The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-22
Ally IN G"S
HILL WRONG, SAYS
F. I. HE;F|| # I;
GRAIN MAN coNTRADIoTs THE
RAILROAD PRESIDENT.
Declares the Trouble with Grain Traf-
dc Lies in Delay by Railroads, Not
in Inability to Handle Grain at Ter
minals. xts i,sPesiEs.

m1ualS. H. flst.Gstkfs5 fs4 ssstS{ 81 :s3sgz
Frank T. Heffelfnger was the star
witness at the interstate commerce
hearing, conducted by Commissioners
Prouty and Lane in the federal build
! ing yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Heffel-
finger was we'll supplied with informa-
ton, evidently eager to testify and
explain in detail methods used by the
grainmen of the northwest. and espe-
assertions which had been made earlier
in the day by James j. Hill.
Mr.. Heffelfnger explained that his
company controlled lOS n1Monarch y
elevators along various railroad lines.
To show that his houses, however, had
no monopoly Of the business, he asserted
that along the same lines there were
sixty-seven independent houses, thirty
| nine farmers houses, and five track
! buyers. AS to the much-talked-of mar
Commerce bureau, he asserted that, tho
all his houses received them, during
the past year in seventy-six out of the
+; 10S houses his buyers had paid from i
! to cents over the basis of these. card
| quotations. At present, at twenty five
| stations, his houses were paying above
card rates. The reason more are not
! are filed and can't handle more grain
until the railroa DIS supply the cars with
which to move the grain to market. Be-
cause Of this delay, especially along the
| Great Northern, Mr.. Hefelfnger said,
the elevator companies are losing thous-
ands of dollars. : .s'-- p.
Can't Get Grain Cars.
"We have at present $4,000 bush->
els Of grain in our houses, which is
practically all sold, and yet we can t
get it IN to take advantage Of the pres
ent market. IL < r..
"Mr. Hill said the inability to handle
/ the crop was at the terminals con
tinued Mr.. Hetfelfnger. "This is not
true. We could handle three times the
amount of grain we are receiving at
vacant room for 100000 bushels. If
we could market our grain this month
we could get $4,000 more for it than
we can by selling it next month. Now.
! I am not saying it is the fault, that
it is because of the negligence of the
railroads, that the, grain is not being
moved faster, but that it seems simply
impossible to handle the crop with the
facilities they have at PRESENT.
Mr.. Heffelfnger then went into the
| subject of profits made by the big line
elevators. He said he would give under
oath a statement that the gross margin
secured by his company last year on
| it's grain was 3.S cents a bushel; that
the expense amounted to 3.3 cents a
bushel. This gave the company net
profit Of but half a cent a bushel, and
| he left it tc the commission to decide
| whether or not it could be looked upon
as an excessive rate of profit.
"Give Us the Carsl'' .:...
"Our profits would be considerably
increased said Mr.. HeffeIfnger. Hif
the. railroads would all handle our
grain promptly and give us the cars
needed Som chow, there don It seem to
be the 'empties moving this year there
were this time last year. As have
said, the railroads may not be wholly
to blame, but in the case of the Great
Northern, it has always been true that
Mr.. Hill is very dictatoriaI.'' -s5"''2:
In regard to insinuations made of a
combine of the big grain men to con-
troll the market of The northwest, Mr..
| Hetfeihnger was emphatic in his denial.
There IS absolutely no arrangement
said, Gin Minnesota or anywhere else,
relative to combination to fix prices.
There is absolutely no elevator trust,
agreement on price, or pooling of in
terests, or anything approaching a
monopoly: I, deny the tintimations
made in this direction by Mr.. Hill. Mr..
Hill has always advocated lots Of
houses and big capacity, because they
are good thing for him as well as for
the farmer: The elevator is as good
receipt IS as good as money anywhere.
Whom Hill Should Help.
1--WE are the people Mr.. Hill should
help. We are the :, middlemen who
carry the grain bag for the farmer.
He has already received his prevailing
market price for his grain. He has
had our cash for 1t: Now we can It
get the grain to market ourselves until
the. market falls. We won't get the
grain out of our country elevators we
may say four, months, if we don t get
more ears than we are receiving at
PRESENT. 49,. 7.-',(<
Mr.: Heffelfnger had nothing good to
say for the so-called 'scoopshoveler.
"The scoopshoveler has no house. no
expense, and moves out and away when
ever he feels like it. We feel we have
right to fight him to- a fnish.''
On the subject Ct Of mixing grain the
contradict Mr.. Hill $; statement as to
illegal mixing being carried on. No
reputable house practices any such
means as he descfibed. And as to Mr..
Hill s statement that one-quarter Of q
cent. is enough for transferring grain.
| wish to go on record as saying. it
can't be done even for one-half cent
and any money be made. / want fur
Their to deny the statement about the
farmers not being able to take care
Of their own grain themselves to Z
great degree. Figures show that they
have stored fully 3o1per cent Of the
crop themselves - -. f. # 81
Farmers Elevators. .
Following Mr.. Heffelfnger on the
stand were a number of managers Of in
dependent farmers elevators. James
Steen, manager Of the. Monterey farm
ers' elevator, told Of his company max.
Ing 500 net profit last year and han.
ding 233, 900 bushels, and raising the
price Of grain at that point to 8 cents
cents bushel. Steen, tho Of rustic ap-
pearance, was a true wit and kept the
courtroom in an uproar of. laughter,
So you are the nan who draws the
salary7'' inquired Judge Koon.
No, I'm the man that does the
work = was the reply, which concluded
J.. c. C. Enesteat of .Bellview said his
elevator made $1,000 last year and han
died $4,000 bushels. He receives the
card Of quotations from the Chamber
Of Commerce and was glad to get it. IT.
%. Stone, manager TIL Of the Marietta
farmers elevator, said they handled
10000 bushels last year and made q fair
profit. He received the card. It was |