St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-11
State Railroad and Ware
house Commission De-
cideS in Their Favor.
RATE REDUCED is PER CENT.
It Will Raise q Heavy Burden
From the TillerS Of
the Soil.
FALL IN PRICES THE CAUSE.
The Great Northern Fought
Stubbornly, but Is De-
feated at Last.

Wheat carrying rates go down nearly
16 per cent within the borders of Min
nesota
The state railroad and warehouse
commission yesterday decided the cele-
brated case of Elias Steenerson against
the Great Northern Railway company
in favor of the plaintiff, Steenerson,
giving cut of Is per cent instead OF
S31s, as demanded. This is great vic
tory for the farmers of the state, and
will save them good round sum in the
way Of freight charges on all of their
grain and grain products. The fact that
the price of wheat has fallen so greatly
during the past two years should have
secured the one.third cut asked by the
farmers, had 1t not been for the further
fact that railroad earnings have also
been seriously diminished during the
same period.
1t Is probable that were the railroads
in the same condition they were two
years ago the decision would have given
all that was asked in the complaint, but,
under the circumstances, considering
the fact that they are earning less than
they were when wheat brought higher
prices it was considered fair to divide
the burden. IL is not right to make the
farmers stand the entire burden, nor did
it seem right to place II all ON the rail-
roads.
The New Mates
ordered involve a reduction of between
Is and 16 per cent or just about half
asked by Steenerson in his complaint.
In his complaint, prepared by Hon.
HalvOr SteenersOn, of Crookston, Elias
Steenerson, the plaintiff, after stating
that he IS and has been farmer and
shipper, and that the Great Northern is
common carrier, makes the following
statement of his case;
The Complaint.
That by its tariff No. $50, as amended
March CO. 1898. of charges for transport
ing wheat, oats, barley and other grain,
and the mill products of such grain.
the charges for transporting such
freight between CrookstOn aforesaid
and either of said terminal points in
carload lots is fixed at 1615 cents per 100
pounds of such freight. and between
Fisher and East Grapd Forks and said
terminals at II cents per 100 pounds.
That said tariff of freight charges is
unjust and unreasonable in this, that
said charges are at least one-third too
high.
That the same ought to be and should
be reduced at least one-third, or S33115a S331a per
cent.
That during the last three years said
charges have been substantially the
same upon defendants line of road,
and during that time wheat and other
grains aforesaid and their products
have decreased III value about one-half
OF so per cent, and all labor nearly in
proportion.
That the labor cost of operating de-
fendant's line of railroad has beeu re-
duced from 20 to 40 per cent of what it
was three or four years ago, and the
cost or value of defendants railroad
and equipment has, as affiant is Informed
and verify believes, decreased more
than 20 per cent.
That considering the length of line
between said stations in Polk county
and said terminals and increasing vol
ume of business, the said charges are
not only unreasonably high, bus are
unequal and unjust as compared with
the average charge for freight by rail-
roads in this state under similar circum.
stances and conditions as to cost of car
riage.
That this complainant brings this
action in his own behalf and in behalf
of all those similarly situated in said
county of Polk. and the counties of
Marshall and Kittson, in said state, and
he asks that charges for transportation
Of wheats and other grains and mill
products thereof mentioned Ill said
tariff between said points may be re.
duced to and fixed at IL cents per 100
pounds between Crookston aforesaid
and either of said terminals in propor-
tiou or at such rate as to this honorable
commission may seem reasonable and
just.
The COmpany,s Answer.
This complaint was served on the
company on Sept. 80. 1898, with
notice to either satisfy the demands or
answer in writing within ten days. The
company declined to reduce rates, and
sent the following answer:
First-The Great Northern Railway
company for an answer to the complaint
herein admits that the complainant is
and has been resident of Polk county
for the past ten years, and engaged in
farming, raising wheat and other grain:
and that he has shipped grain for him.
self and others over defendants line of
railway from CrOokston, Fisher and
East Grand Forks to Minneapolis and
over connecting lines to Duluth.
That defendant is and has been for
more than three years past a corpora
ton operating a system of railroads and
common carrier OF freight and pas
sengers in this state.
That 1t has IN force rate of 1917
cents per 100 pounds between CrOOkston
and Minneapolis, and II cents per 100
pounds between Fisher and East Grand
Forks and Minneapolis for transporting
wheat, oats, barley and other grain. it
refers to its published tariffs for their
true contents and effects.
Except as above admitted 1t denies
each and every allegation of the conf
al