The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-08-01
PAPER MEN Want
RATES ON PULP
WOOD INCREASED
State Manufacturers Contend
That Low Freight Tariffs to
Wisconsin Endangers Mime
sofa Paper Industry.

Z According to the paper ana pup
manufacturers of Northern Minnesota
the exceedingly low freight rates on
pulp wood from the numbering towns
of the northern part OF the state to the
paper manufacturing districts OF WIS
consin, threaten to drive from Mime
sofa the infant paper manufacturing
industries which have been founded
during the past few years.
To protect their interests the paper
men will soon present petition to the
state railroad and warehouse commits
sion, asking that the railroads be al
lowed to restore the old rates, which
were in force prior to Jan. 1, 1903. 1t
is said that the lines operating in the
pulp wood district are willing and
ready to again place the old tariffs IN
vogue, if the commission will allow the
change.
Up to last January there was no
special classification for pulp wood. At
that time some of the pulp wood deal
ers in the northern part of the state
asked the railroad commissioners to
have pulp wood scheduled under
separate list 1t had been rated the
same as lumber, and the roads were
receiving ii cents a 100 pounds, for
hauls from Duluth to points in the Fox
and Wisconsin river valleys.
A conference was held between the
commission and the northern roads,
and after the matter had been briefly
discussed, it was agreed by the lines
to reduce the rate on pulp wood from
IA to cents from Duluth. The rate
under the new classification from Clio
quet and other northern points was
placed at 10 to IL cents.
AS soon as the new rates went into
effect, wood dealers in Northern Min
nesota began to ship vast quantities
of pulp wood to Appleton and the other
cities of the Wisconsin paper manu-
featuring district. The dealers were
able to secure better prices for their
men than the home millers could af-
product from the Wisconsin paper
ford to pay. The high freight rates
had protected the Minnesota industry
for years. but as soon as the new clas-
sification went into effect the pulp
wood was sold to outside concerns to
be manufactured in Wisconsin.
Shortly after the new rates We're
made last January the Minnesota pulp
manufacturers asked railroads to re-
store the old tariff. AT that time they
We're informed that the action was i'm
possible, as the Wisconsin legislature
was in session and that nothing could
be done which would antagonize the
powerful paper milling industry of that
state, as retaliatory measures would
certainly be demanded of the legiSla-
ture However, the Minnesota manu-
facturers were promised that the pulp
wood rates would be restored to their
old scale after the adjournment of the
Wisconsin lawmakers.
AS but little wood is shipped during
the summer, the paper men of North
ern Minnesota have not pressed the
matter of the restoration of the former
rates. However, there has been con-
siderable quiet work done by the pa
per men, and it is expected that within
a few weeks the state railroad and
warehouse commission will be present
ed petition asking that the rail-
roads be given permission to re-estab-
lish the rates which existed prior to
Jan. l.
Commissioner Staples, who returned
recently from the East, says that it
has been intimated to him that the
Minnesota pulp and paper manufac-
turers are dissatisfied with the rates
now in vogue and that a readjustment
will be asked.
The paper men claim" said Mr..
Staples, that the low rates on pulp
impossible for them to continue in
business as the wood dealers can get
better prices for their products from
the Wisconsin mills. The old rate pro-
tected the paper industry and the
manufacturer want it restored.
while in Maine l made careful
study of the pulp and paper industries
and have come to the conclusion that
they should be fostered and protected