The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-10-25
The Alliance Elevator Co.

The Editor asked Mr.. Loucks,
President of the Dakota Alliance, and
also President of the Alliance Eleva-
tor Company, to have him give us a
letter on the work and history of the
great elevator organization which is
developing under his care. He re-
piled that he was going into Dakota
Immediately, and was afraid that he
would not get time just now; but in
the near future ewould do anything
he could for us. He handed us a cir
cular, however, from which we obtain
many facts:
''Ours is the only cooperative eleva-
tor company that we know of, with
an office in Minneapolis and Duluth.
1t was organized in April, 1888, as
the Scandinavian Elevator Co., with
the expectation of securing the CO.
operation of the British millers. In
this we failed it is not necessary at
present to state why. By request of
the National Farmers Alliance, who
cordially endorsed our plan. we have
changed our name to the Alliance
Elevator Company. Our object re-
mains the same, viz: To build up a
cooperative company that will
handle our wheat until it reaches the
millers who grindit, keeping our best
wheats in their purity while in transit,
thus re-establishing the reputation of
our famous hard wheat in the mar
kets of the world To do this fully we
must have elevators of our own at
terminal points, which we hope for in
the near future. We are frequently
asked what advantages we can give
over other houses, on consignments.
Having to sell in competition with
them, we cannot promise any better.
We think we are safe in saying that
we are the only firm or company that
sOlicits the farmers trade, the only
one that gives it special attention.
Those handling for elevator compan-
les do not like to interfere with the
trade of their customers. If they did.
they would lose their trade We will
take just as much pains to give sat-
isfaction and information to the
farmer shipping one car OF grain, as
we would to an elevator company.
This being our special trade, we think
we should have the preference We
will be glad to send any farmer our
market reports on application. By
giving us the preference, it will enable
us the sooner to carry out our plans.
II you have two qualities of wheat
you wish to ship in same car, either
separate by a board partition or
mix them together thoroughly, as
the whole car will be graded by the
poorest sample, if undivided. If there
is poor load anywhere the Inspect
ors are almost sure to find it, and
will grade the whole car by the poor
est sample. Be careful on this point.
On the Manitoba, Milwaukee. n. p,
OrSt. Louis roads, do not load less
than 10000 lbs. in the car, and on
the Omaha or Northwestern, not less
than "A 900 lbs, as freight will be
charged on that amount anyway,
and do not put more in the car than
the weight stencilled on it as it's ca
.<pstcity; as all over that weight will
be charged double freight by the rail
road companies. The usual expenses
in shipping either to Minneapolis or
Duluth, besides the reight, amount
to from TX to IL cents per bushel
Should you wish advances when you
ship, you can draw on us for 80 per
cent of the value of the wheat, by at
taching bill of lading to the draft, or
if your banker does not care to cash,
or wants to charge too much, enclose
your bill of lading to us, with re-
quest for advance, and we will make
same by return mail. The balance
will be RENTED as soon as weights
are received. Make the drafts on us
at the point to which you ship-Min-
neapolis Or Duluth. Should you wish
to hold the wheat and secure advances
on same, ship to us, and we will adj
vaaee if required, 80 per cent at 8 per
cent per annum.
We clip the following valuable arti-
Gle from the National Economist"
of last Sept:
In what year within the past ten
or fifteen was the largest crop pro-
duced, and what was the market
price OF wheat, corn, cotton, and to-
bacco?
The largest crop of wheat between
the years 1862 and 1888, inclusive,
was produced in 1884, when the to-
tai aggregate was SIP, 765, 900
bushels. The average value was IS
cents per bushel, and the average
yield per acre ID bushels. The ag-
gregate acreage was 39,475,SS5
acre. The smallest crop was in 1862;
total acreage, 11,115,S3O acres
average price per bushel, 1872 cents;
average yield per acre, 1853 bushels.
The highest price reached was in