation is alio w -
ed. by the railroad.
i-i.....,!.,.........
There is no law or rule-agalnRt be-
ing your own salesman when you ar-jbe held by the stock yards company ,
rive at the stock yards, but it is not' until such time as you sell it or order,
at all advisable. It is not the busi-
nesa of a stock yards company to fur
nish men to handle your stock fur
ther than receiving it at the unload-
ing chutes, delivering it to pens and
waiting for you to Identify yourself
as the owner and shipper, and turn-
in? it over tn vnn nr vnur rnm mi li
slon man. To be your own sales-
man means that you must hunt your
own buyers, sort your own stock if
it needs sorting, do your own driving
freight; aud ot -the stock yards coni -
puny tor yarnaRe, leeu cnarges, eic..
snouia you eieci p consign biock io Let him handle your stock from time
yourself the. stock yards company ,'of arrival In the yards until it goes
will take charge of your shipment over the scales and out of your own-
upon its arrival at the unloading jership. The commission man knows
docks, yard It. and when you have, the market, knows how to get the
identified yourself and your owner- fill, he knows how tn nrt vnur t,wir
ship of the stock it will be turned ov-
er to your possession. But.' it should
not be forgotten that a stock yards
company is not in the business of
buying and selling stock or handling
it on commission. The business of
stock. The revenues of a stock
yards company are derived principal-
ly from yardage and feed charges,
ana not iroia commissions tor me
ORIGINATED IN SAND HILL COUNTRY
Centering in Sioux City
sale of live stock.: In the matter of
feed charges, as well as yardage, the
several stock yards companies have
fixed rates for hay and grain aud
thesej-ates contemplate a fair mar
gin over first cost and Including an
efficient force of "men for the expe
ditious delivery of feed to stock in
pens after it has been ordered by
'yourself or your commission man. In
icase you consign direct to a stock
yards company and are not nreaent
I to direct disposal of your stock, it is
regarded as "unconslaned." and will
it turned over to a commission house,
It is not satisfactory or advisable to
shin stock "unconsiened and mav
be attributed as one of the results of
a misunderstanding of the functions
Of a stock yards company. There is
practically no danger of your stock
getting lost by sending It "uncon
signed!, or to the stock yards com-
pany, but it is a source of delay and
inconvenience In the final disposition
'of your stock. And it is all right,
Yect - . vommisslon'tnan Immediately
upen your arrival at the StOCk yards,
so as to best fit the demands of the
market, he has the help and knows
how to handle , stock from pen to
scales, including feeding and water-
inn at the rlaht time. It la nreferu.
ble to select your commission man
violating the rules of the exchanee to
which he belongs and is liable to ex-
pulsion from the exchange. These
commission cnarges are not unreas
(1'ouflcny of Sioux C'ity Live Stock Record)
and Marketed in Sioux City. A Draft from This Herd, Fed by the
Carload in Interstate Fair Last Fall
onable and are based upon rendering
the shipper good and efficient serv
ices In the matter of selling stock,
collecting and remitting proceeds
from your sale. Let the commission
man be your adviser in the matter
of handling the proceeds from sale
of your stock until it Is safely In your
home bank or delivered to such des
tination as your obligations may sug
gest. Many a shipper has come to
grief by refusing the advice of the
commission man and Insisting that
he be paid the currency for his stock,
instead of having remittance made
to his home bank. If you have-some
'hopping to do and need a little cur
rency for use while In your market
city, me commission nouse wui ai
wy be glad to accommodate you,
but aside from your immediate needs
the advice from the commission
house desk will always be that you
take a draft, or have a draft sent to
your account at your home bank.
Government IiuqMM'tJon
The matter of government Inspee
tion of stock in stock yards is one
upon which you should inform your
self. Inspection Is not a persecution
u the' farmer or stock shipper There
lwo "uji" lue nnfrniimii in
luo eBiaDiiBmng oi inspection at biocb
yrds and ln packing houses. The
one tne safeguarding of human
health: the other, prevention of the
Prad of contagious disease among
live stock of the country. To this
en an Inspection bureau is main-
tained at all stock yards of the coun-
try and a corps of veterinary Inspect-
or" kpeP" V,8U oyr arrivals of stock.
