Kankakee Valley Post, Volume 18, Number 32, DeMotte, Jasper County, 9 July 1948 — Wheat Harvest Is Under Way In Brawny West [ARTICLE]

Wheat Harvest Is Under Way In Brawny West

Grain Is Being Stored On Ground Due To Shortage of F re i g ht Gars Chicago, July B,—The Plains states bulged with harvested wheat today and some of it spilled over on the ground for lack of storage space. Elevators were reported crammed to the seams with the golden grain in the big producing states of Kansas and Nebraska. In Colorado the second largest wheat crop in history was at its harvest peak. Officials believed enough storage space would be found but said that some grain might have to be ground-stored. Railroads said the annual drive for more box cars was on, and meanwhile farmers in many sections were forced to “store” their grain on the ground. Normal Course Normally some wheat must remain on the ground every year before movement at harvest time. There is little loss unless box cars remain short. The Union Pacific and Burlington railroads in Nebraska described the box car situtiaon var-

iously as “tight,” “very tight,” and “terrible.” Crop experts said the rush of grain resulted from the fact that the great harvesting combines this year began operating almost simultaneously in the big wheat states. Normally the Kansas crop is well ahead of the others but it was delayed this year by late rains. Elevators Full Officials in Kansas, the largest wheat-producing state, said that virtually all evelators were full and that “considerable amounts” of wheat were being groundstored. They said the Kansas harvest was at its peak.