Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-10-09
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I q - HailroAd Comm Il sioners d Asaini
4 transit Rstos heir Report. 5=8#$


1 The Minnesota board OF railroad com,
.inissi oners have made public their report
w the matter of transit rates "a subbiect
81 y. which, has been very widely discussed, and
q wnIch buyers, sellers and shippers
1are deeply nterested. The proceedings
2 ~. are We based upon complaints
Gems 81 Carver, Mcleod, Renville. 4 Chin
peMa, Swift and Big Stone counties.
MINI against the Chicago, Milwaukee
y -. Paul railroad. These counties are
dependent upon the Milwaukee ro ad for the
necessary transportation to get their Grain
into market, and they claim that the sys
tenn oipre sent transit rates is d burden up-S
on them which should not be tolerated by
tne state. The commissi oners take position
against the transit rate system as at pres
emu entorced--and declare that the shipper
muse pe gwen the option ofhaving his grain
earned to Minneapolis at a reasonable
frelght charge, or OF awaiting himself OF the
privilege OF the transit rate through to Chica-
60 or the East. The commissioners do not
aooHsh the transitrate at all. Ii the shipper
and the railroad company agree upon terms
the transit rate system can be carried out. as
i is now being done. The effect OF the order of
Inc commissioners is that the Milwaukee
ana other roads, having Chicago or Eastern
term1nai facilities, cannot force the shipper
20 pay freight charges to Chicago, but al
lows him the privilege to pay oniy Tor car
rage TO Minneapolis. The railroads affect
ed are thus compelled to give a reasonable
iocal rate on grain, which is not done under
tne present order OF things. The only
ROADS affected by the commissi oners' order
axe the Milwaukee and St, Paul. Minnearo-
lis q st. Louis, Omaha and Duluth roads.
den. Becker is OF the opinion that the
farmers along the lines OF roads. tributary
20 st: Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth will be
benefited by tho decision OF the commits
sloners. 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
through to Chicago. The onlyway in which
the railroad companies can evade the
ruhng, IN order to retain the ship
ments through to Chicago, after. the
grain has been sold at Minneabolis
or St, Paul, will be by competition. This
WILL OF course, be beneficial to the shipper,
by giving him lower freight rate to that
polnt. In his opinion the decision, if COM
pned with, will b.. OF benefit to St. Paul,
Minneapolis and Duluth Grain which here.
1o1ore could not reach Duluth will do so
now: The claim set by the railroa DIS that
tne transit system has done much to 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 freights, 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, but in that case the
law VIII be appealed to. Ii that is not
strong enough the legislature, at it's NEXT
session, will be called upon to exact o. law
sufficient to meet the emergency. The com
mlssioners, in considering the matter, had
III 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