St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-19
CAN'T PICK POCKETS.
The Investigating Committee
Finds Duluth Elevators
in Proper Shape.
Only One Spout Running at a
Time, and That Into the
Vessel.
Witness Apio Says His Testi-
mony Referred to Eleva-
tors in 1886.
Lawyer Leatherman,o of Pierre,
Lawyer Leatherman,o of Pierre,
Sucked Under a Bridge
and Drowned.
Special to the Globe

DULUTH, Minn., May 1S.-The COM
mittee investigating the alleged wheat
steal of Duluth arrived here this morn
Ing and proceeded, at 10 o'clock, to the
scenes where, as Witnesses Ario, Pat
tison and Lynch have testified, the filch-
ing of wheat Is supposed to have been
carried to an alarming extent. No tes-
timony under oath was taken to-day, as
the entire day was spent in ''viewing
the premises" The party consists of
the eight members of the investigating
committee, Chief Inspector Clausen,
Assistant Attorney General Childs, w.
w. Irwin, G. A. Severance, Sergeant-at-
Arms Plowman, of the house of repre-
sentatives, and Grey Richardson, the
page. The entire morning was spent
in examining Elevators E and d, under
the leadership of George Rupley, super
intendent Of the Lake Superior Eleva-
tor company, aud accompanied by G. ii.
Graves, r. S. Munger, George Spencer
and others. AT Elevator E 500 cars
had just arrived from Minneapolis, and
so the committee first witnessed the
gang of men dump grain from the cars
with pulleys and big wooden shovels
tn Ugh a grating at the side of the
track into the pocket below, from which
it was pumped up the elevator shaft to
bins above. They were then led up
more flights of stairs and saw how gIain
is weighed and the many precautions
taken to prevent mistakes. The con-
ditIOn of the grain as it arrives, the
blower for cleaning it, and the screen
ings that are removed were all care
fully examined. From the top of the
vast caverns with capacity for thou
sands of bushels of grain, lantern was
lowered fifty or sixty feet so that
the committee might see the inter
ior. The bottom
Lining of Sheet Iron,
worn bright by the action of grain in
loading vessels, was clearly visible. and
even the aperture fifteen inches or so in
diameter, which is the exit to the boat,
was distinctly seen. At the bottom of
each of these great bins, where pipes
leave the side of the elevator to comet
with the boat, is pocket holding per-
haps carload. Much has been said by
witnesses regarding these pockets, and
so one of them was very carefully scru-
tinized by the committee. 1t could be
reached only by climbing from the
gronnd floor up ladder made of cleats
on big beams. But the members made
the effort with much alacrity, and the
witness who testified at st. Paul rela-
tive to creviceS in the shipping bin was
asked to point out the defect now.
This he was unable to do, SAYING
"My testimony referred to the condition
of elevators in 1886" Here followed
humorous word contest between Sever
ance and Zelch on one side and Ario on
the other. The latter objected to being
accused of testifying at st. Paul that
two spOuts were running all the time
the vessel was being loaded, one into
the vessel and another into the pocket
below. Il never said that" said Ario,
'and you, Mr. Zelch, need not be max
Ing digs at me all the time" After go
ing through Elevator T., the committee
examined Elevator ID in the same man
ner. After dinner the state inspection
office was visited, and the committee
listened to long explanation by Mr..
Clausen of the manner in which grain
is inspected and accounts are kept.
"Ali grain," said he, sis III
spected upon the arrival of
cars. If disputes arise, cars are
set out and the chief deputy inspects
inspection record for the Great North
ern and one for the Northern Pacific
road.
Records of All Coarse Grains
we keep in another book. When fraud is
found in loading car we grade the
whole car rejected. Many shippers are
were inspected at Duluth, and out of
this number 265 leaked, 465 had end
doors open and Q had side doors down
or entirely gone. The chief deputy
visits inspected cars every day, and re-
inspects those where appeal has been
made. There is final appeal from the
chief deputy to the board of railway
and warehouse commissioners, but dur
ing my six years experience in
Office not over twenty cases
have ever been carried up" Questions
were asked Mr.. Clausen in relation to
every conceivable branch of the bust
ness. and the committee were all well
satisfied with the way the day had been
spent. Senator Geissel wants to re-
main here and continue the examina-
tion Of witnesses, but the majority have
decided in favor of returning to st.
Paul, after having we'll acquainted
themselves with the subject matter they
have to deal with. The examining of
the elevator was very thorough, and
everybody showed an earnest desire to
sift the charges of irregularities to the
very bottom. At D. IN. the commit
tee adjourned till O'Clock tomorrow
morning. Attorney Erwin did not ar
rive in the city till p. H., and did not
accompany the committee in its tramp
about the city. The committee appear
to be satisfied that the eveyators are SO
constructed that wheat cteaIinp ic
hardly possible, and pockets under
shipping bins are not used for con-
cealing grain.