The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-01-01

Average percentage: .:::...:.::..:: So 90
Paid out ii add,ln to operating e.: 59.354, 81
Eota! taxes paid ::..:...:: 2,lG9,5S4
Total freight carried in Mimi itonsj s.S1S
Average amount received per ton. $l94
| Total number OF employees. ........ 585l3
| 70. cars In use. .................... 69,27O
| 10. OF engines. ................,... 227G
Total construction account. ...':.. s2U,U44 az
Acres OF land sold ......,.,.,..... 1853 $40
Amount received from land sales: 1851, sol
Acres sold by all companies ..... 1855 S67
Amount received. .................. $14, 1913 Os7
GAeSaIOI Capacity. 20, 703. 700
ACCIDENT RECORD m MINNESOTA.
sf? Se tsa
r employees kill'd 40 Total No. injured ;. las
Ali Others fiiied:..: 81 ' jured. eu .nu ~ $50
Compared with last year-when the total
number killed was 1855; injured, 2S3; killed
and injured, 421-this is marked and for
tunate Improvement The only increase
over last year is in passengers injured Last
year only twenty travellers were hurt. while
this year thirty three met with accidents, but
we're not fatally hurt This unhappy compar-
1son was occasioned by reason OF cyclone on
the Northwestern July 81, 1884, in which
twenty passengers were injured According
to reports received, the two passengers killed
game to their death as result of their. own
carelessnsss; Paftieular attention is called
to the fact that most accidents occur as re-
suits from the coupling and uncoupling of
freight cars. The commissioner advocates
that the Legislature adopt some law which
will tend to remedy this evil. and makes ref
erence to the law adopted Ivy the State of
Connecticut He thinks, however, that these
accidents will continue until the inventive
mind has finally evolved perfect automatic
| coupler.
FREE SHIPPING OF WHEAT
With more intense feeling than ever before,
the public have continued to protest against
the rule OF the railway companies as to the
fres shipping of grain, which require5 a
80, OOO-bushel elevator as a condi-
rule Of law and by the highest public policy.
1t is just such conduct on the part OF
necessitates legislation 1t is alleged
that farming and shipping interests
are demanding a system of inspection as a
made to this office do not sustain such a
theory, but to the inhibition of free shipping
and free buying. The difficulty in grading
ts but sprout which comes from this root
Of evil The man at the elevator is king.
tenn has banished all the smaller competi-
tors. When the roads declared that
no one should have the privilege
Of shipping but through q 80
600 bushel elevator, they virtually en-
ton and driving out the independent buyer
This is the foundation of the evils COM
planned of to this Office The present svs-
tenn has reduced the number of actual buy
ers who control the market of the state to a
very limited number. and these confer to,
telephone makes their action unit This
syhdicate is practically present at every sta
ton controlling prices and grades The
AlsstasipDl river towns, from Hastings to
and not one complaint has ever come from
= dngle one of those places while they
have paid the highest average price for
grain: Such monopoly as that now pos
sessed by the elevator men exists in no other
business If it be said that the elevators are
open to all who desire to ship grain the an
swer is, first that when their owners are
themselves grain buyers, they are substan-
italy private grain houses; as, for instance,
those of the millers' association. Again, the
outside buyer is refused cars on one pretext
or another until frozen out Our laws should
more specifically declare that eleva-
tors shall be public and prescribe
severe penalties for any EVASION
OF their duties as such. The true reformatory
measure is to throw the whole business open
to free competition, and let it regulate itself
on the basis of free trade. The present system
exposes the roads to the charge of collision
with The elevator meu 1t is again urged
the companies to perform their duties as
common carriers, as has been done in Iowa,
Wisconsin and Illinois In no other state OF
the Union does such an arbitrary rule prevail
az In Minnesota and Dakota
TRANSIT RATES
Transit rates were an ingenious device of
railways to kill local rates. When they got
bushel of grain in their control they must
have it to the last terminal point on their
line 30 as to get all out of it possible Under
this rule it has become impossible to ship
car load Of wheat from any local point to
liz
to Chicago This was overdone, and the &C
cumulations of unearned freight compelled
such shippers to lose money by selling at
discount Transit rates are q usurpation
of power by the roads to enforce
such tr,n. rule 1e. against anttn. the shipper n:
shipper. would be unobjectionable The
present transit rate system Is arbitrary and
onerous to the shipper, and has had the effect
also to reduce the price of grain at local
points. because buyers and sellers would
wish to recoup any losses they might thus
sustain out Of the producer: The roads
should be compelled to give local and reason
able rates in all cases where requested by the
shipper, this would protect the producer and
give the miller the advantage of transit rates
have the railroads attempted to enforce such
arbitrary measures.
GENERAL COMPLAINTS.
There have been more than the usual
number of complaints this year: Business
men feel delicacy about making a public
complaint against railroad company and
so complain to the commissioner. In all
lesser matters the railway arrangements
have always acted in friendly spirit and
promptly adjusted the grievance In the
eran f1 exees shppng of
Etc, only additional legislation viii
secure the public against the roads
The matter Of free shipping Of grain has
been the cause of the most serious COM
plants. The case of J. H. Rhodes of Little
agent cars to ship wheat from his warehouse,
is cited as an example by the commissioner
Definite complaints have been made from
non competing points Of greater rates. pro-
poE;t aon than from competing points on
station at the expense OF another is palpa-
BILE Injustice All people of the state should
share equally in the advantages of railway
carriage In general, the rates on grain are
complained Of as too high And more than
the grain can bear, and the commissioner
agrees with the complainants
GROSS INCOME IN RELATION TO TAXATION.
Tho total gross income of all the M,nnc-
sofa railroads for the year ending June 80,
1888, was $23, sos, O89. 81; for the year
decrease Of 1924, 623 40 This decrease is
in the falling, off OF the receipts of the Mani
toba line. The probable receipts from this
source of taxation. for the coming year, will
probably not exceed that of the past year,
which was $645, 735. 18 The yearly ex-
pense of the state government proper, in
Guiding legislative expenses and interest
upon the funded debt of the old railroad
bonds, is about 1875, 900. The time does
not seem far distant when the state tax levy
will entirely disappear, and the income
from our railways support the state
government The ensuing year viii!
probably not show an increase of
taxes in gross earnings A portion of the
roads have returned their taxes for six
months of 1884, and show q decrease of
earnings But the last half of the year, by
reason of the large grain movement, will
fully compensate for the earlier loss BY
decision Of the supreme court we have this
gear recovered $22, $50 90 in taxes, lately
contested This fact alone would justify
the expense of the railroad commissioners
office. In the suit Of the state against the
Northern Pacific road, over $55, 900 in taxes
were recovered and valuable precedent
established tor future year9