The Mena weekly star., 1906-07-19
I0PROB[ [GRA|NBUS|N[SS|
interstate Commerce Commission is to Investigate Relations Between
 Elevators and Railroads.
INQUIRY AUTHORIZED BY THE SENATE
A"e commission will Endeayor to Deter hiihe to What Extent Special Favors Oranted by the Carrying Roads Have 'nnuenced the Market and the Injury It Has Worked to Producers.

washington, July l4.-An investiea- tion IS to be made by the interstate commerce commission by authority or the United States senate. of the elevator, grain buying and forwarding Duslness of the country to determine to what extent special favors have been granted to them by railroad com panles; the influence which the alleged monopolizing os this branch has upon the market; the injury it has worked to grain producers; the extent 10 which railroads, their officers. direc- tors, stockholders and employes own or control the grain buying and grain forwarding companies; and the man. ner in which such holdings. if any. were secured
 The interstate commerce commits sion has sent a circular to every rail road corporation in the United States, requesting it's responsible officials to furnish to the commission as soon as practicable, information which will enable it to report to congress next December.
 In brief, the commission desires railroad ,qompanies to supply it with the name .ahd location of every grain elevator along their lines, together with the capacity of the elevator and whether the elevators are used solely by their operators; the name and ad- of Gf.,,, erating the elevators; whether any oi the elevators are located upon the lands of the railroad company and whether such privilege of location is open to other persons desiring sto erect elevators along the railroad lines; what, if any, interest the rail- road companies have in elevator pro- perties and whether any allowance in money or otherwise is made by the railroad companies for the elevation or transfer of grain; the names and addresses of the ten persons or firms who have been the largest shippers of grain over the railroad lines since June, 1905; the extent, if any, to which each railroad company since June, 1905 has been engaged in the buying or selling of grain; the extent so far as may be known, to which any officer or employe of the railroad has been engaged in the operation of any ele- vator; description of all special fa- cilitles or privileges which the rail-. road companies, during the three years last passed, have provided under stress of competition or other condi- tions to maintain or increase the volume of grain traffic over the lines of railroads, together with details of such special privileges or facilities, and a statement showing in detail the methods of the railroad companies in distributing the cars for the ship ment of grain.
 It is expected by the commission that it will require three or four months to obtain the information ssked. for in it's circular letter but So special difficulty is anticipated uti- mately in obtaining it. The investi- cation instituted by the commission will be thorough and sweeping and he commission expects to De able at he beginning of the next session ot congress to lay before the senate such information as may be of value to 1t ia the formulation of legisuation regulat- Ing the interstate grain traffic of ths country.