St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-22
Minneapolis Strongly Urged to Contribute
Generously to the Relief of the
Righmore Sufferers.
An Attorney and His Clients Want
Damages From the Milwaukee
for False Arrest.
Inc Anniversary of the West--The
Medical COIIege--Fatal Acct
dent--Minor News.
AS To THE DOCKAGE.
The Chamber of Commerce ans
Railroad C0ENmissi Confer.

members OF the chamber, relative to the
new laws for grain inspection.
Besides the commission, composed of
Gen. j. II. Baker, Geo. l.. Becker and S.
). Murdoch, there were present X. Z. Bur-
dick, chief grain inspector, and about fifty
representatives of the elevators and COM
mission houses of the city. The conference
lasted about an hour, the discussion being
solely concerning the question of dockage.
Gen Baker stated that the commission
was present for the purpose of receiving the
opinions and suggestions of the members of
the chamber of commerce as to what shall
be done. James Marshall of Griffiths. Mar
shall ~ Co. pertinently asked, what is to
be done with the dOckage?"
In reply Nj. Murdoch stated that this
was question which was puZzling the
commission to some extent, and which
he hoped would be definitely settled by the
conference. In fixing the grades and sys-
TEN of wheat inspection, the old syS-
TEN of dOckage had been done away with,
after consultation with the farmers of
various sections and the elevator men at
Minneapolis and Duluth. 1t was conSid
cred feasible that in each public warehouse
an inspector should be placed whose duty
it shall be to attend to the clearing of grain
and note the Shrinkage. The certificate
which he will issue will show that the
grain has been cleaned in a public ware
house, and the actual shrinkage certified to.
IN THE SUPERVISION OF GRAIN
cleaned in elevators, the inspector will act
in conjunction with a man from the ele-
vator. and the two will, by their experience,
soon be able to approximate the average
shrinkage. Where they cannot agree
they can take a bushel, clean it, weigh
fl,n Il nj o1,1 .fa1,, H.
actual Shrinkage If this fails to be
satisfactory the entire lot must be cleaned.
Even where they have ascertained the gen
eral shrinkage they should not permit
shrinl1age of more than one bushel to a car
without an actual test.
Mr.. Marshall thought that the dockage
should be settled on the track, as in Min
neapolis at least two-thirds of the grain goes
direct To the mills instead of to the eleva-
tors. The state should come between the
buyer and the seller and settle the dock
age. If a man is competent to settle grades
OF wheat he can easily settle the doclzage
A. b. Robbins, general manager of the
Northwestern Elevator company, said the
only true way to settle the dockage would
be by actual test, and thought the mills
should put in cleaners.
MIR. Marshall said he had been a member
VI tilC bbdltt vi SuilCINlSlOll slllu Inspection
and weighing for the last three wears. and
that not an appeal had been made on the
question of dockage, which had heretofore
been settled by the inspectors Of wheat. In
reply to Mr.. Robbins suggestion, he said
il would be impossible for sellers receiving
from sixty to seventy carloads of wheat
daily to run around to the different mills.
They would De compelled to have a man at
each mill.
William Petit said the system of dockage
proposed by Mr.. Murdoch would work all
right at st. Paul and Duluth, where the
wheat for the most part goes to the eleva-
tors. Here it is different, and as the most
of the wheat goes to the mills it is essential
that the dOcllage should be settled on the
track. He could not see why man could
not follow The grain inspector and settle the
question of dockage.
MI. Robbins said that where there is no
disagreement nothing is to be settled. A
man from the mills might go with the III
spectOr and test where they disagree.
Commissioner Murdoch explained that
the expectation was that so much
wheat would be cleared at the pub
lie warehouse that they would be able to
average up the amount of dirt to the bushel
of a vast proportion of the wheat going to
the mills. Where the millers were dissatis-
fled they could have an actual test made.
Mr.. Murdocll suggested that the chamber
of commerce and the millerS each select a
man to represent them in the fixing of
dOckage. When a disagreement occurred
with a decision of the inspector an actual
test could be made.
(. ID. Bowen objected to this as costing
too much money.
p. o. Peterson gave it as his opinion that
a man competent to fix grades of wheat was
also competent to fix its dockage.
CATECHTSING THE COMMISSIONERS,
Col. Rogers asked if the cleaning of grain
would be done in all the public warehouses
of Minneapolis, st. Paul and Duluth, and
was answered in the affirmative
\. ID. milford said that a large proper
ton of the wheat from the Manitoba is
transferred from one car to another by the
elevators. VIII the inspectors note the
dockage?
Mr.. Murdoch replied that the inspector
and man from the elevator could agree
upon the dockage.
Mr.. Marshall asked how it would be
where wheat is shipped from the North and
is transferred TO be sent to other cities; will
the inspector issue certificate of inspection?
Mr.. Murdoch answered yes.
Mr.. Marshall asked how dockage would
be fixed when wheat is shipped through to
country mills without passing through the
elevators-when the country miller is not
represented.
TO this Mr.. Murdoch answered that the
commission was not inclined to go back to
the old system of dOckage by guess work.
Wheat can now be cleaned at the public
warehouses and certificates issued where the
parties do not agree.
Mr.. Robbins reiterated his opinion that
the dockage should be fixed on the track.
NJ. w. Yerxa thought every point had
been covered. The great object was to do
away with the dirt; and he thought this
would be accomplished.
Inspector Burdick stated that his Objec-
ton was that more guess work would be
saddled upon the inspector. He thought it
necessary that men should be placed at
each mill 10 make tests and thus do away
with this guess work.
Mr.. Marshall replied the entire system
Of inspection is guess work. He thought a
man who can guess whether so or IS per
cent. of a car load of wheat is fife wheat
will be able to guess at the dOckage.
O. p. Carter thought guessing and clean
ing amounted to about the same thing.
MI. Murdoch stated that in Chicago the
commission houses have men to follow the
inspector, and thought it could be done in
Minneapolis.
This concluded the conference as far as
the docllage question was concerned. Mr..
Marshall spoke Of the practice of the Mani
toba road in compelling certain wheat to
pass through the elevator, while the grain
OF other parties is delivered where it is
wanted. Gen. Baker answered that there
should be no discrimination. He invited
the committee on transportation at the
c1,r har 10 q