Morris tribune., 1891-06-17
How the Price of yhea. Is Fixed.

ST. PAUL, June Is. 6.-Charles Canning
again took the stand when the whea
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 in
any of the elevators of the country until
ready to sellit. 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 Tileston, 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-
caSlonally and arranged matters, but
did not think there was combination
to regulate arbitrarily the price of grain.
He understood that if at certain
nf oln o1o
that they share the profits of those run
ming.
Assistant Attorney General ChiIds
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 1899, 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 kernal
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 a considerable amount of dirty
wheat might be einpt1ed into the boat.
However, it was not the intention of
the inspectors to allow off grades or
dirty wheat to go out, and the inspec-
tors, SO far as he knew were vigilant in
the discharge of their duties.
No Collusion.
There was no collusion whatsoever so
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 a check
DID. this kind of business. The wheat
hat Was skipped CuT wtttiiIv - -ins4~ecs
ion was, lie believed, that which was
N 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
he elevators at night. On cross exam
nation by Erwin, Preston said that it
was the duty of the state weighman to
ook after the spouts from the bins
when a vessel was loaded