The San Francisco call., 1905-05-10
COAST MILLERS
ENTER PROTEST.

CHICAGO, May e.-The Interstate
Commerce Commission during its
corn products investigation" to-day
heard representatives of California
milling interests who protested
against a reduction of the 10 per
cent differential existing on corn meal
rates over rates on corn from Ne
braska to Pacific Coast points.
w. c. Keller. president of the
Globe Grain and Milling Company of
San Francisco. testified that even the.
10 per cent differential rate is SO low
as to greatly injure the business of the
California millers.
The cost of manufacturing corn
meal" declared Keller, lis so great
to us that if the differential were
lower we could in no way compete
with the Nebraska men. If it is low
cred we will simply have to go out of
business in California. 1t should be,
TO be fair, at least 20 cents instead of
10 cents
W. NJ Smith and c. S. Laumeister,
other San Francisco cereal manufac-
turers. made similar statements.
Chairman Clements then announced
that the corn investigation would rest
for the present and that the commits
sion would proceed with an investiga-
tion into woodenware rates.
Silas Pullard, attorney for the
Menasha (Wis.) Woodenware Com
pany, entered a complaint that certain
transcontinental railways are charging
more for transporting woodenware
from Wisconsin to Pacific Coast points
than from the Pacific Coast to Chi
cago and other cities of the Central
States. The Northern Pacific and the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy rail-
ways were the roads specified.
James B. Kerr appeared as the rep
resentative of the Northern Pacific
interest, while ]. p. Dawes represent
ed the Chicago, Burlington and Quin-
cy Railroad
Henry N. Mann Of Chicago, who was
formerly president Of the Two Rivers
Manufacturing Company, Two Rivers,
Wis. testified that his company had
been driven out of the State by the
excessive rate charged by the railways
for shipments by Western manufactur-
ers of woodenware. The witness de-
cIared that when relief was asked for
the railway men arrested the request
with the statement that the packers
dictated the rate Of 55 cents given the
Western people.
THE high rate charged us for ship
ments to the Pacific Coast" said Mann,
drove us out of the State of Wash
ington, and the low rate given the coast
manufacturers practically Killed our
trade in the Missouri River district"
J. M. Hannaford, second vice presi-
dent Of the Northern Pacific lines, at
this point in the hearing took the stand
and explained the situation from the
railway point of view. Hannaford de-
clared that 1T was he who made the
rate to the woodenware factory own
ers in Tacoma and that the rate was
. not made at the dictation Of the pack
ers.
1.-The Pacific Coast people," said Han
naford, consulted us concerning a
better rate which would enable them
to ship to the Missouri, and we made a
rate of 81 05. This proved too high
and the rate was gradually reduced
until finally 1t was made 65 cents. II
an equal rate existed we could not hold
this Western business and we cannot
afford TO lose it."
Your own business interests, how
ever" said Commissioner Prouty, "con-
stitute one thing and an act of justice
to all shippers is another thing. The
two must be merged, don't you think?"
VERY true" was the reply, but we
maintain that both rates are just
j. W.. Brokaw of Tacoma testified
that a higher rate than 60 cents given
the Western points would kin the busi-
ness to Missouri River points.