The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-22
zen turned TO II T. Hefelfnger. and

asked: .'57' = 7T'87'7''
Why don't you have Mr.. Haskins
send out Just the market price, without
q margin added, and each company
independently send out its own instru e,
tive would be glad to have some
i bureau send out simply the Mime
apolis closing quotations, less the
freight, - was the repIY tff and 4 each
company then send its special instruc-
lions to agents on freight and margin.
This would satisfy the elevator COM
gin added to the. quotation sent out
gives the idea of combination on
prices. There is no pool, no combina-
ton, snothing wrong in the method of
operating the grain business, and what
ever we can do to set the public right
on this subject we will be very glad
to do.''
At the time of your elevator com,
pany meetings, do you notify farmers
elevator companies to attend9' Mr..
Hoskins was asked.
No." replied Mr.. Hoskins, Hsbe-
cause as rule the meetings are not
called until an hour or two before they
are held I would send notices to all
who could attend and whom knew de-
sired to. ..... = At '..-s
Records Not Needed.
Mr.. Hoskins was asked as to where
his records of past operations of the
so.called pool were. g.
haven It them,'' replied Mr.. Hos
kns, "they were destroyed, burned,
not to hide anything, but because they
were no longer used, or needed; our
vault was crowded, and we destroyed
to bo SoI
On further questioning about the al
legged 'pool,' Mr.. Hoskins stated that
for years before it's discontinuance, it
had been dying out as result of gen
eral disfavor shown by the elevator
companies. ~'fI think by Dec. 81,
1905, everything was all off so far as
the old agreement was concerned,'
concluded Mr.. Hoskins. - -,
Hardenburg Called.
Fred Hardenburg of the National
Milling company was next called. His
testimony consisted of the reading of
the following letter: 49,
National Milling Company, Mime.
apolis.
Gentlemen: We have your letter
of Oct. IL and note that you have sent
your superintendent of this line to Clin-
ton to get the grain buyers to agree
s4@nohS LHeulSelVeS DIS W WHAT pFlce 10
pay for grains. You certainly have our
/ hearty approval. and 1 sincerely trust
the buyers will be able to hold prices
this season where we may all be able
to make some money.-Yours truly,
" Montevideo Roller Mill Company,
"H. c. Stebbins, President. !"
y The witness was discharged without
any question: 2 on the subject of the
letter.
Grain Price Bulletin. .:
F. R: Durant of Minneapolis, mana
ger of the grain bulletin bureau, was
the next witness. He explained that
grain concerns, organized in July, 1902,
to furnish quotations on the market as
aid in the transaction of grain business
at various points. At first the subscrib-
ers informally made up the members of
the bureau. Later, more formal organ
lzation was effected for financial sup
port Of the bureau.
said Mr.. Durant. "'Of these, so 20
to farmers elevators, 275 to indepen-
dent elevators, and the rest to Zine ,
elevators. The cards quote the rate
for grain at respective stations-a
maximum rate, but with the profit mar
gin deducted. The quotations are ad-
visorv. not fixed price,
T. Old Station Combine,
AS to the old station combination of
elevators, Mr.. Durant testified that he
had been told his services as supervis-
ing the division of grain between ele-
vators at stations would not be needed
after Jan. l, 1905.
~ took steps, said the witness,
sto see that no one else was doing
the work Of this character that I had
been doing. as it meant a reduction
In my income. l satisfied myself that
the old agreement no longer existed.
When the agreement did exist not over
l25 stations were ever included in it.. -
AS to the cards, Mr.. Durant said:
awe have never solicited sales of our
cards, but anybody who wants them
can have them"
Witness from Aberdeen.
Colonel S. H. Jumper, assistant post
master at Aberdeen, who also is en-
gagged in sending out grain quotations,
was called.
81 send quotations to practically all
grain buyers in a territory between
Twin Brooks and Eureka, Edgeley and
Redfeld,' said Mr. Jumper. ~ sup
ply. market changes to, about 200 sub
scribers. I commenced in October,
1891.
II think I am the originator Of the
socalled card system. I went to Min
neapolis and told the Empire Elevator
company if they would notify me of
quotations would distribute them in
my territory. This was tried and
proved great saver of time and money.
kilograms then cost 10 cents each and
used to pile up so that they sometimes
laid over night at Aberdeen. Then I
originated as a further time and
money saver the plan of sending quo
tations to but one elevator at one sta
ton. This is now generally done thru
out the west
The Quotation Cards. -
Mr. Hoskins testified the following
concerns received his quotation cards
at their elevator points:
Empire Elevator company, on the
Milwaukee road; North1and, on the
500; Columbia Elevator company, on
the Milwaukee,; Crown Elevator COM
THE WHOLE THING