Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-01
"DOCTORING" WHEAT.

H0,r the Business is Conducted in Mtl,ras-
hee-- Making Sour vheat Into Good No.
2--Ihe Corner Buying off the "lNisers'--
Those Who Dtdm't Sell Made Money--The
Big Speculation IN Barley.
Milwaukee Wisconsin, July 29.1
In the course of his morning rambIe, yes
terday, the Bohemian Of the Wisconsin,
met member of one of the six or eight
firms of wheat mixers of this city, and pro-
pounded few queries in reference to the
trade. The gentleman was in excellent
mood for conversation; hence every question
put to him received a prompt and perfectly
truthful answer. latter nearly year of
great dizziness and prostration, July set in
well for u.s. said he, ''and thus far during
the mouth the mixing business has proved
more profitable than at any previous period
sine became connected with it,
"This must of course be attributed to the
| corner!" queried the Bohemian.
yes, to The corner, and the further fact
| that large amount of wheat has reached
the city in bad condition on account of hot
and sultry weather. Much of the wheat
shipped here was found upon its arrival to
be heated and souring. 1t could not be re-
celved into the elevators in that condition,
and consequently had to be side-t tracked and
sold by sample TO the mixers for what it
would bring. Prices have ranged from
60 cents upward to 80 cents per
| bushel, according to the quality and
condition of the grain. OF course the lower
grades of wheat so purchased must, in addi-
ton to being run through tanning mills, re-
ceive fair proportion of good sound wheat
in order to improve the quality and bring
the grade fully up to the No. standard
These low grades have been sold all the way
from 80 to IS cents per bushel. leaving a fair
profit on the additional cost of handling and
doctoring. But there has been more money
III the higher grades that were found to be
heated upon reaching this market. Many
cars of No. grade wheat have reached and
are still reaching Milwaukee daily. which
have become heated and somewhat sour
while in transit, on account of the unusually
hot and murky weather. This wheat has
been sought after by us in preference TO
lower grades. We have paid and are paying
anywhere between 65 and 80 cents per bushei
for it. Upon receiving it at the ,rix;ng
house, we merely run it through the tanning
mills seven or eight times. This improves
its condition so that we can send it to the
elevators, where it passes inspection
readily. And l can see no good
reason why it should not The wheat
was good No. when shipped, and
while in transit was put out of condition fol
storage in the elevators. We give it air and
thorough cleansing, which not only frees
it from all impurities but again renders it
| hard and sweet. Thus the condition of the
grain is absolutely better than when origi-
nally placed on board of the cars at the
point of shipment.
/ Mixers are an absolute necessity i'll every
| community where grain is marketed. The
weeat iii fact goes through mixing process
from the moment it leaves the
hands of the farmers until it is
shipped to the seaboard. Much
of it falls SO little below the No. or No. 2
| grade that the addition of small quantity
OF plump heavy wheat increases the weight
to the necessary standard. If it were not
for the mixers, the wheat sde-tracked be-
cause it falls short of the grade which the
shippers have placed upon it woul1 sell at a
heavier loss to the party forwarding it
than is now the case: while the wheat
refused admission into the elevators on
account of being heated and sour, would
either have to spoil on the side tracks or be
sold for mere song to distillers and those
who may wish to use it for fattening pur-
poses. Thus, you may see, we save much
property from absolute destruction, and
many people from heavy loss, by our airing,
cleaning and mixing process, and at the
same time are enabled to do purely legiti
nlatc as we'll as profitable business
us there really SO much wheat coming
into " arket III a damaged condition as you
representa-" asked the Bohemian.
| eyes, considerable proportion of the
wheat now coming here is in bad shape, and
the side tracks are filled with cars contain
ing it. Our purchases alone yesterday
amounted to forty cars, and we took only
such as can be handled the quickest. and at
the least cost-the object, of course, being to
put as much as possible into the elevators
before the end of the month, when the pres
ent corner will terminate
''Do you have much trouble about inspec-
tion?''
MIR. Hollands inspection is close, as has
always been the case heretofore. Parties in
terested in keeping down the supply have re-
Gently question. ed the fairness of the inspec-
ton to the extent that Mr.. Holland saw fit tc
give his entire attention to the receiving
elevators. Mr.. McGeogh also put an inspec,
tor upon the ground to investigate our wheat
The result has been satisfactory to Mr.. Nc
Geogh, believe, for he is said to have sc
expressed himself, and in addition has with
drawn his inspector"
II presume you work over hours, now that
the opportunity to make little something il
presented?''
''We work our establishment sixteen hours
per day, and portion of each Sunday also
Yesterday we prepared ten thousand bushels
for the elevators. It was big DAYS work
and will net us a profit of $1,000 at least
"Have all the houses been running to theil
full capacity, the same as yours?'
eyes, up to week ago. They all shu
down for one week except one other beside
our own"
"Why did they shut DOWN.
because the parties running the corner
bought them off,"
''Did they receive enough to make it al
object to shut down.
II guess SO. We were approached on the
matter, and received an offer OF $4,000 t.
close the house for one week, but declined
it. The other house that is running also de
! clined liberal offer. So far as we are con-
cerned. / am glad the offer was not accepted
as our profits have been very largely in ex
cess Of the sum that we were to receive
:sDo you anticipate a continuance of the
present good times for mixers!"
/ Eyes. Things are shaping themselves,
think, for another corner in August. Be
sides, the new crop of wheat has suffered
extensive damage, which will throw much of
the yield upon our hands for 'doctoring,' as
the newspapers call it.
'.The wheat you are handling now is ali
of the old crop, presumed
"All old crop. We are not yet receiving
any Of the new CROP
"How about barley? Do you handle as