664 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMElSiT OF AGRICULTURE. 



yards and the Pittsburgh stockyards. An inventory and appraisal 

 of the Chicago Union Stockyards is under way. The importance and 

 responsibility of such an appraisal is indicated by the fact that 

 the valuation claimed by the stockyards company is approximately 

 $33,000,000. In addition, an inspection has been made of several 

 yards for the purpose of determining the time necessary for making 

 an appraisal. Herman C. Henrici, of Kansas City, an engineer 

 of high standing and wide experience in construction and valuation 

 work, and A. T. Cushing, formerly of the forces of the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission engaged in railroad valuation work, were 

 employed by this division during the fiscal year to handle its valua- 

 tion problems. 



OTHER ACTIVITIES. 



This division has looked after the filing of all contracts of stock- 

 yard companies, the organization papers of cooperative commission 

 companies, and the rules of livestock exchanges. 



It has been found necessary to correlate and analyze a large amount 

 of data which have come to this division from the division of audits 

 and accounts, from special reports and from investigations and hear- 

 ings conducted at the various markets concerned, in connection with 

 the determination of the commission and stockyard rate cases. No 

 rule of thumb can be applied to such matters. A patient study has 

 been made in each case as it has arisen of all the practical conditions 

 surrounding the application of the rates and charges, the statistical 

 and auditing material, and the legal aspects, together with the prob- 

 able effect of any decision that might be reached not only in the 

 market involved but in other markets if similar questions should 

 arise. 



In this connection, it is pertinent to observe that the jurisdiction 

 and problems of this division are comparable in a substantial way 

 with those under the interstate commerce act, from which much of 

 the packers and stockyards act is drawn in respect to matters of rates 

 and charges. 



TRADE PRACTICES. 



This division handles apparent violations of the packers and stock- 

 3' ards act or the rules and regulations involving the trading conduct 

 or methods of an}^ person subject to the act. Therefore, it has direct 

 contact with practically all phases of the industry. 



Proceeding in accordance with the general policy of the adminis- 

 tration to act informally whenever it is possible to get desired re- 

 sults by doing so, the division of trade practices has handled numer- 

 ous cases in this manner to a satisfactory conclusion without the 

 necessity of resorting to formal proceedings, thus avoiding not only 

 delay and expense but the antagonistic feeling which often results 

 from formal proceedings. The cases of this character that have re- 

 ceived attention cover a wide variety of market practices and are 

 distributed quite extensively throughout the field of marketing activ- 

 ities. In all cases, however, appropriate action is taken as promptly 

 as practicable with the main purpose in view of establishing satisfac- 

 tory trading conditions at all the markets and strict adherence by 

 all persons concerned to an effort to maintain the open-market prin- 

 ciple on a basis of fair dealing and clean competition. 



