, 1877-09-16
And that It Does Ship Grain Here in
Bulk Under Certain Cir
cumstances.
But Interviews in Chicago Some
what Change the State
OF Affairs.
Allegations that the st. Panl Road Is
Trying to Force Trade to
Milwaukee.
And that if It Chose It Gould Build and
Run an Elevator Here.

Chicago grain receivers and shippers, ant
others interested In the craiu trade. have for
considerable. time past complained srcatl,
about certain Determinations against this cit,
! which they alleged were being made by tn.
Chicago, Milwaukee, d. St. Paul Railroad. s.
lar was the matter carried that last Monda,
evening AID. Cary offered in the City Council
resolution. which was referred to the Commit
tee on Judiciary, directing an investigation.
While the Council is, perhaps, hardly tht
proper body to investigate the subject, since Il
is beyond its power to remedy any of thu
wrongs complained Of, yet the fact remains thai
the people Of this city have, or believe the,
have, just ground Of complaint against the
milwaukee, s. ST. Paul Railroad. 1t is charged
and for that matter not denied that the said
railroad will not accept consignments Of grain
for Chicago, otherwise than in bags. Wheat
ind other grain for Milwaukee can be shipped
in bulk, aud this is
THE FOREMOST ITEM OF COMPLAINT.
There is an incidental allegation that diff
feIenecs in rates between the two receiving
points are made, but SO lar Us shown there is no
solid ground for complaint In that regard, tho
only discrepancies being where shipments arc
made from prints in Wisconsin, in immediate
contiguity to Milwaukee, and at considerable
distance from Chicago.
In order to elicit the facts in regard to this
question, one which is Of vital interest
to the grain trade of this city,
and which strikes directly at tho root
Of Chicago's commercial prosperity,
reporter of THE TRIBUNE was deputcd to as
certain from the representatives at the railroad.
and from grain shippers and receivers in MIL
waul1ce and Chicago, what OF truth or false
hood there might be in the allegations made.
So wide difference was found in the state
mcnts Of The various persons interested, ana SO
great was the conflict between them, that no
attempt is made to decide US to the merits
OF The case,-thc expression Of opinion in every
instance being given without comment. The
reader must judge for himself as to where the
blame attaches.
MR. ROBERT ELIOT,
OF the firm OF Robert Eliot & Co., the founder
OF TIC Milwaukee graiu trade and the largest re-
ccyrr OF grain in that city to-day, was the first
person attacked. Mr.. Eliot spoke out very
freely and without reserve So far as he knew
no such thing as discrimination existed Hold-
crs Of grain could ship from any point either to
Milwaukee, OF Chicago, as they might elect
They were allowed To u hunt q market" It
made no difference, so far as Mr.. Eliot was
aware, whether the shipments we're made from
or otherwise. The Milwaukee & St. Pau.
Railroad shipped from all points in the West 70
Milwaukee or Chicago indiiTcrcnt1y a, the same
rates. lie had received that morning all ac-
count oi sales from Chicago house If q car of
wheat shipped in bulk from, Milwaukee to
Chicago, on which no extra charge was made.
Last spring and summer when there was bet
ter market lor cash wheat Go. q in Chicago
than in Milwaukee, the firm Of Eliot IL Co.
Skinned largcly to this CITY, and met with no
difficulty on the part of the road. They
would order by telegraph that certain cars
should bc forwarded to Chicago instead Of Mil
Yankee. aud in every INSTANCE the order was
romnljcd with, and without any extra charge
whatever, All this referred, Of course, to grain
IN }u,]l. md t,he sneaker was at loss to know
how the story had arisen. He had noticed in
TuE Cu1CAGo TRIBUNE that a set OF fools in
he ctr Council had brought un The mattcr,
tut ta;lr1 10 scc what Jurisdiction they had
!, ~. nrcmises. even if the grosseet
,husea nreynitrd. In Illinois it was
, n,stter for regulation by the State, and even
bat .. ,owar hal NJ Jurisdiction outsidc of the
sta.a f9i,ni,s The whole warn lad been consid-
,soJ =, aJ;iwauEee as heinz too rfliruious to
.te,,;ra cn,,t raJ;cf;on hv thc rrain men. and
~, had 1nmcocd over it and dismissed it from
-, W. .n;,Is rhis sort oT thing was cternal]y
.re''r;nr un. onc BOARD OF Trade being always
aoin,'. - ano1hcr. and was not even deserving
= nass snr noricc. Surprising that shipments
- - 1,h;camn wer.. -reo11ircd to be made in bags,
- : w.,n1i not be a matter Of any importance.