The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-10-31

eliminated within the last week. We hope
that it will reach 100000 tons before
spring.
Q. In reference to shipments of cotton
especially, and other articles, what dis
advantage was there in its being carried
over separate lines under a joint tariff
which you did not have, where 1T is car
rfed where both roads are under the same
control, for instance, in the matter of
breaking bulk or anything of that kind,
shifting from cars?
A. Well, it is almost a necessity, if
business is to be at all permanent, to be
able to control a rate. The rates on the
high seas vary according to the supply
and demand for ships, and we. in order
to take this business west, must be in a
position to compete to take the traffic,
one day with another 1t may be that
another road-it may be the line between
here and st. Louis, if the Burlington was
not in a position to work with us and
to continue to work with US, they might
find same other connection that would
give them larger division than we could
of the rate; they might find or feel that
it was their interest to work with some
body else. Maybe they would give them
some other business in lieu of this, and
we would have to hire some other road
to haul that business from ST. Louis here,
not control it except through the option
of some other road. Might at any time
withdraw the rate; might at any time
refuse to make joint rate with US, ex-
cept on terms that would be prohlbltory
And in that way we could not go very
far We would not be in a position to
compete for that business. We must
either take that business to the coast
we must take all the west bound business
we can get to the coast, or else we must
advance the rate on the lumber. Now,
outside of cotton, take nails, wire, artl-
cles of that kind, that business has grown
to very large dimensions, but our rate is
a very low one from Lake Erie to Hong
kong; it is As cents a hundred, 50 a ton,
on those commodities. A line reaching ST.
Louis and all the trunk lines OF the East
between ST. Louis and Chicago puts us in
a vastly different position; and that is the
reason why it was of such importance for
us to control the situation. We could not
control it unless we could give a market
for the production of the line-products
raised along our road-whether it was out
of the mine or from the farm or out OF
the forest. If the man who produced 1t
could not sell it, he would stop producing
And that was the problem we had to
meet, and with the Burlington we find
ourselves able to meet it.
Oriental Trade.
@. Mr.. Hill, are you able to state the
comparative growth of that Oriental traf-
fics since its inception up to this time?
A. The growth has been very rapid. In
some commodities more rapid than In
others. Last year the increase was very
large in cotton goods, both raw and
manufactured, and in machinery and in
some other commodities it fell off. The
oil, 1 think, was considerably reduced
The Patoum oil, by some arrangement
ha a
carry the oil we did
Q. Taking the aggregate of the traffic
the total amount of it.
A. WE'LL should say that in 1902-the
year ending June 80, 1902-the business
was more than twice as great as it was
the previous year ending June, 1901. We
were in better position to do the business
@. Can you give us the quantity of cot
ton, raw cotton or piece goods, that was
carried in 1901 and 1902?
A. I can give it to you exactly by the
Great Northern.
@. Yes, by the Great Northern we are
speaking of.
goods was 13, O70 bales; 1902, 64,542 bales.
Raw cotton in 1901 was 1920, 600 pounds,
against Al ,243, 900 pounds the next year.
Continuing his testimony Mr.. Hill ex-
planned that they made their ships large
for the purpose of reducing rates. They
could carry a cargo equal to what five
ordinary freight steamers could carry with
only one crew instead of five crews. In
all their movements there was no inten-
ton to hinder commerce, but to promote
it, and it has greatly increased commerce
between the United States and foreign
nations. These arrangements have only
been perfected about year and the bust
ness has more than doubled on the Great
Northern road. He said he thought the
total tonnage of the Great Northern
road will show the increase to be about
33 per cent, and the foreign business is
increased over 100 per cent. I'VE have
been able to reduce rates from 10 to Is
per cent in year on the local business
between the Pacific coast and the Twin
Cities and Lake Superior" was his an
swer to the question as to what effect
the increase of business had had in the
reduction of rates.
O. At the time of the purchase of the
Burlington shares, was there any purpose
or intention to restrain or hinder the
traffic of the Burlington road itself, in
terState traffic?
A. No, sir, none whatever
@. What has been the effect of that
purchase upon the traffic of the Burling
ton road? Has it hindered it, restrained
it, or has it increased it?
A. I think that the traffic of the Bur-
lington road from Billings to the south
west mas Uoen very largely lICTedSeu, anu
from here to the south the increase has
been considerable.
@. What is likely to be the future eff
feet? Will it be to restrain or to enlarge
the commerce of the road?
A. If the plan as contemplated is car
ried out, it should make very large in
crease in the traffic. For instance, if the
iron ore from Minnesota can find the fur
naces in Missouri or Southern Illinois or
down in that country where they get
cheap coal, and bring back coal in the
same cars. cars adapted for moving one
moving both, that business alone should
run very soon into millions of tons. That
is one. I know Of no place where the
business would not be increased. 1 know
of no place where it would not be in
creased and benefited. I can imagine
none.
He further explained that the reason
why they had not begun this earlier was
because it was a very large undertaking
for the Great Northern road alone, and
that the Northern Pacific was just en-
merging from an embarrassment which
made it inexpedient for it to join.
The question of a holding company was
not part of the Burlington transaction. 1t
was not discussed or thought of; neither
was there any purpose at that time to
secure control of the Northern Pacific
stock
He said one of the Great Northern di-