The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-12-05
FLOUR RATES
STILL TOO HIGH
SOUTHWEST GETTING THE ADJ
VANTAGE OVER NORTHWEST.
Leading Miller Says Tendency Is to
Drive Manufacturing to East-Flour
Favored by Southwestern Lines
Advance of One Cent Means Much to
5Nfills

Notwithstanding a slight reduction
made yesterday by the Central Freight
association on export shiments, the
flour rate situation in the northwest Is
far from satisfactory to the millers,
and tothose of the Minneapolis-Chi-
cago lines which stood with the mill
ers IN protesting the arbitrary advance
set for Dec. i.
The reduction is really an aggrava-
ton, and If the high rate policy is con-
tinued it will mean something serious
to Minneapolis interests, tending to
drive the manufacturing business to
the east.
The advance made Dec. was prac-
tically an addition of 8 cents barrel
to the cost Of -four laid down, because
made at such q time that the millers
had to change from the low Lakeland
rail rate to the advanced all-rail rate.
Realizing, after experience with the
high rate. that the traffic was dimin-
ishing in favor Of the gulf routes, the
cuss1on yesterday, cut its advance
from cents to l cent. After Dec. !
the rate on export grain and grain
products all rail from Chicago to New
York was 171z cents hundred
pounds. By the reduction the rate or
Minneapolis flour after Dec. 10 will
be based on 1914 cents from Chicago
apolis, reduction of 2 cents a bar.
rel. Domestic rates remain.
The domestic all rail rates from
Minneapolis to New York had beer
advanced from 25h cents to 271.
cents and on export from % to q
cents.
One of the leading millers said to-
day:
Evidently the southwestern railway
lines appreciate the value of continu.
Gus flour shipments and give favora
BILE export rates on -four in preference
to making low rates on wheat, which
moves spasmodically. The north
western lines and Central freight anC
trunk lines not only adopt an opposite
policy, but rub 1t in good and hard
The Central freight and trunk line:
forbid entirely competition from the
southern lines via Newport News. The
distance from st. Louis to Norfolk
Newport News and Baltimore are
| greater than from Chicago to the same
ports; yet the st. Louis miller cal
ship until at least Jan. I, 1904, t
these ports at rate of 10 cents {
hundred. To-day the rate from Chi
cago to the same ports is II cents {
| hundred. 49,
"The Minneapolis millers, becaus,
| of their splendid organization, larg'
capital invested, and the prestige ant
| Oh IIlolI ITduc IldIkS, lid.
for one or more years continue t,
pay higher prices relatively thar
other markets; and by economy il
manufacturing and distributing thei
products, hold their own, notWith
standing the present disadvantages
but if the present basis is. continued
failure is inevitable. Already tn
trend of manufacturing is eastward
and this will be continued If a we
established industry is to be discrim
mated against by what appears to u
unreasonable and unfair rates. Il 81
The same miller called attentiongt
a report that flour from the south
west was being favored by the rail
(. roads as compared with wheat, max
ing the crop movement one Of flour in
stead of wheat. This is a move tina
would please Minneapolis miller
greatly if it could be brought abou
by an adjustment Of rates from tn
northwest. a go $50.