The Irish standard., 1906-12-22
SEEK Cause OF
GRAIN BLOCKADE
COMMERCE COMMISSIONERS TOLD
OF LOSSES SUSTAINED By
FARMERS.
PROMISED RELIEF OF
FUEL FAMINE TIMELY
Buildings, Fences and Valuable Tim.
Der Burned to Prevent Freezing to
Death-President Greatly Interest
ed in Situation.

Minneapolis, Mimi, Dec. 19.--The
second day of the interstate commerce
commission inquiry into northwest
facts of first Importance relative to
the effects upon the country of the
grain blockade. The commission had
given over the first day very largely
10 the fuel inquiry with the idea Of
relieving distress, and to this end had
sent out kilograms OF inquiry to many
points asking as to the coal supply
and the prospects of holding out.
kilograms began to pour in early
Tuesday and when reports We're in
from over 20 towns it was clear that
the commission had acted none too
quickly in securing the promise OF CO.
operation on the part of the coal COM
panies and the railroads in relieving
distress for in some LOCALITIES farmers
have been burning their fences and
the outbuildings UP to Monday, and
in other towns piles of valuable lunl-
Der were cut UP into fuel to keep peo-
pie from freezing to death.
Effect Of the Blockade.
The farmers got into the inquiry
later. They came in numbers from
North Dakota and told the commits
sion the story to the effect of the
blockade upon the price of wheat, how
prices have been depressed abnormal.
~ because elevators were full, wheat
lay on the ground at many points,
there was no open market. and they
had either to sacrifice in price or haul
it back home again after having of.
fered it, in some cases two and three
, times.
j. j. Weiser, vice president of the
First National bank OF Fargo: A. i.
Swenson, president Of the. Security
State bank of Barlow. and other North
Dakota bankers and farmers gave tes-
timony showing that failure to move
the crops had put the country COM
mercislly in strained conditions.
Farmers who had ample means to
meet all obligations if they had been
able to turn their product into cash
could not market their grain and so
the effect was felt all along the line.
The commission gave much atten-
tion to the matter of car service, and
i. competing and noncompetitive points.
also to further testimony respecting
time in transit on shipments. Many
more instances of cars in transit for
month or more, over. a short haul,
were offered. y -sn.
The commission at the close of the
hearing expressed itself as startled
at some of the reports sent to it. upon
inquiry, from localities bare of fuel.
and stated that the inquiry had opened
up much new information and has 50
far shown a situation more serious in
every respect than they had expected
to find when they decided to be begin
the investigation.
President Greatly interested.
Washington, Dec. 19.-That Presi-
dent Roosevelt has taken a deter
mined interest with a view to find
ing legislative remedy for the car
shortage in the northwest, which now
threatens the people with freezing
and starvation, because the railroads
are unable to transport fuel and
| food to them, was indicated by a. s7n.
| ference at the White House Tuesday.
The president sent for Senator Hans.
brough and asked him whether the
actual danger of suffering is as great
as has been reported by press dis.
patches and kilograms from individ-
uals. The North Dakota senator re-.
ported that from dispatches he had
received the statement of conditions
in his state, Minnesota and South Da-
kota has not been exaggerated. The
president promised to give the qnes.
ton his personal attention with a
view to alternating any immediate suf.
fering, and said he desired Senator
Hansbrough to devote time and
thought to some legislative remedy in
order to avoid occurrences of pres.
ent conditions.
| To Decorate Ambassador.