The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-16
NEWS OF RAILROADS
WHAT RAILROAD MEN THINK
ABOUT THE THREATENED
FLOUR TRUST
OPINIONS VARY ON SUBJECT
One Man Says 1t Would Mean the
Closing Up of the minneapolis
Mills in Two Years-Another
Says 1t Would BE an Excellent
Things. but That Mcintyre Is
Simply BIuffing.

There is difference of opinion
among railroad men familiar with the
nour situation as to the effect which
the threatened flour trust will have
upon the flour business in this section
of the country. Some think 1t will ruin
it and will drive MINNEAPOLIS into
bankruptcy and drag st. Paul with it.
While others say a trust would be a
good thing for the small mills in the
West. which would flourish If the large
concerns attempted to corner the flour
market. And others declare emphat-
ically that there will be no flour trust,
because the Minneapolis millers now
control the flour business of the North
west and do not propose to let 1t slip
from their hands.
"A flour trust" said railroad Of
fetal yesterday to reporter for The
G b e. will mean the closing of ev-
cry Minneapolis flour mill within
twelve months. or two years at the
longest. Wheat will be shipped from
Duluth to Buffalo by lake and thence
by Erie canal to New York, where it
will be ground into flour. There are
ample milling facilities in that city to
supply the demand for flour in New
York and the facilities for export are
complete at the doors of the mills. By
removing the mills to Brooklyn the
millers will save one-half the present
freightage. The rate on flour is double
the rate on wheat in bulk. and lake
and canal transportation is much
cheaper than all rail or lake and rail.
The difference in rates between the
manufactured and the raw material
will take the flour to the Eastern mills
This. will close every Minneapolis
mill. and will throw every person now
employed in them out of work.
The Duluth mills are younger and
i IL
AS for the Milwaukee mills, they are
a dead letter. and their owners are
glad to unload them on the trust at a
profit.
The prestige of the Minneapolis mills
is the brand of their f1ours, and if they
can manufacture those brands in the
Eastern mills there will be little de-
mand for Western flour from Eastern
markets.
Minneapolis was created by the flour
industry and if that is taken away
Minneapolis will be destroyed. ST. Paul
will also be a partner in her fall. This
market will be destroyed as a grain
center and every class of business will
suffer. 1t behooves the business men
of both cities to prevent the removal
of the flour interests from Minneapolis.
Every person living in the Twin Cities
Is vitality concerned in this question
and especially the railroads. which de-
rive so large share of their business
and income from the wheat, grain and
flour trade. The flour trust should be
knocked out without delay
A flour trust would be an excellent
thing" said another railway official
But fear it wilAenever be seen. Nc
Intyre and his friends are only trying
to bluff the Minneapolis millers. who
never will go into a. trust 1t is for
their interest to keep clear of a trust
There are too many small independent
mills in the West for them to think of
cOrnering the output of flour. AS soon
as a trust were formed all the small
mills would get more business than
they could handle and would grow.