The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-02-19
THE GREAT ROBBERY.
BLEEDING THE FARMERS-WHY
A STATE ELEVATOR is
NECESSARY.
False Grades and False Weights
The Very Scales Tempered
With.
The Worst Condition Of Affairs Known in
the Whole World-The Car Of Russia
Would Hang the Scoundrels-
Our Rulers Help Them.
MEET ON Eg8. 22 AND TAKE s TEPS
TO SAVE YOURSELVES.

MEET ON FEB. 22 AND TAKE TEPS
TO SAVE YOURSELVES.
From the ST. Paul Globe.
MINTOSH, Mimi, Feb. 4.-The tactics
Of the wheat barons were fully exempli
fed at this town last fall. They bought
very little wheat until the blockade came,
and when no cars were available for
track shipment, or to carry the wheat In
the line elevators paid whatever price
they chose for the grain the producers
were compelled to sell in order to OBJ
tain money to meet their more pressing
obligations. The farmers south and west
of Mcintosh refused to submit to the
extortion and hauled their wheat to Fer
tile on the Northern Pacific twice as far
from their homes as their regular mar
ket at this town. Before the blockade
the farmers elevator bought the bulk of
the wheat, paying nearly all there was
in it, and there was no complaint. AS
soon as the supply of cars ceased, the
farmers house filled up and the line
houses had the market at their mercy.
They made the most of Their opportunity
and not only knocked the wheat down
grade all along the line, but spread the
margin between the prices of the same
grades at local and terminal points from
1 to cents bushel In this way they
were buying on a margin of from to
cents ~ bushel, and the farmers lost from
to 5 cents bushel over and above the
legitimate difference, between local and
terminal markets, made up of freight and
handling charges 1t is estimated that
the loss to the farmers during the block
ade was not less than $4,000. During
that time the farmers house was full and
there was no track shipping, so the two
line houses and the Independent house
owned by Andrews & Gage were the only,
ones that could take in wheat. When
cars were obtained there was an advance
in the price because the farmers buyer,
Ing. Larson, always paid the top figure.
While this conditions existed the other
three houses allowed the grain to go to
him until his house was again filled, then
they would again have things all their
own way and the unfortunate farmer
who brought his wheat to market at that
time had no alternative, but must ac
cept the pittance doled out to him by the
agents of the lords of the wheat market.
Farmers living to the south and west es-
capped the eXtort.On by hauling their
wheat to Fertile, where the market was
always open and fair, but those living
north and east of the town were unable to
obtain relief, as the distance was too
great to haul and the markets on either
side of Mcintosh, at Erskine and Foss-
ton, were in the same condition as that
at Mcintosh. Many of those who sold
to the line houses during the blockade,
obtained two grades advance for the same
wheat at the farmers elevator when it
was receiving. In those instances they
lost 6 or cents ON every bushel sold,
and they only paid this tribute because
there was absolutely no way by which
they could avoid doing So Since the
blockade has been raised, the farmers
house has bought more wheat than the
other three houses combined, although
the other companies are paying within
cent or two of the farmers price. On
Friday and Saturday of last week the
farmers house took in over 5000 bushels
of wheat, and from all that your cores
pendent could learn, the other three
houses combined did not buy more than
1000 bushels ON those two days. and that
is conservative figure, as many esti-
mates placed the amount at half that
number of bushels.
The success of the farmers elevator in
keeping the market fair when it could
take in wheat, and N doing business on
such close margin, is not the only bene-
fit the farmers have enjoyed for it has
more than paid for itself during the
four years it has been in operation, and
now has over $500 surplus deposited in
the bank The cost of the plant when it
was built in 1892, was 3,4OO, and that
has been wiped out besides paying all
the operating expenses although an av-
erage Of two cents bushel over the price
paid by the other houses has been paid
on every bushel of wheat that has been
bought and shipped. The season of '94-
'95, although there was a light crop. the
house cleared $500, and at the commence
ment of the present season there was a
debt of 5000 standing against the prop
erty. This has been wiped out, and
there is already surplus Of 5000 in cash
on hand, and the indications are that
the net profit on the business done dur
ing the season of 1896 will OF be less
than 81 900. Up to Feb. there had been
handled through this house 10000 BUSH
els of wheat. although the capacity of
the elevator is only $4,000 bushels: 1t is
estimated that 100000 bushels of wheat
have been marketed here this season,
and this leaves but 100000 to have been
handled by the other three houses, which
have combined capacity of $4,000 bush
els. These figures tell the tale, and the
loss of the farmers was on the wheat in
cluded in the 100000 bought by the two
line houses and their running mate, the
Andrews & Gage elevator When your
correspondent reached this town on Sat
urday there were at least a dozen loads
Of wheat waiting to unload at the farm
ers' house, and not single load at any
Of the other houses. There was a con-
tinual stream of teams during the day.
and occasionally one, probably one in ten,
would drive to a line house. This is
said to be the invariable rule since the
farmers house has been opened
The present officers of the Farmers
Elevator company are O. ]. Matson, pres
ident; Stem Hofts, vice president C. C.
Ostby, secretary; Ole Stoorn, treasurer:
directors, B. O. Naryison, Hon. J. D.
Knuteson, Andrew Trovanton, John Carl
son and O. P. Synness. The wheat buyer
for the company is elected each year.
and Inglebret Larson has been chosen to
that position at each succeeding cleo
ton. The wheat of the stockholders is
handled, that IS, weighed, elevated and
So hale