Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-21
ASK FOR BETTER CORN RATES
Iowa Farmers Meet Together and Attempt
to Gain Relief
UNABLE TO SHIP AT EXISTING PRICE
Mass Meeting of Citizens of Adams
County, Iown, Appeal TO Congress,
the Railroads and the Rail-
rOnd Comm ir sion.

CORNING, Ia, Jan. 20,--tSpecial)- AT q
mass meeting OF Adams county farmers and
citizens at the court house In Corning Mon
day resolutions were adopted looking to-
ward cheaper freight rates on corn to Chi
cago. Not a word was said in the meeting
about getting cheaper rates on live stock.
On motion to adopt the resolutions discus
sion followed, after which the petition to
! congress was taken up and after consider
able discussion was adopted:
To the Honorable Senate and House of
Representatives:
Whereas, The railroads reduced the Chi
cago rate on corn in September and October,
only to raise the rate early in November to
point which requires a farmer to put on
board Of cars nearly two bushels of corn
that he may own one buehel in Chicago par
TALLY causing the farmer to till his own
land on the halves land deliver the crop on
board the cars) with the railroad company,
and In case the farmer be a renter cut his
share in two again; which rates make 1t
virtually impossible to get our corn to mar
ket.
Therefore, We, the undersigned, ask your
honorable body to appoint a special COM
mittee to make a thorough investigation of
all matters connected with the question OF
transportation of all farm products This
OoiuHlNlOt sHUulu nave lne power 10 cOmDel
the railroad managers If necessary to appear
before them with open books and answer
all questions and give all Information asked
for in regard to the freight question and
when said committee has completed its work
to report at once to your honorable body, or
II adjourned to the railroad commissioners
with such recommendations as they deem
just and proper. We further petition the
legislature to pass a resolution requesting
our senators and representatives in congress
to secure an amendment to the interstate
commerce law giving the interstate com
merce commissioners power to regulate all
excessive freight charges in commerce be-
tween states"
APPEAL TO RAILROAD.
Resolution No. 2, addressed to the Chicago,
Burlington e. Quincy railroad, was taken up
and adopted:
ITO the Chicago, Burlington G. Quincy
Railroad Company: The undersigned citizens
of Adams county respectfully petition the
managers of said railroad to make If pos
sible reduction in the now existing freight
on farmers produce, from the fact that the
operating expenses of the road are very
much less in proportion to the volume OF
business done than in years past on account
of increased traffic as the county has become
more fully developed, and also from the
further fact that it takes more time. rnore
labor, more produce of all kinds, more human
sweat and toll to obtain a dollar than ever
before since the existence OF this railroad
We would not ask you TO make less rates
than would be fairly remunerative, based on
the actual cost of the road and operating
expenses but this we do ask and feel we
have not only the right but our duty to
demand" yHsfpr
ADDRESS THE COMMISSION.
Resolution No. 3. addressed to the rail-
road commissioners, was adopted:
ITO Railroad Commissioners: Whereas,
There is larger quantity of gain
in the hands of the producers than ever
before in the history of Iowa. and
whereas, Present prices of farmers pro-
duce render 1t impossible to ship their corn
to the Chicago market, under the existing
freight rates, and from the further fact
that the ravages of disease commonly known
as the hog cholera has left the farmer
without a market at home, leaving them
with bursting cribs practically worthless;
Resolved, That a committee Of five be
appointed to correspond with interested par
ties along the line of the Chicago, Bur
lington & Quincy in Iowa to the end that
petitions be sent from every important ship
ping point demanding railroad freight be
adjusted 10 the lowest possible point con-
sistent with No. l seville"
The following committee was elected to
correspond with interested parties on the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad re-
garding the freight rates: G. c. Calkins,
William J. brennan. Mathew Darrah, A.
Gill and A. G. Kennon.