Unloading docks, pens and alleys are
Patrolled by these inspectors and an-
rnment until siaugnierea ana given
a PBt mortem examination. . If, on
' ' ' n
(Concluded on page 8)
GROWTH OF A
GREAT MARKET
Interest Ing Information Concerning
One of (he tlreat Live Stock
Markets f the Country
It is very evident that the live
stock market, like any other hiarket,
must depend principally on the kind
of country that-surrounds it; but
there are some other things that
have a great bearing upon the devel
opment of any market. -
The first essential of a successful
live stock market is the facility with
which sellers and buyers are brought
together. In this the Sioux City live
stock market is especially favored,
and to one who understands the sit
uation, the rapid Increase in the vol
ume of business at this market Is not
surprising.
In the first place, Sioux City is ad
mirably located as a 'market for cat
tle and bogs. Situated ln one of the
best parts of the great corn belt, and
within easy reach of the great ranch '
country, lying immediately west and
northwest, it is the center of a com
bination of conditions exceptionally
favorable to a desirable competition
in marketing cattle.
Sioux City has splendid railroad
facilities? The Burlington, the
Northwestern and the Union Pacific,
which cover the ranch country of
western Nebraska, all . reach tbla
market, -and make special efforts to
accommodate shippers mho wish to
send their live stock here. .'
Another thing that ought not to be
overlooked is the large number of
feeders who come to Sioux City from
eastern Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois
or ranch cattle to put In their feed
yards. Indications are at this writ
ing that during the next few months
more feeder buyers will visit Sioux
City than ever before In the same
length of time. ' ,
Home Pacta About Sioux City
In 1868 the first railroad reached
Sioux City, which was recognized as
the gateway to the rapidly develop
ing sections of Nebraska and South
Dakota, the steamboat, the stage and
the freighter's wagon being the
means of commerce and communica
tion. For several years immediately
following the discovery of gold in
the Black Hills, in 1876. Sioux City
was the one base of supplies for thatr
new Eldorado. ? K
--In l6i Sioux. lfy had a popula-.
tiort of 1.030; In 187S. 4.20: in
1880, 7.366; in 1885,1,060; In
1900, 33,111; ln 1910. 47.828; ln
1915 (official), 61,787.
In 1884 the Union Stock Yards
Company was 'organized, and 1887 -marked
the advent of the first pack
ing house. The Sioux City Stock
Yards Company now owns one of the
largest and most ocmplete plants ln
the country, and Sioux City stands
fifth among the live stock markets of
the United States, with constant de
velopment in every branch of that in
dustry, live stock being received
from Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota,
North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana,
Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missou
ri, Texas and Mew Mexico.
From the standpoint of receipts of
cattle, hogs, sheep, horses and mules, 1
Sioux City is the fifth live, stock mar
ket In the United States, and ranks
ninth as a packing center. The esti
mated value of live stock received at
the Sioux City stock-yards In 1914
was over $60,000,000. the major
portion of which was purchased by
the six local packing houses.
The Sioux City market receives
daily shipments from Iowa, Minneso
ta, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota
and North Dakota; and Is not only
growing in importance, but is com
ing to. be recognized for the quality
of its offerings, corn and alfalfa-fed
cattle, hogs and sheep,- bringing top
prices, ..
Sixty million dollars annually Is a
tidy sum to be paid out to the farm
ers of ene agricultural section;
Sioux City also profiting by a pack
ing bouse and stock yards payroll of
approximately 13,000,000 annually.
About 110,000,000 of capital Is em
ployed in the business, and an aver
age of f 170,000 a day is paid out by
the commission firms.
Itemarkable Circmth of Huinw
- We are indebted to A. B. Smeby,
the able reporter for the Sioux City
Dally Live Stock Record, for the fol
lowing splendid statement of the in
crease in business at the Sioux City
market:
For the period since January 1 this
year, the Sioux City market has made
a better showing than during any
other corresponding period in the
history of the stock yards. An in
crease of 28 per cent in cattle, 50
per cent in bogs, 125 per cent in
horses and 40 per rent tn cars, and a
decrease of 32 per cent ln sheep com
pared with last year; that tells brief
ly the atory of the Sioux City market
since the first of the year.
For the first six months of, 'this
year something like $35,000,000
worth ef live stock was handled dur
ing the entire year. The comparison
hows the growth of the market and
it has been a healthy and substantial
growth. Since the first of the year
it has been a steady pace of progress
and advancement for the market and
the record made has been far better
than made by any of the other pri
mary markets of the country. Early -in
the year Sioux City went into fifth
place among the six leading primary
live stock centers, and this market is
(Concluded on page 8)