The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1892-04-09
GRAIN Inv ESTIGATION
The Report of the Minnesota Legisla-
tive Committee Given to the
Public.
Duluth Elevator Companies Not
Deemed to Have knowingly Trans
gressed the Law.
No Combines Between Railroads and
Elevator pany-Committee
recommendations

ST. PAUL, April 8. After many
months of weary work add the expendi-
ture of about $40, 900 the grain investi-|
CATION committee has concluded its
work and will make two reports to tho
governor. The committees was practirI
cally unanimous, its report being aligned
by all the members except RepresentarI
tive Moore, who refused to affix his sig-8
nature on the ground that he did not
like the report He refused to give his'
reasons, and it is understood he viii
present minority report.
The first matter touched upon relates
to the cleaning of cars at Duluth. The
committee finds that there probably
was some laxity in the matter during
the earlier period Of inspection. but that
as soon as the attention OF the elevator
companies was called to the evil meas
ures were adopted to remedy it.
The next matter touched upon, and
probably the most important in the re-
port is that Of shipping wheat at night
without inspection. Upon this subject
the committee says:
A very serious charge was preferred
against the Lake Superior Elevator
company and the Union Improvement
and Elevator company, Of Duluth,
based upon an alleged fraudulent ship
ment from those houses Id 1886 and sub
seqnent years Of . large amount of
wheat, aggregating some 800, 900 bush
els. This was by far the most serious
charge involved in the work of the COM
mittee. From the magnitude Of the
charge involved in the work OF the COM
mite, and the fact that it was made
the basis of an investigation by
committee appointed for that pur-
pose by the last house of represen-
tatives and sustained by mae
iority report OF that committee, the
present committee felt called upon to
conduct most thorough and careful in
vestigation with reference thereto. 1t
is no reflection upon said house commit
tee that its results as to such charge are
at variance with those at which the
present committee has arrived. The
house committee was necessarily linn
tied in time, and more or less handi-
capped by various and exacting legisla-
tive duties.
That the question might be divested
of doubt the present committee has en-
ployed the services of skilled experts
who have examined all available sources
of information.
Testimony was received tending to
establish the charges SO made. The
methods pursued by the elevator COM
panies in disposing Of the large volume
of wheat in 1885 and subsequent years
fully justified the witnesses in question
in believing that such shipments were
being made secretly, and for the purpose
of evading the attention of the state in
spection service and the public; and
were it not for other evidence subse-
quently discovered the committee feel
that they would have been amply justi-
fed in finding the charge so made in the
main true. ---=-==-====
There is no question but that in 1886
and subsequent years the two elevator
companies named did ship in round
| numbers from their houses at night,
without the knowledge Of the employees
of the said state departments, 250, 900
bushels of wheat. After the fact Of
such shipment had been substantially
established by the testimony of wit
nesses the said elevator companies ad-
mitted that large volume of wheat
had been secretly shipped from their
houses without either inspection or
weighing. Had this admission been
| obtained at the beginning of the investi-
cation it would have rendered needless
the testimony of large number of wit.
nesses who were called for the purpose
of establishing that fact. The shipment
having been thus admitted, the duty OF
the committee was thereby narrowed
down to an inquiry as to the suficiency
of the justification urged therefor on
the part of said company.
The evidence sufficiently establishes
the fact that a large amount of wheat
became heated in the bins and almost
totally ruined. The committee find
that the matter was brought by the said
| companies to the attention of the rail
/ road and warehouse commission. and
that after the mature deliberation OF
that body the elevator companies were
given the authority to secretely dispose
OF the wheat; and il is fair to believe
that the irregular shipments testified te
by witnesses were none other than
those made in pursuance of the permis.
zion thus obtained. The committee
have no doubt that the action of the
commission in directing the secret ship.
ment OF said injured grain was
prompted by the highest considerations
OF public policy, and amply warranted
both by provisions Of the law and the
existing facts.
The committee further finds that the
charge Of shipment Of 5000 bushels
from the saine elevators without inspec-