Morris tribune., 1891-06-17

ShlEplhS Oh Nasat and ScrseninSS-A
Great Deal of Hearsay Pat in as Evil
dence.
ST. PAUL, June 10.-H. @. Stordock,
ex-wardcn of the state penitentiary,
now a wheat buyer at Rothsay, was the
first witness called by the committee
and Interviewed on the question of
dochagc aad shipments from the country
elevators.
lie sail he had shipped some 5000
lG.@3s-:S IL DGlpth in 1889 and had suf-
feTed Il loss Of ) cents per bushel by rea-
Soil u the wheat being graded down.
He hasi also shipped to Minneapolis,
wntIu lie a,.3 obtained better grade
but had Oeen Gocs<ed more. He was
Eu4e CAe dGck&@e 1T Minneapolis was
frijy &uuo,e what it should have been.
Ii $50 he shipped to Minneapolis and
loot is grade on two-thirds of the
wheat shipped without cleaning.
com !aine<; 10 Weighmaster Reece at
Minneapolis and he made special ex-
animation Of some OF my cars. Since
then l have had better weights.
i wish 10 state. without placing any
blame un TIE inspection department,
that it seemed to NE they gave the ben
cit of the doubt to the shippers on line
wheat, but during the last season,
think they gave the benefit of the doubt
to the terminal fellows.
Fixed His Own Standard.
The witness admitted in this connec-
tion that he fixed his own standard on
line wheat, and that it was by this
standard he judged the department, and
he would not say positively that the de-
partment gave the terminal men the
advantage.
How much commission do you re-
ceive for buying wheat?" asked the in
spector.
Does that concern this committee?
Well. l get cents per bushel, and hire
my own help. All | get is the ware
house and the money with which to buy
the wheat.
"Now, don't you collect 1-2 cents
from the farmer on every bushel of
wheat you buy"
After some hesitation the witness ad.
mitted that they did.
Looking Out for Stordock.
Now, why haven t You reported these
abuses, while you were complaining so
loudly of the inspection department."
1T was matter of business with
me-"
Then you were not doing this out of
love for the public. It was merely
personal natter
We'll, I think as much of the public
as some other peonle. However, am
workin&a now for II. G. Stort7ock. T.
worked for the state of Minnesota and
the politicians for good many years,
[ found | couldn't fill the bill. Now, 1
an not here to complain against my
employers; that is not what they en-
ploy me for.
Alr. StordCck emphatically refused to
answer the question as to whether or
rct lie considered this margin exorbi-
tant when the question was put to him
directly. He thought the companies
should charge some margin to pay the
expense of handling,
A lively discussion then ensued as to
whether the investigation should be ex-
tended to the country elevators Mr..
Clausen wanted it extended there to
find out where the real fault was, and
to clear the department of charges made
against it. 1t was finally decided to in
yestigate the country elevators.
Regulating the Price of Wheat.
ST. PAUL, June 14.-Mr. Scott was re-
called when the committee reassemb]ed.
After reviewing his testimony he was
asked if lie knew anything in the condi-
tion of the elevators which would de-
ceive tie owners as to dirt. mo,
can't say do, he replied. At one time
the witness said Mr.. Ruply said the
dockage placed on some wheat by Mr.,
Higgins, his assistant, was not sufis
cient, but second test sustained thelE
Judgment. Gen. Barrett asked the wit
ness if he ever knew of change in the
price Of wheat to be ordered. He said
that on June 2, 1889 F. II. Irons Or
dered an advance of cents per bushel
on some wheat, and the next day a re.
duction of cents per bushel on certain
GRADES Each member Of the combine
was assessed to pay Irons $4,000 salary.
There was a committee who fixed the
prices ordinarily, but in their absence
Irons had authority to fix the prices
arbitrarily. The only member of this
committee he knew was Mr.. Cham
bers.
Charles Canning followed Mr.. Scott
to the stand for continuance of his
examination.
"Did you never attempt to ascertain
whether you had an soyerage or a
shortage in your elevator" asked Mr.
Childs.
ny elevator man was sick and T did
not last year,
TIE witness said that 1t wAr-,'
surprising II fbs"~ -.u not be
-.,v,v bushels in handling 5000, 900
bushels. He thought dockage of an
ounce to bushel of wheat was too
much. Neither did he think one
fourth an ounce would be right, but he
Thought it could be done in less than an
ounce. Ee would not say that he had
ever docked less than one ounce in buy
ing.
"What DO you think of the effect of
posting 1000 bushels of damaged
wheat would be?" was asked.
"I think it would rather bear the
wheat than bull it" He did not think
1t would have affected the wheat in
Minneapolis if the Duluth wheat had
been posted. but it would have
Paraiyzed the Business
of tie elevator III which the wheat was
stored for time.
Messrs. Clausen and Canning fur
nished entertainment most of the after
noon, beginning with discussion of the
inspection rules and concluding with an
attempt on the part Of Mr.. Clausen to
discover the motive that led MIR. Can
ming to make complaint against the in
speciion department. During the exam
ination Mr. Clausen made statement
about the crop Of 1890. The grain had
green tinge, condition never before
noticed, and supposed to have been
caused by hot winds. Farmers COM
planned against the grade, but when the
wheat went East it was graded still
lower. MI Clausen had Professor
Harper make scientific examination of
the grain, and his letter proved that the
grades made by Mr.. Clausen were too
liberal. He could have answered the
complaints made by farmers by publish
ing the letter, but as it would be de-
fense for the Eastern buyers, who were
obiecting to the grade and thereby in
lure the farmers still further, he on the
advice of Governor Merriam, did not
make the letter public.