The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-02-07
A INSTRUCTIVE LESSON.
How the Farmers Can Helm Them.
selves.-WAeat Raised Six
Cents Per .Bushel.

How the Farmers Can Help Them
selves.-W4eat Raised Six
Cents Per .Bushel.
CANBY, Jan. Is, 's4.
: Out in this neck ofathe woods we
are not bowling so much as we we're
but are steadily and quietly saving
wood. The people may not be SO en-
thusiastic as they we're in the last
campaign think there is no depar-
ture from relief of reform principles.
AS a result of reform teaching [
wish to present and have published
In your valuable paper brief sketch
OF what a few farmers in this vicinity
have done in regard to organizing an
elevator company and handling our
own grain.
Two years ago we incorporated UNI
der the general laws with about 100
shareholders, limiting the stock to
five shares of ten dollars each. The
railroad company granted us site,
Then when we were ready to build,
they withdrew the grant, and the on
~ recourse left us was to rent. We
rented house and went to work
with the following result as the first
years business: Wheat handled
over one hundred Thousand bushels.
which was bought at list price. We
were given to understand, by our To-
cal railroad agent, that we must not
raise the price, as the Minneapolis
& St. Louis was a shorter route, and
could beat the n. W. on rates; so we
Instructed our manager to give bet
ter grades and less dockage: and in
this way, judging by the way we had
always been graded and docked, all
conservative men admit that we
benefited the market about sir cents
a batshel; that they realized that much
more than they would had we not
been in operation. This would have
been dividend enough had we real
lied nothing more; but notwithstand-
ing having filled our house with
about 10000 bushels at high prices,
through scarcity of cars, we declared
a handsome dividend on the small
capital we are working with. We also
handled about $4,000 bushels of flax.
upon which we were not restricted as
to price. There was a considerably
larger margin on flax than upon
wheat; and we instructed our man
ager to run upon that and we were
also quite a little bit ahead upon
flax.
Upon the approach of the last crop
year we bought an elevator with a
stated capacity of about 10000 BUSH
els; and we are having nice bust
ness. The line companies have run
us on the price somewhat this year,
but when they are above the market
the farmers sell to them. We have
now something like $4,000 bushels in
the house, and have handled about
10000 bushels of flax this year.
We are organized to deal in all
kinds of supplies for the use of farm
ers; in their business of farming.
This year we are handling coal and
salt. When we got ready to sell coal
and salt, soft coal was retailing for
$7.25, for Hooking Valley, and hard
coal, think at $40. Salt at $1.75
We offered the Hooking Valley coal,
for 81, the line companies then drop
ped to 1915, sand coal has been at
that price ever since;-a reduction of
SOC. per ton. Hard coal made the
same drop, soc. a ton. Salt we put
on the market at $3.50 per bbl. a re-
duction of Csc. Dbl.
l am sorry to say, Mr.. Editor, that
there are too many farmers that see
and acknowledge that the farmers
house has been benefit to them, and
yet they will not patronize it: and
some have the gall to say they have
as much benefit as if they had invest
ed in the business! This is contempt
ible.
| will say, Mr.. Editor, that think
it is the duty Of the farmers in each
primary market to have warehouse
or elevator. 1t will benefit them. in
having their own place to do bust
ness; and even if there is no dividend
declared they will be ahead by hav-
ing kept the price nearer to where it
ought to be.
There is another reason; now if the
line companies decide to squeeze as
out, they raise the price here; and then
at some other point, aoltere there is no
farmers house, they recoup themselves
for their losses in squeezing us.
Respectfully, A FARMER.
"CraZy Quilt Compliments"
MD EnrnnD.