438 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



investigations in Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Buffalo, New York, Phil- 

 adelphia, and Lancaster, Pa. The latter, Lancaster, is considered 

 the greatest live stock producing county in the United States. I 

 don't knowr that that is true. They have a market which is owned 

 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and leased to individuals. They 

 have built up a stock yards business that amounts to over 7,000 

 cafs per year. It is all due to the rate-making of the Pennsylvania 

 Railroad. Live stock is permitted to move from Chicago or west 

 of the Mississippi river, billed to Lancaster, and Lancaster is in 

 the big rate-making territory, possibly 150 miles square. Live 

 stock can move within any of that territory by paying a $2 re- 

 consigning charge. At the rate originally made from the point 

 of origin to Lancaster it is bought by speculators and packers and 

 feeders and shipped to Philadelphia, plus the $2 reconsigning 

 charge, and to New York City, about 150 miles away, for only 

 about 2 cents greater than the Lancaster rate. It may go in any 

 direction at the Lancaster rate. However, when it is fed, it goes 

 on to its final destination, whatever that may be, at the local rate. 



In 1917, there were over 30,000 cattle fed in that one county. 

 The average number of cattle fed by each farmer was estimated at 

 eight head. The production from the county which the farmers 

 realized from sale was over $30,000,000. The commission charged 

 the shipper, either buying or selling, it $1.25 per head, with a 

 minimum of $30 per car on cattle. I might say that in the Balti- 

 more market the commission charges are based on the percentage, 

 and run about $31 per car, and the highest, on double-deck hogs, 

 runs $74 per car. I am sure some of this is information to you, 

 because I didn't know it until recently, and I have spent a great 

 deal of my time in the east, trying to get business over the rail- 

 road I represented from Chicago and Kansas City and the western 

 markets. 



I feel that you gentlemen should know another thing. The 

 railroads of New York absorb, make an allowance of, 3.5 cents, 

 which is included as unloading and yardage and lighterage charge. 

 All live stock arriving, with little exception, has to be lightered. 

 On sheep the railroads allow 8 cents per head, to include the same 

 service. On calves an allowance of 10 cents per head is made. 

 You can see that the railroads are very generous to the eastern 

 markets as against the western markets. However, these charges 

 I refer to only apply to Lancaster, Baltimore, Philadelphia and 

 New York. All the commission charges will net to the conimis- 



