Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-22


took the stand today when the Interstate
Commerce commission began its inquiry In
Minneapolis into the relations between the !
railroad companies and the grain companies |
in the northwest
The meeting is held pursuap 4. the La
Toilette resolution adopted ~ Nss at
it's last session. ~
Commissioners Charles A. ~; "a
Franklin K. Lane personally con,
hearing, though several attorneys
ferent grain interests participated 4 e.
questioning.
Mr. Hui proved 60 be willing witnes
Ills answers we're given TO all questions
without hesitation and in detail. He told
of the tremendous grain trafic on his road,
squallins each year twice as much as the
grain hauled into Chicago in year by all
roads running into that city He said that
Z tho Great Northern in 1873 hauled 2,S1OOOO
bushels. while in 1896 this had increased to
probably 115,oO0,OoO bushels. In view OF the
fact that the bulk OF the Great Northerns
business comes from the farmers he said
it has been his policy to aid the farmer
whenever possible
Freight Blockade in Chieago.
rs il the policy Of your road. Mr.. Hill.
to delay freight for any reasong" was one
of the opening questions.
mo. Il certainly Is not" was the reply.
III the connecting roads would move freight
faster we could do a great deal better. The
fact that the traffic is sometimes congested
on our line Is simply the fault of the Inn
mense amount of accumulated business.
Other lines are more open to criticism than
the Great Northern. In Chicago a few days
ago took special pains to make Inquiries
about traiiic and could not set a single
line which would agree 10 move 10000 tons
!. of freight to New York before December
7he Great Northern can right along handle
all business received from the east
promptly the congestion comes from traffic
from the west
ON the specific subject Of grain elevators
Mr.. Ifn testified
Eyes. it is our rule 70 permit anyone 10
ctAsleVatnBs nt ssrAttoRe OF Our ruEid on
the sfight-of-way we now mike our CON
tracts. however. not transferable. as we
have found instances where such appilca-
tions were not made IN good faith and aft
erwsrds sod al good figure We have
found trouble in keeping elevators from
combining. ana sometimes in tracing down
applications for elevator sites have found
dIffereGt applicants to really represent one
interest," We have found Objectionable eie-
vator combiues; we have sometimes built
elevators OF our own and placed some man
10 oha4Ee. In such instances the combines
have tried to freeze our mau out we have
such an instance at Litchfeld, but were
able TO help our man out. But that. gentle
men,, Mr. Hill said. with O smile was be-
fore the passage OF the Interstate commerce
law"
Elevators at DuIuth.
In regard to the Great Northeru's ter
minal elevators at Dulutl. AIr. HIN stated
his company did operate them, bus THAI
because og the Wisconso law requiring
grain in that state 10 be inspected by Wis.
consln inspectors that these elevators were
now leased. Their location is on Wisconsin
ground.
'I think it is greR; detrimea. 10 busi.
ness that we cannot control the loading OF
srain." said NJ. Hill Il think il is the
pest thing for a railroad In have its own
Seminal elevators. unload into them and
tnclulesthe charge for 50 doing IN the freight
rate. BY building our Duluth terminal ele-
VatoTs we reduced for the shipping farm
~ the elevator charge there from l cent
TO y cent bushel This included IN
loading "a the elevator. a short storage
and loaan into boat for shipment through
the lakes. I'VE cleaned. but did not mix the
grain"
Did yoG make a charge for cIeaning?"
mo. sir. II should be remembered that
in eleanirg tho elevator gets the screen.
ings. which are worth s to Sc a ton"
Gn1Au MGAnuu9 Are WFOmE.
Mr.. Hin Thought the present legal method
of handling grain Is wrong; that the farmer
Is too much the victim Of the speculator.
He said every receiving elevator should
devote nself TO simply that business that
The operating in grain should be another
separate business, and that the business
OF the grain mixer should still be an.
other separate business. Mr.. HIN thought
the building Of elevators OF greater ca.
pacity 10 Minneapolis would not relieve
congestion OF grain tTafhc, but he did
think the action of the State Grain com
emission IN sending inspectors as far oul
~ 100 miles 70 inspect grain was a good
move IN this direction, lie strongly oriti
cised the state law which legalizcs sharr
practices OF grain mixers,
do you think the farmer is gettIns
what he should fer his crop?"
Il don't think he is getting what h,
should for some classes Of grain. For in
stance, farmers are now raising a lot O.
durum wheat. There is a good deal O
risk IN what the foreign demand win bt
and a market at home for only lImite,
amount"
Mr, Hill said that elevators are con
j tinually treating the farmers unfairly.
~ We have 20 watch the elevators an Tn,
n time" be said. This work is done by th,
~ trahic department, but as a matter of fac
the department. IS pretty powerIess."
story OF BnGaIO Elevator.
Air. Inn gave an interesting story O
how he happened TO huud a Buffal
terminal elevator, the largest IN the world
costing q. .00Oo0
Along our line and up 10 Buffalo W
were able TO keep good track OF grain W
shipped. beoause It went in our own car
and In ships manned by our own crew
and owned by US. But in one single in
stance there was reported 20 me a shin
load which when weighed at Buffalo wa
? 500 bushels short And, VOL. soon afto
that We built an elevator at Buffalo A
CcOntlnasa "a Thlrd Pass)