The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-04-14

Ihe saAu companies accumulated q further over
age or II. 2l3 bushels in handling So 600 900
bushels OF wheat. This average represents one
9uaIIer OF an ounce per bushel upon the amount
h =. by the company between the said dates.
u turSner appears that the said companies
brought the fact of the last named average to
the attention OF the railroad and warehouse
Go aM nra ana theEeupon obtained from that
Que notice to the state inspection and weighing
o Utpba ~ Duluth Of sucl excess of wheat
nTu chnceliaClon or outstanding receipts.
The committee feels that II - :. :.
THE OLD SCHEDULES E#
prepared by the men employed in the house
evidence before it, that they would disclose the
Illicit shipment OF a large quantity of grain from
the public warehouses at Duluth which has not
fore it for that purpose but inasmuch as the
committee subjected such schedules to a
very severe severe test early. in the session
ana JnereDy became convinced of the unreli-
ability OF such schedules rs evidence fir ON their
Very many proven inaccuracies due to the mex
renee eie OF the persons by whom they were pre-
pared, and the statement made by Mr. Erwin,
the attorney for the Grain Growers association,
When the said schedules were under discussion,
that he was perfectly willing that the old sched-
ules should be stricken from the record, mas.
much as they had been proved unreliable and
had been superseded by the more accurate ched-
that on account Of the apparent discrepancies
the OLD schedules cannot properly and should
not III justice be regarded as proof of any fact
Inc committee deems it proper to say touch
Ing the matter OF the damaged wheat in cues
ton, that the said elevator Companies incurred
an expense of about 100000 in providing for
1he warehouse receipts outstanding against the
same. !
STATE ATE INSPECTION AND WEIGHING DEPARTMENTS
me committee finds that the record, as d
wnole' does not reflect upon the integrity and
efficiency OF the state inspection and weighing
department. With very rare exceptions the
employees OF the stave in the two said DEPART
ments, so far as the record dscloses to the con-
trary, gentlemen OF high character and abil-
lty and that in those instances where the integ-
Of o1tr 0f fhooa
been drawn in question the testimony is too
conflicting and inconclusive to warrant the COM
mlttee i'll tindrg such persons guilty of bad faith
Ill the performance of their duties
1t appears from the record of the committee
that complaints have frequently arisen on ac-
count OF what has been deemed improper
weighing and docking Of grain. The committee
hnds That after listening to testimony OF wit
nesses OF large experience and unquestioned
veracity that such complaints, while at times
we'll founded, failed to show any disposition on
the part or inspectors and weignmen 20 impose
upon or favor any interests whatever. There
is evidence which tends to show that docking ia
at times excessive. AS the amount of dOckage
to which a shipment Of grain is to be subjected
IN a given case is largely dependent upon human
Judgment 1T will be always matter of approx
lmation, and the committee Is unable to find
that there has been abuse of discretion to a
serious extent in this regard. The witness,
Charles Canning, man OF very large experience
both producer and a commission mer-
chant testified that he had no fault to find with
the state service i'll that regard The attention
VI oAo "do CdllSu ~ humber OF IN
stances OF
GRIEVANCES BASED UPON SHORTAGE
IN weights OF shipments made to public ware
houses. The committee finds that such COM
plants are frequently we'll founded. but is not
prepared to say their number is out of propor-
ton to the volume of business transacted.
Among the many causes to which shrinkage in
weight i'll shipments of wheat may be attributed
the following, no doubt, constitute the more i'm
portant, us evidenced by reliable testimony:
Flrst-Shlpment without weighing by the local
buyer
second-,,Weghing at the place of shipment
with small or defective scales.
Third-Mistakes necessarily incidental to
weighing small scales, as where a draft is in
adyertently repeated.
sultlng IN leakage at times to marked degree
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. by petty theft upon cars
ell route to and at destination.
slXtn-Charge in atmospheric and climatic
condltlons between places OF shipment and that
of destination.
Seventh-Loss OF moistuer by grain.
Elghth-Defect in scales at terminal points,
1t is the opinion OF the committee that very
few instances of such shortage have arisen
| which should not, if the committee were in pos
session of all the facts, be attributed to one or
| more OF. the above named causes.
SCREENINGS.
The committee finds that during the year 1889
a large quantity OF wheat was shipped from The
| said public warehouses at Duluth under the
name OF screenings; the amount so shipped az
slesa!eu upWstro VI 4O,Voo plShels. line wheat
| so shipped Was no doubt, the average of 49,
600 bushels to which attention has already been
| called. The committee is aware OF no evidence
| tending to show that any other wheat than such
| average ever shipped in a clandestine man-
her from the said houses. The committee studi-
ously endeavored to ascertain whether or not it
was a common practice of the said companies
to dispose of average under the guise OF screen
ings, and arrived at the result above indicated.
Likewise it became matter OF interest to ascer-
| tain whether the said companies have been or
now are. reaping excessive profits from the sale
OF screenings. This, however. is not established
by the record. 1t is doubtless true, that until
q ,,ntn -
profit to elevator companies the record dis
closing that formerly they were either burned or
destroyed otherwise by such companies.
THE GREAT COMBINE.
When the attention of the committee was first
called to the existence OF a combination or con-
spiracy designed to control the wheat markets
OF the state it was represented that certain
testimony was producible tending to show
that such markets governed by prices ar
bltrarlly established by some person or persons.
associations or corporations, ana evidenced by
the kilograms and other communications sent to
numerous correspondents by Mr.. Frank H.
Irons OF Minneapolis.
1t was not without great hesitation that the
committee undertook to conduct an investiga-
ton in the line of such charge, in view OF the
its authority to act was derived. The subject.
however, was finally deemed OF so much gravity
as to warrant, an investigation as to
the, charge, and it was therefore con-
Quoted with great thoroughness by the
committee. Whatever differences may be
properly deducible from the record in support
that there is
NOT THE SLIGHTEST PROOF
OF the existence i'll fact OF any such com alton
or conspiracy, nor is there anything in the rec
ord touching this phase of the Investigation
initiating against the good name OF the said
lrons 1t is an admitted fact that Frank H.
Irons has been for q period OF about two years
i'll the employ of large number of elevator
companies at Minneapolis and that while SO
employed he did furnish to certain correspond
ents both by telegram and through the mails
Information touching the current prices of
wheat. 1t does not appear, however, that he
ever received any Instructions from his said en-
ployers, or any of them, to furnish this informa
ton to any person whomsoever. 1t appears to
have been the practice OF the person who had
previously been employed by such companies
to advise local buyers, upon solicitation, as to
the daily prices ruling as the principal wheat
markets of the country; which said practice was
observed and continued by, Mr.. II ons. There
appears to have been no discrimination by him
AZ to whom this Information should BE- fur
nished; for, If he is to believed, it was sent to
whomsoever made application therefor to him.
Instead OF the prices furnished by Mr. Irons
having been arbitrarily established by himself,
or by any other person or persons, the commit
tee find that they were in the main obtained
from the chamber of commerce, Minneapolis
The prices sent by Mr.. Irons to his CORE
spondents were based upon the reports OF com
mlttee established by the chamber OF commerce
in said city, whose duty it is to ascertain the
closing price of the market.
Evidence was introduced with a. view of show