The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-05-01

Meeting of the State Railroad and Ware
house Commission,

On yesterday at II 80 A. NJ, in pursuance Of
notice, the State Railroad and Warehouse Gem
missioners met at the Office of f. +. Bull, Esq,
In this city, where they found dozen or more
Witnesses in waiting.
Present, Messrs. Bogue and Oberly, Gen. Smith
being absent ON account of illness.
Capt Rulison being duly sworn deposed that
he is grain dealer and shipper at Seneca In
arecent conversation at the Office OF the local
agent of the Rock Island railroad there,
between Mr.. Bilharz, himself and Mr.. Nickerson,
the agent, the latter said Mr.. Griswold, another
grain buyer at the place, had applied to the agent
for rates on corn, but that the agent thought
that GriswoId was trying TO catch somebody, he
guessed other folks were as smart as Girls wold
Witness asked the agent for the lowest rates ON
his road for corn TO Chicago, and was told they
were III cents and fracti0n-think mills-per
100 lbs. The distance is II miles. | asked him
II this was the regular rate and he said yes. |
asked if any drawback or cheaper terms could be
had. lie said he didn't know of any. | asked
him il he could get any. He promised to write
to head quarters and let me know the result, but
have never heard from him since. | also asked
for rates on seed and he pointed to the card and
replied IL cents per 100 lbs | told him from Of
tawa the rate was only cents and that would
ship on his road Oh those figures. He said he
would write, but as | have had no answer from
him, do my business 10y the canal.
The rates 10y canal are - t02l4 cents per bush
el OF SO lbs. GriswOld asked the agent Of the
railroad for rates to Chicago, and was told they
were 10 cents and mills per 100 lbs BilharZ,
who buys there and ships by the railroad, sends
his grain to a man named Noble Jones, at Mo
kena. He said to me, or | heard, that he got a
rebate OF ) to 4 cents per 100 lbs. on a rate Of
cents charged him to Chicago He bills his grain
TO Jones at Mokena. He didn't claim that he
got this rebate from the railroad, but it was al
lowed him on his net receipts for sales by Jones.
Understand IL comes from some eastern railroad.
The road charges him } cents to MOkena and he
gets back from to t cents in some way. Heard
BiihalE say the eastern roads made up the differ
cnCc 10 him, depending upon whether rates
high or low in that direction. Never heard him
cay the railroad paid it. OF the grain shipped
from Seneca, thrCc-fOurths gOcs by the canal, all
would but for this draw back.
The farmers prefer to ship by the canal. Some
of them say they would not sell to the railroad at
a cent Il bushel higher, as they fear the canal
will be closed by the railroads and they want to
stand 10y the canal. He understood that grain
shipped on the railroad goes to man named
Noble Jones, at Mokena, and the freight to that
place is ) cents per 100 lbs, on which draw
back Of three or -four cents is allowed the ship
per. Heard BilharZ say some one got it, but he
did not say the railroad paid it. This grain does
not 20 into Chicago; it is Inspected near the city
at the junction and goes thence east by cars. Do
not know how Jones can afford to pay so much
tage in rates somewhere. Have heard Bilharz
say the eastern roads pay it,
Hugh Muraud sworn. Live in Manlus. Some
time ago shipped some household goods from
Hastings, Neb, to Portsmouth; also other stuff
from JuuiJta, and prepaid both lots to the Mis-
souri river; but afterwards had to pay full price
here, double charge by the c. B.. 40. railroad
OF $3.50. The convention promised to look it up
for him
H. s. Gilbert, Of Ottawa and Utica, sworn.
al -lippprs "a n nrp ppt ri4ba
from the railroad &C., x. [. ~ p one is A. T.
Griffin. He gets i cents drawback on cents of
freight to Mokcna, or wherever he ships to-
This road charge from Utica to Chicago cents
per 100 lbs; at least offered to carry grain for me
at that price year ago, distance of ~ miles
The price is the same from Peru, La Sale, Du
Puc and Henry. ! suppose the railroad shippers
bill their grain to Mokena. The rebate is said to
be made up by the road east,-thc Michigan
Southern. ship by canal at ~ mills per Sc
lbs, aud get no rebate.
VIM. c. Eusly of Henry was next sworn. He
Of his own knowledge knew Of bargcs at Henry
getting rebates; man named Carol, the rail-
road gent Of the {. r. /. * L. there had obtain
ed rebates direct from the railroad company
Had seen the vouchers, and had personal ac-
quaintancc with the facts lie knew Of car loads
of hogs being shipped from Henry at 500, and
from Peoria at 10 and exhibited a railroad re-
cclpt To verify the fact. lie also gave names of
number of other dealers who had enjoyed re-
bate advantages Live stock from Henry was
$50 per ear, rebate 50.
John ;. Armstrong Of Sheridan testified that
he tried to gGta bate on the shipment Of cattle,
but could not; but Arson Miller Induced him to
ship IN has Nnlcr'sl name, who received IS per
car on Shipping 800 cars. Having made that
number Miller received -, 100 from the c. b, Il
@ L. Il. He understood that Biddulph Of Mil
liugtuu and another shipper at Milford had simi-
lar rebate privileges; sam nCgen Of Ottawa had
also boosted that no ore in the county could beat
him uu rebates. IL i understood the c. h. & q.
extend The rebate system from Strcator to Oswe-
60.
Sam Ho,derman of Morris swore to 81 rebate
per car Of cattle received by him on loo or more
cars paid Iy {. i. l. * T. branch. This contract
has run for three yeas years or more.
c. NJ Carpenter, OF the same city, had received
S. per ear upon the Pekin IL Southwestern road,
but none from the C., +. l. Il p.
NJ J. Hogan, who buys grain at Marseilles,
was as innocent as possible on drawbacks. He