The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1893-12-01
OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

declining for the last three years. the freight rates for
wheat had remained the same.
After some general questions to the decline IN
the prices of labor land and Of wheat ITSELF Mr. Steen
orsnn was asked to state his reasons for believing the
present freight charges to be too high.
Mr. Steenerson then gave his reasons, which were
as follows:
WHY RATES ARE TOO HIGH.
First that all commodities have been reduced IN
price and that freg should suffer correspond
ing reduction Second that the rates have always been
too high To prove this assertion reference is made to
the report OF the Great Northern railroad to the COM
mission According to this report the cost OF carrying
freight per per mile s. mills BY taking this as
basic it appears that the Of carrying train OF
twenty freight he number OF loaded cars
in train) the loads averaging 600 bushels, dis
tance OF 800 miles, or from Minneapolis to Duuth'
would be S555 The freight charges for this distance
however, II cents per 100 pounds, or $6l2O per
car, amounting to ,224 per train OF twenty cars
making profit OF $500 y these charges are reduced
third there would still be profit OF 1851, more
than so per cent the Investment which is considered
by the complainant reasonabeprof From thesame
report drawn further Inc cost OF con-
ducting TRANSPORTATION the Great Northern in 1892
is placed at 81 1O8 338 80. In 1898, wages having
been reduced from 10 to 20 per cent making average
of Is per cent total reduction OF 25O must have
been made in this cost 1t is further stated that the
cost of maintaining structure and equipment for 1892
was 81, ,667 231. AS great part OF this must have
been the OF labor it is held lair to consider this
sum reduced in 1898 by 10 per cent $780, 723 max
ing total saving TO the company ot 7,973 The
total freight earnings OF the road in Minnesota were
942 $50. The grain traffic on the entre line given
as 5285 per cent of the whole freight, and assuming
that the ratio is the in Minnesota alone the total
receipts for freight on wheat would be $2.376,92
this amount would be reduced one third it would be
$792 49, only 1854 SOB than the company saves
by recent cuts in wages and salaries
SOME QUESTIONS WERE ASKED
to draw out the tact that by improvements recently
adopted the cost OF transportation mas Deen esseneo
Among these improvements are the use OF steel rails
and introduction OF cars carrying one thousand bush
nbo +b;rd xu;+noaa was Senator Prohsttied who tes
tilted to the maintenance of freight rates at former fig
ures and the price of wheat Mr. Probsted referred to
cheaper rates maintained on eastern nes and gave
as his conviction that either the eastern roads were
carrying freight too cheapy or else the western compan
None OF the witnesses were questioned by Attorney
Grover DR.. Fish called upon. but was not pre-
pared. He promised to be ready at 10 this morning.
The above testimony was right to the point, bu
the required evidence from experts on the transpor
tation question to show what roads throughout tn
country we're doing.
In order that our testimony may not appear as
personal desire for notoriety, publish the report
the matter in the daily papers OF St. Paul. This is don
for this reason: The case has now been lifted into
| NATIONAL IMPORTANCE
by the desirable and welcome action OF the Attorne
General of Minnesota, who made sound and logca
plea after the close of Dr. Fishs testimony, that
of such reaching import should not be dropped here
but continued-and witnesses summoned to probe tn
matter to the bottom. So the matter adjourne
until
/ JANUARY 10Th, NEXT YEAR.
And, on account of this oncoming examination-of q
most unreasonable influence national economics,
quote the attitude of the show that are
thrusting our personality upon the readers of the
IW. The Daily News said:
+ "DOC." FISH.
uo poaoa oa tho Main Witness in the Grain Rate Cas-