The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-24
NORTHWESTERN BUSINESS GOSSIP.
Trouble for Northwestern Mllers IN Wheat Now Moving
ss Eastward at Low Rate North Coast Lines Rapidly
s.s Increasing Steamship Facilities migration In
u ss creases Wholesale Trade s9tI

saf 81 Is s. - - -,
81 Wheat Tor export, now moving down the
lakes at. a. low rate, will interfere with
the export, -four trade Of northwestern
nfills for six months to come After q
tug OF war between eastern and western
lines the railroads Of he<country have
given export -four, concession until
July i, In the meantime the boat lines
are storing up trouble for the millers by
carryingswheatttozthe the, east at a rate which
discriminatesg against -four to the extent
1 OF s53a cents per sbarreb a. good margin in:
the fouritrade.; For months to come the
northwestern miller, endeavoring to sell
bis surplus product in the foreign mai kst,
must combat this adverse condition. The
export flour trade will benefftElittles by the
sop In the form of a temporary conc ession
In rate; and the foreign miller is being
armed for the future in the present move
ment down the lakes. .ssls 4 go 81 +.
5 In. the Improvement OF the condition of
the northwestern miller as a factor in the
foreign flour trade, conditions on the
lakes are an obstacle. y. All boats can
carry wheat but only boats controlled by
railway lines or working in conjunction
with railways can carry -four. The tramp
boats begging for cargo at. low rate
can loadands unload, at railway terminals
II they carry wheat. But the railway ter.
minals. are not open to tramp boats carry
ing -four. The -four rates are strictly
maintained at tariff while the wheat rate
suffers through the competition: of the
numerous boats after the business: II:
the railways would allow our. traffic the
use, Of terminals at lake ports without
regard to the classification Of the boat
carrying it large part Of the niller's
trouble would disappear. He can fur
nish -four in necessary Quantities for
transportation down the lakes but his
opportunity in the. competition for, traffic
is cut off by combining him to line. boats.
At Mercy or the Railroads.
This policy has thrown the miller en-
tfrely: on the mercy of$the railways, and
the traffic men are making what appears
to be an earnest effort to assist in i'm -
proving the export -four trade. BY max
ing a temporary reduction they have rec
ognized lake connection and the princi-
pie that export -four deserves lower rate
than domestic. But at the present time
the railroads are carrying little wheat
and the -four. shipments are. gradually
growing less. The boats are beating them
out. Of the wheat traffic and in order: to
improve, their receipts northwestern lines
see the necessity of doing something Tor
-four If the railroads will exert them
selves as forcibly in behalf of&export flour
during the coming winter months, part OF
the difficulty may be overcome. If in
stead Of raising rates as soon as the boat.
lines are tied UP for the. winter and
thereby forcing wheat into lake ports TO-
aWait the opening OF navlgatlon T. tneY , Will
give exports hour a talr rate me M
sales abroad VIII increase ana more ~
Minneapolis for grinding. ,..,a,7E
e.,+,o uyo,+h con.,de.,p.
a " -U' : ~ ?
This. IS "a proposition which the mil Hers
intend to put before the traffic men. It
means more business for all of the rail-
roads than under the present system.
Central freight association lines: which
have through old prejudfces fought con
cessions to export flour, would, then get
In the form OF -four a, part OF the traf1ic
which now goes down the lakes as wheat
and which does; not touch the rails or the
'ep l ''', ~ = ST.
Do Boat Lines for r. RS. - ray ''!',, u
Millers are closely followingsth the discus
rafI