Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-01-03
JOE LETTER BEATEN.
Big Spectator Must Take Wheat Of
fered by Elevators.

Chicago, Dec. 30.-Joseph Letter is
it. He is trying in vain to reject
a lot at Seaverns' elevator ON the
ground that it is not up to grade.
Wednesday the board of appeals APP
pointed jointly by the board of trade
and the state grain and ware house
inspection commission decided for
the second time that the wheat de-
livered by George Seaverns from the
Alton elevator to the steamer Iron
King, graded No. 2 red winter wheat
Letter complains that the grain
which is being delivered to him on
contracts is mixed and below the re-
quisite contract grade, and makes no
secret of the bitterness against the
elevator men who he claims, are try
ing to work off mixed wheat. 1t is
probable that the conflict will be
submitted to the board of trade direc-
tors before the. courts are CALLED up
on to take a hand in the controversy.
This is the most important contest
in the history of the inspection OF
grain by the state of Illinois. At first
the deadlock over the quality of wheat
being rendered the Letter people was
but a part of the grand game being
played between the Letter forces on
one side and the elevator companies
on the other. Now the contest be-
Genes an attack on the system by
which the elevator companies have
become dealers in grain, and in such
guise will be carried before the board
OF trade.
AS dealers in grain, the Seaverns
people, operating the Alton elevator,
ter houses. They rendered the
wheat, which by the inspection of the
state inspection department was in
their houses. The wheat was duly
paid for and became the property of
Joseph Letter.
The steamer Iron King was sent to
the elevator with the certificates for
some $4,000 bushels of wheat of the
grade known as No. red winter.
Last week the first attempt was made
to load the Iron King, but the inspec
tors for the Letter interest objected
to the grade of grain being run down
the chutes and work was stopped.
There was an appeal to the board of
appeals, and the Letter people were
first upheld and then the Seaverns
company was given the better of it.
Alexander Geddes e Co., shippers for
Joseph Letter, refused to abide by the
second decision of the board of APP
peals, an the Seaverns company backed
down. The 5000 bushels which had
been loaded into the Iron King was
taken out and in the afternoon the
work of reloading was resumed. At
ter 5000 bushels had been poured in
to the steamers hold Letters inspec-
tors stopped the grain, on the ground
that it was mixed.
Chief Inspector Smile and Assist
ant Samuel Smith passed the grain as
No. 2 red winter, but the Letter in
spectors were obdurate, and there was
another appeal to the board of ap-
peals. This was passed upon
Wednesday. The Letter people are
HTm Ill the pOSlCIOn Iney VIII nOC &C
cept mixed wheat. The Seaverns
company does not deny the wheat is
mixed. but claims it comes up to
grade.
Charters have been made for boats
to load some 100000 bushels Of corn.
This is taken to mean that room is
being made for more wheat. One es-
innate inceased the amount of wheat
Mr.. Letter would own on Dec. 81
from 100000 to 100000 bushels