St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-20
GRAB HIS GRAIN.
Continued From First Page.


town was at a Standstill. When the
cars came Mr.. Slayin had orders in for
track shipment, and thirteen cars were
loaded that day, and the following day
the farmers loaded six more cars
About this time the line elevator peo-
pie got warm under the collar because
of the clause in Mr.. Glavins circular
mo wheat for the elevators" claiming
it was boycott, and they announced
their intention Of putting in general
store, a hardware store, a machinery
yard and a bank. To make their threat
good they leased a vacant store next to
the Windsor hotel and brought carpen-
tiers and materials from Crookston to
fit 1t UP. Then the war between the
business men, all of them standing to-
gether like a band Of brothers, and the
representatives of the wheat combine.
under the leadership OIL. D. Marshall,
superintendent of the ST. Anthony &
Dakota line, became bitter. Efforts
were made to prevent the farmers from
securing cars.
The aid of the railroad and ware
house commission was again invoked,
and Judge Mills drew up a form of ap-
plication for cars, which was honored,
when properly signed by a farmer, by
the railroad commission.
In the meantime the blockade had
been raised and track shipping was
going merrily on. Wheat was now
coming into Warren from the country
tributary to Argyle and Stephen on the
north. The whole country was aroused
and the benefit was apparent all along
the line.
Mr.. Marshall told what he would do
and what he would not do making all
sorts of threats against the merchants
for meddling with his and his princi-
pals affairs When he saw that the
board of trade would not be bluffed, he
threatened trouble on account of the
Objectionable clause in the circular.
Wheat had, in the meantime,
JUMPED SIX CENTS
on an average for the same grades, and
It was nearly all being shipped by in
dependent shippers. This incensed Mr.
Marshall, and he formulated his de-
mands upon the board of trade, which
were that they should recall the cir
cular, discharge Glavin, reimburse the
elevator people for the expense they
had been put to in fitting UP the store
and publicly announce that there had
been no occasion for complaint at any
time The board agreed to eXpunge the
Objectionable clause, but refused fatty
and firmly to do more. Then Marshall,
finding he could not bluff the business
men of Warren, ceased work on his
store, folded his tent and disappeared
from view. AS long as there was ac-
tivity and competition was necessary
Mr. Glavin was kept actively at work
and his report on Dec 16 follows:
GRAIN COMMITTEE OF BOARD OF
TRADE.
Gentlemen: In submitting my report Of
the work done by the agency established to
facilitate the independent shipment of wheat
on track in Warren, | beg leave to thank you
for the confidence manifested by the appoint
ment also for the helpful advice given by
which W
active assistance rendered by the president
of the Warren board of trade, contributed
largely to the acknowledged success of the
agency.
Upon assuming the duties for which ap-
pointed l found that very large percentage
of the wheat naturally tributary to Warren
was being diverted from this market to East
Grand Forks and the Keystone extension.
The local wheat buyers here when confront
ed with this unbusinesslike deprivation of
our wheat market, alleged two distinct rea-
sons for its diversion First-Discriminatio
in terminal inspection of wheat from Warren,
as compared with wheat from East Grand
Forks and the Keystone extension. Second
Inadequate car supply to keep the elevators
all OPEN. Et
1t is apparent from the subsequent knowl-
edge impaired in a letter from the chief in
spector of grain, and the immediate recovery
of our wheat market, that the elevator rep
resentatives were mistaken in their reasons
given above. Perhaps in reaching these
illusions they were largely Influenced by the
glowing reports received from farmers who
SOlQ their wheat at those favored markets.
These reports were in some instances
Trajectory, and bordered largely upon exag-
geratfon. The inadequate car supply I'M
doubtedly had a depressing effect upon the
market but under ordinary and fair bust
ness rules this would not have occurred, but
the trouble was more on account of the mis-
management of the elevators. receiving
grain only when others were filed thus de-
priving the market of any healthy compe-
tition. This unwarranted procedure provoked
more ill-feeling and occasioned more protests
for iv1cf
other evils combined.
A letter complaining of the treatment we
were receiving from the railroad company
and at the terminals was dispatched to the
governor. His reply, together with letters
from Chief Inspector Clausen and the board
OF railroad and warehose commissions, is
herewith submitted. as part of this report.
The circular letter addressed to the farm
ers making known the establishment of the
agency and requesting them to cease patron
izing the elevators and ship their wheat on
track met with very hearty and immediate
response from all directions, threatening with
It's immensely to deluge the whole city and
causing the only actual blockade Of the season.
IN ADDITION, the elevators, although complain
ing bitterly OF the language used in the cir
GUAR letter, were largely Influenced by it,
ASIDE from raising the grades and making
liberal promises to recover back the wheat
they tried to enforce their demands upon
the community by a farcial attempt at put
ting in general store
Telegraphic market quotations were pro-
cured by the agency in order to keep the
farmers reliably informed
Number of cars ordered during the month
endlng Dec. IA, 1OS OF this amount Sc were
loaded with wheat and consigned to commits
sion firms ar both Duluth and Minneapolis
The remaining 80 cars were also loaded with
wheat, but were sold to track BUYERS and
elevator men at home.
The aggregate amount of wheat disposed of
IN TINS way was $1,000 bushels Reckoning
three cents per bushel (cbarge made by ele.
xators Tor handling, makes saving to the
farmers of 81, $50.
This amount may be largely increased by
adding to it the relative gain made in botb
grades and prices of wheat since the estab-
iishment OF the agency. As an illustration of
TINS u TACT, wheat grading No. and selling for
per bushel, when loaded on track land
while the local market price of No. 8 wheat
was only 50 cents, making an advance in
price to the farmer Of eight cents per bushel
Computing this amount upon 1000 bushels of
wheat, 1t makes clear gain to the farmer in
this particular transaction, of $50 on his car
be cited.
There can be no question as to the immense
benefits received from this movement. War
rem, besides regainfng all of its tributary
wheat, has received plenty of free advertising,
thereby acquiring a large wheat territory for
Its market; them aside from all this the edu-
cational advance is to be commended Farm
ers who a month ago were suspicious and in
some cases absolutely ignorant of the pro-
cesses of marketing grain outside the elevat-
ors,. have, by consenting to give 1t trial. ac-
quired a more general knowledge, which rem
ders the misrepresentation formerly prac-
ticed upon them utterly impossible. The only
future danger to marketing grain is threat
ened through false weights; this, of course,
may be removed by the erection of public
scales. Respectfully submitted,
r. Glavin, Agent.
Dated at Warren, Dec. 16, 1885,
THE STORAGE CAPACITY
of the elevators at Warren is given as
$4,000 bushels, and this is very con-
sentative aStiroo TO Tbaro ora fhraa