The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-24
NEWS OF RAILROADS
But LITTLE ACCOMPLISHED AT
THE HEARING BEFORE THE
RAILROAD COMMISSION
SENATORS PLEAD IGNORANCE
State Lawmakers Said They Knew
Hut Little OF Railroad Affairs, but
Their Constituents Demanded "a
Reduction In Grain Rates-RaiI-
road Men VIII Meet and Report
In March.

The bearing of senators and railroad
men before the railroad commissioners
relative to the adjustment of grain
rates with particular reference to the
southwestern section of this state
which was held yesterday afternoon,
was Disappointing as to results, and
this was chiefly due to the confessed
ignorance Of the legislators as to rail-
road affairs. They insisted that their
constituents demanded reduction on
all kinds of grain, but beyond that they
were not prepared to argue and they
were not officially informed to under
stand the position the railroads take
in the matter. The entire afternoon
WAS spent in talk which in the end
amounted TO nothing.
Prior to the meeting the railroad men
and legislators gathered about q huge
map which Statisttcian Yapp had made.
1t showed every railroad in the state,
with every station marked and the
grain rates at each station plainly
stated SO that com Darisons could be
made with any points on any system.
Present at the hearing We're: Sena-
tors Miller, Scheil, Shellbach and Hal
version H. c. Garvin, general agent of
the NorthW estern, at Wfnona; E D.
Sewall. assistant general freight agent
Of the Milwaukee; A. G. Bird, general
traffic manager of the Milwaukee; Mar
vim Hughitt Jr., general freight agent
Of the Northwestern: H. NJ. Pearce,
general freight agent Of the Omaha;
James 7. Clark. general traffic man
ager Of the Omaha, and W. NJ. Hopkins,
general traffic manager of the Mime
apoliS & st. Louis.
In calling the meeting to order Chair
man Mills, of the railroad commission,
briefly stated its purpose.
Mr.. Bird said there we're two aspects
Of the question involved; first, whether
the grain schedule was improperly adj
Justed. and, second, as to whether in
detail it was subject to alteration. 1t
might be shown that 1t would be i'm
possible to change the schedules.
1t was decided to wait until a repre-
sentative of the Great Northern ar
rived.
J. 7. Clark said he thought the SEN
ators should explain to those present
the discrepancies existing in the grain
rates, so that the railroad men could
take up the questions in detail
SENATOR SHELLBACH TALKS.
General Freight Agent George &C.
Somers, Of the Great Northern, soon
arrived and Senator Shellbach was
invited to speak. He paid particular
attention to the Granite Falls rates
and Sacred Heart. He said he spoke
particularly for the agricultural COM
munity. The fax rates at Granite
Falls, he said. was IA cents, and at
Albert Lea 10 cents to Minneapolis.
making a difference of s21.30 per car
load in favor Of Albert Lea.
Senator Shellbach gave a detailed
statement Of rates, showing that on
almost all kinds of grain and mer-
chandise the rates in the southwestern
IF T. l.
other parts Of the state. He did not
understand 1t. he said. There ought to
be a uniform rate. Grain rates at
Granite Falls, he said, were too high,
yet he did not blame the railroads, at
the same time there should be gen
eral reduction Of one cent on grains.
If the Great Northern would adopt the
same rates on the Willmar and Sioux
Falls branch that are in force over the
main line, all would be satisfied.
The order made by the railroad COM
mission regarding rates at Lake Ben
ton, on the Northwestern, should be
fully complied with. The rate was re-
duced there one cent. but the rate at
other points was raised one cent, which
affected other changes on other roads.
Chairman Mills said suit had been
threatened on account of that raise of
rates.
Senator Miller gave some figures Of
rates on the Omaha and Great North
ern roads at Pipestone and other
points. He
QUOTED RATES ON GRAIN
from Pipestone and Ada, points equa-
distant from Duluth
Senator Miller became somewhat
tangled up in his comparisons when
he asserted that a short line charged
as much as a long line between COM
petittve and terminal points.
Mr.. Hughitt explained the reason
why long line is obliged to haul
freight as cheaply as a short line. He
its mileage it would have to go out of
business.
I'VE maintain said Mr.. HughItt,
that our rates are as low as they can
be made"
Representative Dyer. Of Pipestone,
said he thought there were some dis
crepancies on the Milwaukee.
Senator Halverson, of Madison, said
We have a complaint against the
Minneapolis & st. Louis, because we
pay toe much for hauling wheat to
Minneapolis. The rate on butter to
Minnea polls is A cents a hundred, and
to New York only 81 a hundred, consid-
ering the difference of distance the
Minneap polls rate seems excessive. We
in staple products. When we consider
the railroad capitalization and the dfvf-
dends they are paying it seems only
fair that there should be a general re-
duction of these rates"
There seems to be a lower rate in
coarse grain than in wheat" said
Chairman Mills.
Our wheat rates are lower than
coarse grain rates." said Mr.. Bird.
CERTAIN SECTIONS FAVORED.
The southwestern sections of the
state" said J. T. Clark, has an ad-
vantage in low rates to all Lake Michi-
gan ports"
1t costs no more to carry silk or
stone as provided than to carry wheat"
said MI. Bird, but should we do it?
1t is a question of relative value of the
commodities transported"
Transportation is like merchandise
ing" said Mr.. Clark. Because a
grocer makes a low profit in salt it is
TO argument that he should be salts
fed with a similar profit on sugar"
Il cannot see,'' said Senator Shell,
why the Great Northern should
charge more on a branch line than on
its main line
You have rung the bell on the whole
question, said Mr.. Bird. There are
many tariffs in this country and they
differ according to circumstances. On
all articles except wheat and fax and
cattle the southern roads carry it at
from so to 40 per cent lower than the
northern roads. Much depends upon
population and other conditions
The rate situation is complicated
for various reasons and causes. The
application of state and federal laws