Mower County transcript., 1891-06-17
Hov lie pr,ce. of 3 Vhe.t 3, g I. Fired. Z

How the Price of Wheat Is Fixed.
ST. PAUL, June 16. Charles Canning
again took the stand when the wheat
investigation was resumed. inspector
Clausen was after him with several per-
tinent questions, but the general answer
was II don't recollect.
Mr.. Erwin took the witness in hand.
but failed to induce him to remember
anything.
Mr.. Canning corrected his statement
made the previous day that the farmers
were compelled to sell their wheat early
and admitted that they could store it III
any of the elevators Of the country until
ready to sell it. Canning admitted that
the farmers sold their poorest wheat in
the fall, which would naturally tend to
make the proportion OF low grades
greater. And last. but not least. Can
ming admitted that he himself had taken
advantage of the re-inspection rule,
which he was condemning, and had
thought it nothing wrong.
At the afternoon session Deputy In.
spector Hammond. of Duluth, was
placed on the stand. The witness knew
nothing as to the raising of the grade by
Cross, but he said the invariable rule of
the department was to deal literally
with the shipper in grading.
George Tlieston, Of St. Cloud, gave
some interesting testimony on the way
the line elevators regulated the price Of
wheat in the country. He understood
these representatives held meetings oc-
casionally and arranged matters, but
did not think there was a combination
to regulate arbitrarily the price of grain.
He understood that if at certain
seasons some Of these elevators closed
that they share the profits Of those run
ming.
Assistant Attorney General Childs
questioned the gentleman from ST..
Cloud as to whether he knew that
Frank Irons. Of Minneapolis, furnished
price lists to all the lawyers Of the
Northwest.
Mr.. Tileston had understood that he
did. The witness acknowledged that
it would appear that the elevator COM
pany had been governed by the same
list.
Told What He Had Heard.
ST. PAUL, June 16.-Mr. J. w. Pres
ton, formerly deputy grain inspector
at Duluth from 1885 to 1889, was the
first witness before the legislative in
vestigation committee. He had no
knowledge Of any grain being shipped
out without inspection, but had heard it
mentioned that such was the case. He
went on to tell what he had heard from
"some Of the other boys"
Mr.. Preston attended to the out ship
ments, but he never knew of kerna]
being sent out without inspection. He
did not think that dirty wheat could be
transmitted from the bins into boat
without the inspector knowing Of it, but
before it would be possible to make the
! discovery considera BILE amount of dirty
wheat might be emptled into the boat
However, it was not the intention OF
| the inspectors to allow off grades OF
| dirty wheat to go out: and the inspec.
| tors. SO far as he knew were vigilant ir
the discharge of their duties.
| No Collusion.
There was no collusion whatsoever sc
far as he knew between the inspectors
and the elevator men, but there was
some trouble experienced in getting
wheat properly cleaned, the elevator
men desiring very naturally to get rid
of the wheat as it was put in the bins
and the inspection served as CHECK
on this kind of business. The wheat
that was shipped out without inspec
ton was, LIE believed, that which wa.
on hand when the state inspection be-
gan. This was in 1885.
Mr.. Preston testified that he knew
nothing about any screenings being
shipped, but neither did he know of any
empty cars being loaded with wheat in
the elevators at night. On cross exam
ination by Erwin, Preston said that i
was the duty Of the state weighman tt
look after the spouts from the bin
when vessel was loaded.