The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-10-09
TRANSIT RATES.
The Railroad Commissioners Against
Transit Rates-Their Report.

The Railroad Commissioners Against
Transit Rates-Their Report.
The Minnesota board OF railroad com.
missioners have made public their report
in the matter OF transit rates-a subject
which has been very widely discussed, and
in which buyers, sellers and shippers
are deeply interested. The proceedings
taken are based upon complaints
filed with the commissioners by citi.
gems Of Carver, Mcleod, Renville, Chip
pewa, Swift and Big Stone counties.
Mimi, against the Chicago, Milwaukee
Il St. Paul railroad. These counties are
dependent upon the Milwaukee road for the
necessary transportation to gettheir grain
into market, and they claim that the sys.
TEN ofpresent transit rates is a burden up
on them which should not be tolerated by
the state. The commissioners take position
against the transit rate system-as at pres
ent enforced-and declare that the shipper
must be given the option ofhaving his grain
carried TO Minneapolis at a reasonable
freight charge, or OF awaiting himse of the
privilege OF the transit rate through to Chica-
60 or the East. The commissioners do not
abolish the transit rate at all. 1.-THE shipper
and the railroad company agree upon terms
the transit rate system can be carried out,as
isnow being done. The effect OF the order OF
the commissioners is that the Milwaukee
and other roads, having Chicago or Eastern
terminal facilities, Canno force the shipper
to pay freight charges to Chicago, but al
lows him the privilege to pay only for car
riage to Minneapolis. The railroads affect
ed are thus compelled to give a reasonable
local rate on grain, which is not done under
the present order OF things. The only
roads affected by the commissioners order
are the Milwaukee and ST. Paul, Minneapo.
lis & st. Louis, Omaha and Duluth roads.
Gen. Becker is Of the opinion that the
farmers along the lines of roads tributary
to st. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth will be
benefited by the decision OF the commits
sioners. For some time past the people
have been demanding an abolition OF the
transit. They desire to ship wheat at
reasonable rates to terminal points with
out being compelled to bill the same
t%hroughto Chicago. The only way in which
the railroad companies can evade the
ments through TO Chicago, after the
grain has been sold at Minneapolis
or st. Paul, will be by competition. This
will, OF course, be beneficial to the shipper,
by giving him a lower freight rate to that
point. In his opinion the decision, il COM
piled with, will be of benefit to st. Paul,
Minneapolis and Duluth. Grain which here
toIoFe could not reach Duluth Will do so
now. The claim set up by the railroads that
the transit system has done much &c build
up the milling system appears to be indis-
putable; but, on the other hand, the farmer
has suffered. The shippers have been
obliged to protect themselves from an
accumulation OF rebate ireights, and the
only way in which this could be done was
to reduce the price OF wheat. The railroads
may refuse to comply with the decision Of
the commissioners, out in that case the
law will be appealed to. If that is not
strong enough the legislature, at it's next
session, will be called upon to exact a law
sufficient to meet the emergency. The COM
missioners, in considering the matter, had
in mind the relief OF the farmers from the
burdens that had been imposed upon them
by the railroads. They had made an effort
to secure free trade in grain, which they
hoped would be successful.