Morris tribune., 1891-06-17
WHEAT INVESTIGATION,
WEARY GRIND STILL CONTINUES
IN COMMITTEE.

IN COMMIT TEE.
A Number of Witnesses Testify as to the
shippin. of Wheat and Screenings-A
Great Deal Of Hearsay Put in as Evil
dence.
ST. PAUL, June 10.-H. G.. Stordock,
ex-warden of the state penitentiary,
now Il wheat buyer at Rothsay, was the
FIRST witness called by the committee
and interviewed on the question OF
dockage and shipments from the country
elevators.
He sait, he had shipped some 5000
bushels tc 2uluth in 1889 and had suf-
fered Il loss of cents per bushel by rea-
sou II the wheat being graded down.
He had also shipped to Minneapolis,
wuerr he had obiaiGed a better grade
but had bceD Goched more. He was
sure the iiockaSe at Minneapolis was
fully double what it should have been,
In lS9O he shipped to Minneapolis and
losl LIS grade ON two-thirds of the
wheat shipped without cleaning.
! co1Mj i;,incG to Weighmaster Reece at
Minneapolis and he made special ex-
animation of some Of my cars. Since
then have had better weights.
W
blame On tiie inspection department,
that it seemed to me they gave the ben
EFT of the doubt to the shippers on line
wheat, but during the last season, l
think they gave the benefit of the doubt
TO the terminal fellows.
FIXED His Own Standard.
The witness admitted in this connec-
ton 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.
rHow much commission do you re-
ceive for buying wheat?" asked the in
spector,
e"Daes that concern this committee? !?
Well. get cents per bushel, and hire
Iay own help. All 1 get is the ware
house and the money with which to buy
the wheat.
Nov, don't you collect 3 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."
cit was a. matter of business with
me-
Then you were not doing this out of
love for the public. It was merely a
personal natter
"Well, [ think as much of the public
as sosue other people. However. am
working now for H. 6. Stordock. l
worked for the state Of Minnesota and
the politicians for a good many years,
found ] couldn't fll the bill. Now, !
am not here to complain against my
employers that is not what they em-
ploy me for.
Mr. Stordock emphatically refused to
answer the question as to whether or
not he considered this margin eXorbl-
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. It was finally decided to In
Yestigate the country elevators.
Regulating the Price of Wheat.
ST. PAUL, June f4-Mr. Scott was re-
called when the committee reassemb]ed.
After reviewing his testimony he was
asked if he knew anything in the condl.
tion of the elevators which would de.
eeive the 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 sufh
cient, but second test sustained their
Judgment. Gen. Barrett asked the wit.
mes S if he ever knew of a change in the
price of wheat to be ordered. He said
that on June 2, 1889, f. III. Irons Or
aered an advance of cents Fer bushe]
Sn some wheaf, and the next day a re:
duction Of cents per bushel OF CERTAIN
grades. Each member of the combine
was assessed to pay Irons S6 ,oC6 salary.
There was a committee " he liked the
prices ordinarily, but in th'i' eusence
lions h'N. .......vr1ty to fix the prices
arbitrarily. The only member of this
committee he knew was Mr.. Cham.
bers
Charles Canning followed kIr Scott
10 the stand Tor q continuance of his
examination.
Did you never attempt to ascertain
whether you had an overage or 3
shortage in your eleVatorsn asked Mr..
Cbiids.
MY elevator man was sick and I did
pot last year. -"
The witness said that it would not be
surprising il there was an everage OF
$1,000 bushels in handling $4,000, ,0oC
p1shela. He thought dockage of an
much. Neither did he think one
fourth an ounce would be right. but he
thought it could be done in less than an
ounce. He would not saT that he had
ever docked iEess fhan one ounce in buy
. y hat do you think Of the effect OF
posting 2C0,00a bushels OF damaged
wheat would pea" was asked.
II think it would rather bear the
wheat than bull it." He did not think
1t would have affected the wheat il
Minneapolis if the Duluth wheat hac
been posted, but it would have
ParaIyzed the Business
of tho elevator in which the wheat was
stored for time.
iIessrs. Efausen and Canning fur
Gished entertainment most of the after
noon, beginning with a discussion of ths
inspection rules and concluding with al
attempt on the part of Mr.. Clausen tx
discover the motive that led Mr.. Can
ming to make complaint against the la
spection department.. During the exam
ination Mr.. Claussn made . statemen
about the crop Of 1880. The grain hat
! green tinge, a condition never befor'
noticed, and supposed to have beer
caused by hot winds. Farmers com
planned against the grade, but when th
wheat went East it was graded still
lower. Mr.. Clausen had Professo
Harper make a scientific examination Q
the grain, and his letter proved that tn
grades made by Mr.. Clausen were to-
liberal. He could have answered th
complaints made by farmers by publish
ing the letter, but as it would be de
fense for the Eastern buyers, who wer
objectipg to the grade and thereby in
jure the farmers still further, he on th
advice of Governor Merriam, did NO
make the letter public,