The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-17
WHEAT is DIVERTED
HIGH LAKE FREIGHTs KEEPING
THE YEARS CROP AWAY
FROM DULUTH
BIG VESSELS TAKING ORE
Rate for Carving Grain From the
Head of Lake Superior to BunatO
Based Upon the Price Paid for
TransportinG IrOn-ReIief Expect
ed Before the Close of navigation
-Northwest News.

ed Before the Close of 4,aVlSatloh
-Northwest News.
DULUTH, Mimi, Sept. 16.-The News
Tribune tomorrow will say: Grain mer-
chants here, whether receivers, shippers
OF elevator men, are gloomy over the out
look for business this fall. High lake
f1eights may ruin the business to great
extent. What promised TO be the best
fall in the history of the trade now gives
some indications that are discouraglng
Receipts to date, however, compare Ia
vorably with receipts of other years Tor
a corresponding period, and no hardship
In the way of an actual falling off In
receipts has yet been felt, except In the
way of disappointment as to expecta-
tons.
If lake freights on grain were as high
comparatively, out of Chicago as they
are out of Duluth, this market would be
on a parity with the Chicago market,
and grain would move in usual channels.
AS 1t Is, however, the high ore rates pre-
yailing force grain rates SO much above
the rates out of Chicago as to keep this
market entirely out of line with the sea-
beard. This almost effectuafly kills bust
ness for shippers The same conditions
are diverting wheat and other grain from
territory naturally tributary to this mar
ket to other markets, for the market that
Just now enjoys a freight rate that Is
comparatively lower, is able to, and does,
pay the difference as a premium for grain
over what this market can pay.
Very little grain, comparatively, IS
being offered for sale here Ito arrive"
and current arrivals are of grain that was
purchased ito arrive a fortnight since,
before the situation became so trans
parent as 1t is at present. Chicago eie-
Vator men have representatives on the
floor of the Minneapolis chamber of COM
merce taking all the wheat they can get
1t Is bought Ito arrive" Minneapolis, and
on arrival Is re-billed through to Chica-
go. There has been very little contract
wheat received at Chicago from the WIN
ter wheat crop, and elevator men there
evidently intend to fill up their houses
with contract wheat from the spring
wheat region. Their action in coming up
in this part of the country for wheat is
the logical result Of the peculiar condi-
lions that exist at present.
The natural query arises: why do not
the Chicago rates advance as high, COM
paratively, on grain, as the Duluth rates?
Or why do not boats in the lower lakes
come to Lake Superior for ore In such
numbers that the rate will be reduced?
This is satisfactorily answered when 1t Is
stated that the ore roads have not suft1-
cient equipment to furnish ore as fast as
it is demanded in the East, neither could
they furnish it as rapidly as vessels might
be able to carry it away.
Grain men anticipate some relief, lower
freight rates, and turning of grain In
large volume in this way about Nov l.
It is insisted that by that time the stock
piles of the ore companies will have been
so nearly exhausted that few vessels can
be given cargoes, and a freezing up would
put an effectual stopper on the ore move
ment.
Meantime a good part of the best time
of the year for the grain trade will have
gone forever.