The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-05-02
NEW GRAIN RATES.
Farmers In This Section Greatly
Benefited BY Them.

W oSSSPoAASS W VIZ AAA~SAo Va
the railroads running through
Southwestern Minnesota of the
schedule of rates adopted by the
railroad commission for hauling
flax, wheat and all other grains
from different points in this section
of the State to St. Paul and Mime
apolis is another victory of the peo-
pie against the corporations.
The railroad companies owning
lines in this section, with the single
exception of the Minneapolis & ST.
Louis, are known as Chicago rail
roads. That is, they will discrimi-
nate against St. Paul and Mime
apolis, in favor Of Chicago, when
ever opportunity offers. AS a re-
suit grain rates have been higher.
At the commencement of the 1899
session of the legislature, J. A.
Larson of this county, who had
been giving considerable of atten-
ton to the matter, and had ascer-
tanned that northern roads leading
to St. Paul and Minneapolis, were
making a lower rate for hauling
grain from certain points than we're
the Southwestern Minnesota roads
for hauling the same distance, COM
menced agitating the matter of hav-
ing the rates equalized. At that
time the difference varied at from
one to four cents.
Mr.. Larson got the representa-
tiyes from this district together and
a meeting was arranged with the
railroad and warehouse commits
sioners, and the latter were not
disposed to take any definite action
in the matter. A day or two after
the meeting a bill was introduced
into the legislature known as the
Larson maximum tariff bill, which
sought to fix the maximum rate that
could be charged from transporting
grain from any point in the State,
and practically placed towns in this
section on the same basis with the
towns in the north and western
sections. About the time the meas
ure was introduced a meeting be-
tween the freight agents of the lines
in question was arranged with the
commissioners and a number of SEN
ators and representatives, Of which
latter Mr.. Larson was at the head.
The freight agents asked until
March to consider the matter, and
on a protest from the representa-
tives against such a long time to
consider, it was agreed to make a
slight reduction at that time, Mr..
Somerville making a lengthy argu-
ment in favor Of immediate action.
The reduction amounted to about
a cent on 100 pounds, and was not
satisfactory to the representatives
Interested; who saw that there was
no chance to get the Larson maxi
mum rate bill through the Senate,
and agreed to stand together in
forcing the railroad commission to
act. Several times since then Mr..
Larson, with other representatives,
appeared before the commission
and asked for prompt and vigorous
action. The commission finally
agreed to press the matter, and on
Tuesday afternoon Of last week it
was announced that the roads in
question had announced their ac-
ceptance of the new schedule, with
out the necessity of legal fight.
AS an illustration how this new
rate effects this section of Mime
sofa it is only necessary to state
that where people shipping from
this point were required to pay IA
cents per 100 for flax, the new rate
will allow them to ship it for III
cents. The wheat rate is reduced
from III to II. The Minneapolis 4
St. Louis people had the IL cents
rate in vogue at North Redwood,
and as result the elevators there
were paying about three cents more
per pushel for flax than were the
elevators at this point. The new
rate will place the buyers on the
same basis, and should give the
farmers the benefit all along the
line. The following table on flax
and wheat will show what has been
done, all other grain being in pro
portion:
Flax Rates. Wheat Rates.
Station. Old. New. Old. New.
Fairmont .........15 1917 1914 y
S1ayfon 17K IL 15 IA