St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-27
MANAGER ROBBINS TALKS.
The Elevator Mems Side of the Case
"A Correspendent,s Answer.

The Elevator Mems Side of the Case
"A Corresnendent's Answer.
To the Editor of the Globe.
i VIII endeavor TO make this communica-
tlon as brief as / can and cover the points
which I wish to refer to, found in your is
sue OF Jan. e. in which you refer, especially,
" lhe company~I represent at Warren, Mimi
=, IN TINS communication your reporter says
that E. j. Royem, who was buyer for the
minnesota Dakota Elevator company at
warren refused to- continue in his position
tnat ne threw up his place because Mr.
Gibbs, our superintendent, demanded that he
snouIo grade wheat in a dishonorable and
Irauduient manner Mr.. Royem has written
charges made in relation to his connection
with this company; that he left the COM
pahy service, as he first wrote me he did
IN order TO attend to his personal business;
that there was never stormy war of words
or any unpleasant words between himself and
our superintendent, Mr.. Gibbs. The only
complaint made by Mr.. Royem to ME was
that the terminal inspections, which are
der the control of the state inspection de-
partment, were such as in his judgment did
not appear right. This matter is one of opin-
ION between Mr. Royem and the officials
VINO inspect grain at the terminal points.
Now. a word in regard to the charges that
the elevator agents are honest, but that the
managers OF the companies are responsible
Tor the fraud and practices of oppression and
wrong which III are referred to in your, issues
OF Jan. % and 20. No man is employed by
this company until his past record has been
scrutinized carefully by the Fidelity G. Cas-
ualty company, under whose bonds all our
men are placed. Any man having any faint
on MS character in his past business trans
actions is rejected. 1t is absurd to suppose,
elevator companies were disposed to swindle
the public, they would undertake to do so
through men whose character is above re-
proach and whose record is of the highest
kind, but | wish to say that, so far as this
company is concerned never has there been,
by word or letter, any instructions given to
any agent of the Minnesota & Dakota Ele-
vator company to wrong any man directly
or indirectly; the only requirement ever ex-
acted from any agent OF this company has
been to weigh and inspect the wheat bought
by him correctly, giving to every man all
that he is fairly entitled to.
The fact, as stated in your paper, that GER
tain man who offered wheat to the elevator
companies early in the season, just before the
blockade, and received a certain difference off
from northern price for 1t, and after the
blockade was raised shipped the same wheat
and got price very much nearer to the price
OF northern than offered by the elevator
companies, proves nothing against the elevator
companies whatever, because, in the early
part Of the season smutty wheat graded
In the country by us just as the rules of the
inspection department of the state require 1t to
be graded. Later on after the wheat had be-
gun to move, We found that the millers of
Minneapolis would pay price very much
nearer to that of 1znorthern for this class of
wheat than the grade which ithwould be enti-
tied to under the rules of the inspection de-
partment would justify, and We Immediately,
making this discovery, brought the price
of this class of wheat nearer to that of /
northern grade. This statement is susceptible
of proof from the records, shown by the
prices fixed for this class of wheat in the
country in relation to that of northern at the
time l refer to. or -s-r- v*-
AS to the question of elevator, monopoly at
Warren and Stephen, the two points at which
your reporter especially emphasizes the state
ment that here has been a combination and
steal from the farmers, there are two or three
men engaged in this business that I have
neither seen nor had any communication with
in any. way, directly or indirectly, and there is
no understanding or arrangement with any or
either of them, in any respect, in regard to
the prices that shall be paid or the way grain
shall be graded In those markets. There is
just an open and free competition in the grain
business at those towns as there Is in any
other kind Of business, and l believe a great
deal more competition than there is in the
mercantile business.
In the matter of the inspection of grain
Mr.. Royem was in the employ of this COM
pany all the wheat received by him was
graded by him No. hard and No. north
ern. When he shipped this wheat to the
terminal markets, the state inspection de-
partment graded about LOO bushels Of it
No. 2 northern and about 800 bushels of it
No. 8. so that Mr.. Royem gave the farmers
that much better grade than received
when we shipped the wheat from that station.
and the amount of wheat received at that |
station fell short in weight at the terminal
markets. when shipped out and weighed up,
about 81 bushels. Fee9a - ga'15s 4
one of an exceptional character. Last year
all the wheat in that district would grade
No. hard or No. northern at the terminal
markets by the state inspection. This year
1t grades every grade from No. hard to re-
jected, on account of the irregular character
of the grain. 1t has been difficult to handle
this grain in the country elevators for the
reason that a bin which had been partly
filled with certain grade of wheat. could
not be used for another grade without loss
in mixing together of No. 1 northern with
a lower grade of wheat, and when our agents
stated that they could only receive certain
grades Of wheat they were only stating the
facts in the case, and the statement was not
made for the purpose of deceiving and swim
ding the public Any representative of the
G o can have from me letter, directing
any agent OF this company to show him
every circular and every letter of instruc-
lions given to our agents, or any represent |
alive of your company come here and
take the letter books Of this. company, and
may go further and place every employe of
this company under OATH and if you can find
anywhere, evidence that will substantiate the
charges that the manager of this company
has been guilty of the offenses which you
charge against him, then there will be
justification for refusal to give this state
ment the credit which it Is entitled to on the
the statement of facts I have made. Yours
truly, "A. B. Robbins.
Manager.