The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-20
First Witness Up Says Min.
neapolis Had a Lower
Rate to Boston. e..
Milwaukee Hearing on Rela.
ton of Roads and Grain
Men in Full Swing.

Milwaukee, Wis, Nov. 2O.-The in
terstate commerce commissioners,
Charles A. Prouty and franklin K
Lane, began an examination of several
Milwaukee railroad and elevator men
2 today in pursuance of the La Toilette
resolution passed at the last session Of
congress.
information is desired in regard to
the, alleged mixed grading of grains
and the relations between the railroads
and the grain interests.
A; K. Taylor of the firm of Fagg &
Taylor was the first witness examined
by the commission. Mr.. Taylor testi-
fed that his firm operated elevator
cago, Milwaukee & st. Paul Railway
company. The firms business was to
buy an sell cash grain. It did not
d1scrlmlnate; grain was bought and
sold On it's merits.
Minneapolis Favored.
He had slight grievance over the
matter of grain rates from Milwaukee
from Minneapolis to Boston, stating
that Minneapolis had better thru: rate
by Pa cents. The Milwaukee road did
T not. make any switching charges: for
grain coming. over its system. He did
not know of any combination to fix
SCTlCGlV
competitive order. ~ -.
Herman FRANKIE of the FRANKIE Grain
company operated similarly to the last
named firm. He classed so-called SCOOP
shovelers as unreliable and would not
deal with them, as they were not on
the market the year round.
One Firm Threatened.
D. J. Owen of the firm of Owen &
no oy,,11 T.
time received letter from the Tri-
State Grain Dealers association invit-
ing his firm to deal only thru "regu-
Z lar" dealers, and that if his firm dealt
with any of the so-called scoopshovel-
ers, it would result in trouble for him.
=, The understanding Of his firm was
mat, IN order to get what is called the
an elevator in the city or use public
elevator. He had no complaint against
the services of elevators operated by
the railroads. 49,. ~.
H. NJ. Stratton of the G. Lull con-
Germ also described the scoopshoveler
as not responsible, in that he did not
provide market all the year round.
AS to the transit privilege, Mr.. STRAIT
ton said if man does enough business
ne could ship on transit, otherwise a
charge OF 81 car, regardless of weight,
would be demanded.
J. Ogden Armour Sworn.
j. Ogden Armour, president of the
Armour Packing company, large holder
OF stock in the Armour Grain company,
Nicola Elevator company, Atlas Eie-
vator company, and also owner Of large
blocks of stock in the Milwaukee road.
Pennsylvania lines, Union Pacific rail
road and other railways, was the most
important witness who appeared before
the committee.
Knows Of No Favoritism.
Mr.. Armour was asked regarding the
ownership Of certain = elevator com
panies having elevators on the lines of
the Milwaukee road, the Burlington
and others. He testified that the com
panles in questionable Atlas company.
the Nicola and others-are entire1y
owned by the Armour Grain COMPANY.
and that he might be construed as own.
ing the controlling interest in them bv
reason Of that fact
''Do you know Of any instances of
favorltlsm shown to you as a shipper
because OF the stock owned by you in
the railroads you have namedS''
MI. Armour said he was unaware of
any special favors shown him and re-
peated the statement when asked as to
specific instances. He denied any
knowledge. of any rebating or other
forms of favoritism.