St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-17
FARMER AND MERCHANT UNITE
THEY PROPOSE TO BUILD AN INDIE
PENDENT ELEVATOR FOR
NEXT SEASON.
Better Prices Being Secured-HOw
Independent Buying Aided the
Farmers.

GEWlII, MIMI, FeD. lO.-Ine pSO-
pie Of this community have had enough
of the oppression Of the wheat combine,
and will have an open market, as was
the case during the latter part Of last
season. There is only one elevator
and, as there was no Independent
buyer, the market was at the mercy Of
the companies, which took all there
was until the merchants and farmers
rebelled and secured an Independent
buyer who bought on track and raised
the market from five to eight cents a
bushel. After that the wheat came to
Hewitt instead of going to other mar
kets, and the merchants realized the
indirect advantages Of competition as
well as the direct benefit to the farm
ers and themselves. The result has
been that the farmers and merchants
have Joined together and organized a
cooperative elevator association. More
than half Of the stock has already been
subscribed and fiat house will be
built next year in time to handle the
crop Of SO. If there should be any
slip in this arrangement other parties
stand ready to build an Independent
house; SO the town is assured of COM
peliLiOH dlOlueT year. beIOTS the lIlQe-
pendent buyer came last fall there had
been about $4,000 bushels Of wheat
marketed; and the estimated loss Of the
farmers is $1,000.
1t was the same old story Of fair
prices by the interstate house, the only
buyer, early in the season and plenty
Of wheat After the first shipments to
the terminal markets the buyer told
the farmers that he had been instruct
ed to lower the grade as the wheat did
not hold up to No 1 northern under
state inspection at the terminals. The
bulk Of the wheat after that was
graded No. 2 northern and the farmers
hauled to -Henning and Deer Creek,
and, after the markets were raised, to
Wadena and Verndale. They made
money by doing so and
HEWITT WAS DEAD
as a wheat market E. w. Smith, who
lives near to Hewitt, hauled load of
wheat to the elevator and was offered
No. northern, 80 cents, for it. This
offer was refused, and the next day he
hauled the same wheat to Henning,
where it was graded No. 1 northern
and the price was As cents. The Farm
erS' Elevator association buyer was
glad to get 1t at that price, and Mr..
Smith made six cents bushel by the
extra trip. There was no change in
Tic pIlCeS dl SllucT lIlc lOCdl OF the
terminal markets during the two days.
SO the six cents bushel was the exact
amount the octopus was taking out Of
the farmers over and above its legi-
innate charges for handling and ship
ping the grain. This was not an iso-
lated case but Is cited as an instance
which cannot be questioned or ex-f
planned away by the agents of the
combine. Conservative estimates
place the amount Of wheat that is nat
urally tributary to Hewitt and was
hauled from ten to twelve miles further
to other markets at over $4,000 bushels
Among the other farmers who took
their wheat to other markets were
Douglas Johnston, Samuel Hasbrouck,
William Nobes, David Johnston and
F. w. Nailor.
Another case is that of G. A. Tarnow
who made from So to 81 by hauling his
wheat to Verndale and Eagle Bend.
The prices were from six to eight cents
a bushel better at those markets than
at Hewitt, making the above profit on
loads that averaged fifty bushels. eys
INDEPENDENT BUYING.
The merchants and farmers were so
thoroughly aroused that they sent to-
Deer Creek and got c. w. Connor to
come to Hewitt and buy on the street
and ship from track. They also
scale so Conner could weigh the wheat
without unloading it. The day after
Conner began to buy, the elevator COM
pany raised the price three cents a
buShel and the grade from No. north
ern to No. 1 northern, making q diff
ference of six cents a bushel. The
farmers would not sell to the elevator
and Conner was getting all the wheat.
Then the elevator company raised the
price still higher and cut the margin
out altogether, hoping to drive Con-
nor out Of the market There was no
margin, and he could not buy and get
out even, so he sent the farmers to
the elevator. They could weigh their
wheat on the hay scales, so they were
sure to get full weight. The news
spread that the market at Hewitt was
booming, and the wheat came here.
Business livened up, and the elevator
did a rushing business while Conner
stayed ON the street to keep the mar
ket up to the highest notch. The ele-
vator people wanted to tire him out,
and raised the price until only the
freight charges remained between the
local and the terminal markets. Con-
nor was not doing any business, but
still he remained on hand to buy If
there was a falling off in the prices
paid by the agent Of the interstate
company. The elevator people could
not understand why Connor would not
quit, and continued to pay from one to
three cents above what the terminal
market and the charges would permit.
The secret of the matter was that the
farmers were willing to divide with
Conner the additional price paid by the
elevator company, and he was paid
for his time in this way
The farmers and merchants saw the
benefits to be through competition, and