The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-06-21
The Farmers and Railroads..

Railroad Commissioners Austin, Becker
and Gibbs and Secretary Warner met a
large number Of representative farmers
and business men at Moorhead, MINI. The
meeting was opened by q long speech by
Gov. Austin, who related the history OF
railroad legislation in the state. and the
difficulties met and the opposition of rail.
road managers to the enforcement OF the
law. He touched upon the Farmers alli-
ance executive committee passing resolu-
tons condemning the commissions when
they were fighting the peoples
battles against the power of monopoly.
He made use OF the word cranks to some
alliance men. etc. He stated he would
soon call a meeting to give all counties in
the state opportunity to be hoard, also
the railroads, on the question of reduction
OF freight rates. He advised farmers to
send down able men to represent them and
unfortunately referred to them as attor.
neys who would have to meet sharp at
torneys OF railroads. Mr.. Probstfeld,
secretary OF the Moorhead Farmers al.
lance, resented some references made
by Gov. Austin in a sharp speech,
referring to a we'll known re.
that hi would shake the railroads
over a certain hot place, and that tho
farmers had been shaken over that place
so long they had no money to hire attor-
neys, but wanted the commissioners to
cope with the railroad attorneys. Messers.
Wilson. Smyth, Canning. Burdick and
Others made speeches. The following reso.
iutions embrace the demands of farmers:
Whereas. We find in the official report
Of the statistician OF tho department. OF
agriculture for April. 1888. hat the rate
for transportation OF wheat and other
grain in car load lots over the Chicago,
Milwaukee & st. Paul railway between
St. Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago, Il dis
lance OF $50 miles, is IL l-2 cents per 100
pounds; assuming this is an equitable and
reasonable rate for transporting
wheat 42O miles, to transport 1t 24O
miles, the distance between Moorhead and
st. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth, TIA
cents per 100 pounds would be an equal
m reasonable rate. But allowing that
on account Of the great competition
among numerous railroads between St.
Paul, Minneapolis and Chicago, and the
larger volume of traffic, by which they can
afford to transport wheat at q lower rate
than between Moorhead and St. Paul,
Minneapolis and Duluth, we will add 40
per cent to this equal rate according to
distance, which will make it q rate of
9.99 cents, or, to avoid fractions, 10
cents per 100 pounds. We deem 40 per
cent n"favor of the roads reaching our
territory, which haul probably more
wheat han any other two roads in the
United States, is sufficient; therefore,
Resolved by the Moorhead alliance, that
the board OF railroad and warehouse com.
missioners of the State of Minnesota be
requested to make and order the rate OF
10 cents per 100 pounds in car load lots
for the transportation of wheat and other
grain from Moorheud, to st. Paul, Mime.
apolis and Duluth, and the same rate on
-four, potatoes, lumber and hay. to take
effect ON or before the 18th day of August,
1888, and just and equal rates from the
intermediate points to the terminal points
above named.
Resolved, That we also request a pro.
p~ortionate reduction according to classiti.
cation on the transportation OF cattle,
hogs, sheep, horses, coal and wood from
the same date as above.