The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-11
A Moorhead Merchant Gives Some
Facts Which Help the
-. States Case.
Secretaries Of Minneapolis and Du-
luth Chambers of Commerce q
Ready With Figures.

tablishing the fact that the state has an
individual interest In the conduct Of its
railway systems. Statistics as to receipt
of grain were introduced by the secre-
taries Of the Minneapolis and Duluth
chambers OF commerce, to establish the
interest of the state as representing the
grain growers.
Up Country Witnesses.
The afternoon session which began at
2:30, was taken up with witnesses from
Moorhead, subpoenaed by Attorney Gen
eral Douglas. The agents of the Northern
Pacific and Great Northern were called
to introduce some circular letters from
their superiors laying a foundation for
the testimony of H. A. Wright, a Moor
head merchant. He stated that before
the merger shipments from. Fergus Falls
came via Wadena with a joint rate. This
was taken out, and the merchants were
obliged to pay the sum of the locals or
ship by express. When the litigation
began, the agents of the road said the
stuff was off," and restored the joint
rate. .-. ..,.:...
Frank A. Weld. president of the state
| normal school at Moorhead, testified that
prior to the merger the railroads made
special rates to carry the normal students.
Now they have to pay regular fare over
both lines. .~'r-e
Some Evidence Stipulated.
| II o'clock. An hour had been spent in
conference between, the opposing attor
neys. They succeeded in agreeing to stip
ulate a large mass of evidence showing
the states individual interest in the mer-
ger. This saved many hours of examina-
ton of witnesses.
| The exhibits agreed to were offered by
! Gen. George P. Wilson as evidnce on be-
| half of the complainant. They were four
! in number. The first gave the population
of the state and of the counties in the
| territory traversed by the Northern Pacific
| and Great Northern. The second was a
! statement Of the number and location of
state Institutions, with their population.
| The third was "A: statement given by Chair
1 man LeaHett of the state board of cons
! troll, showing the amount of supplies pur-
| chased by these institutions and shipped
1afong the linestof the two railroads. The
! fourth statement was one prepared by
! George A. Finn state land clerk IN the Of
1 fee Of the state auditor. as to the amount
and value of lands held by the state, and
of lands granted to the railroads.
Some Question, was raised as to part of
this statement, and Mr.. Finn, who was
present. was sworn to substantiate, it. He
said that school lands came close in value
to the railroad land grants made by CON
gress. The average price paid for school
lands since 1885 was 1924 per acre.
| Swamp lands are harder to estimate. not
being on the market. They would range
in value according to location, from So to
| SO an acre. averaging $3.50. to IS. School
lands now held by the state average in
value So per acre, and state institution
| lands about So an acre. About two
thirds are inaccessible, being not less
than forty or fifty miles from the rail-
road. These were largely in the north
ern and eastern parts Of the state,
traversed by the Great Northern and
| Northern Pacific systems mainly.
Estate whether in your Judgment prox-
unity to connecting lines Of railway en-
, hances the value Of land said Attorney
General Douglas.
George B.. Young. for the defendants,
) objected. Mr.. Finn said: : -.
1.-THE more railroads the better for the
value of the land. is the general rule
The average price of school land sold in
1902. said Mr.. Finn. was s972. For state
institution, lands, .$7.12 was. the average
price realized. ~ - "'~.
In reply to Judge Young. Mr.. Finn said
+ that the majority Of state land sold in the
last two years was along the lines Of this
, was also led to state that the sales fol
! the state were on forty years time at I
, / per cent interest. .J.".',.. =
Colonel Rogers Testimony Objected To
= Colonel George D. Rogers; secretary O.
: the Minneapolis chamber of: commerce
: was sworn."::He said he had served clever
years as secretary of the chamber. = IL
;: connection with his duties he kept an of
! fetal record of receipts and shipments; o
e grain and flax seed at. Minneapolis
T. The record was kept, separately for eacl
e railroad. A clerk in the office of eacl
y railroad is paid to- prepare daily re
i ports" Of receipts. and shipments for hi
company, of each commodity. !? IS - -,
It Colonel Rogers=tf1en identified "a state
! B. -
g shipments sof grain and flax seed; durin
the, last five: years, also the receipts: fror
= the Great Northern and Northern. Pacific
u also the production sin the states of Min
= + nesota, North land !. South Dakota, take
:. from the records, of the agricultural de
. partment at Washington.- During thos
a five years 29.2- per- cent of the grain re
ceived at Minneapolis he said, was re
ceived over the Northern Pacific an
i Great Northern 7 The total receipts .fc
the five, years were SAG, 1858, 100 bushels, {
which 161. 909, 55G bushels came in over til
Great Northern and Northern Pacific. TT
IGreat Northern brought 140,305, 44O ?bust
els and the Northern Pacific 21;604,11
p bushels In 1901 total receipts were 1872
= 697 $40: The Great Northern brougl
- 36;715,6 500 and the Northern Pacific 5,719
~ $50 bushels, the two. together hauling 81
lo per cent " ": - :.'+T
} .'.Is there any objection to the Intro
20 duction of this evidence?" asked M
Mum. Is
a. ri certainly object to it as incompt
=, - tent returned Judge Young. He; er
~ tered a motion to strike out the exhib
- as incompetent and immaterial as mere
- ly. hearsay. not the best evidence, and i
70 foundation laid.
is Duluth Receipts Cited
IN S.. A.. Kemp. secretary of the Dulu
lie board Of trade, was sworn to give tt
oe same evidence :;as to receipts and shi
he ments at the head of the lakes. /
y said his records were supplied by the sta
grain inspection department. The inspe
ton Of grain received at West Superb
is made by the Minnesota inspectors, a.
he the records include receipts on both sid
ts of the bay. -4ss us
IN 49,. ,or,,s ct. fen,apf shou,ed totnl ~
tes MI 1919 = : = = z. = - -
go Continued on Sixth Page.