Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-10-23
Official of National Grain and
Elevator Company Gives
Testimony Today
RIVALS THE BOARDS OF TRADE
Companies Dealing With Competitor.
of the Kansas City Board Had Trou-
BILE in Marketing Grain-RaiIroads
Made Extra Elevator Charges in
Some Cases.

Kansas City, Oct. 23-B. r. Beall,
of the National Grain and Elevator
Co., was the first witness today before
the interstate commerce grain hearing.
He testified his company. is affiliat-
ed with the national board of trade,
Kansas City. rival of the Kansas
City board of trade; that farmers who
dealt with the national board and its
members were blacklisted by the
Kansas City board; that the rules OF
the latter board provided that any
member of the organization dealing
with members Of the national Were
liable to suspension.
His company had experienced con-
siderable trouble from the Kansas City
board of trade and from the railroads
in moving its grain outside of KAN
sas City. when we," he continued,
attempted to export shipments OF
wheat at New Orleans thru the Illinois
Central elevator in that city there was
placed an embargo OF 51e cents
bushel on the shipment for running
wheat" He protested vigorously to
the officials of the Illinois Central
railroad and the charges were consid-
erably reduced.
I'VE cannot tell how many Kansas
City dealers will be witnesses" said
John H. Marble, attorney for the COM
mission. Fifteen grain men have been
subpoenaed to appear. Whether more
will be asked to testify depends on the
character of the testimony given"
N. p. Simonds, of the Simonds-
Shields Grain Company, members OF
the. Kansas City board of trade, and
buyers and sellers Of grain, testifies :
Yesterday that his partner, E. W..
Shields, is manager of an elevator in
Kansas city, portion Of the storage
tanks of which his firm leases froI.
the Chicago, Milwaukee st. Paul
railway.
On direct examination, Mr.. Simonds
said that Mr. Shields was employed as
manager of the elevator by the Mil
waukee railroad and received a stated
monthly salary This salary, he said,
was not increased in any manner by
any concessions received from the rail-
road. Later. in reply to a question
from Commissioner Clark, Mr.. Simonds
admitted that there were no switching
charges made by the Milwaukee rail-
road on grain passing in. and out Of
the elevator, if 1t came over that road,
but that a. charge Of $5 car was made
if handled by any other road.
Mr.. Simonds denied that the fact
that Mr.. Shields was manager OF the
elevator had anything to do with the
reasonabletess Of his FIRMS lease on
the elevator.
Mr.. Simonds said that in bidding for
grain in the country his firm did not
deal entirely with what are termed
regular elevator men, but said they
did not like to bid for grain owned by
independent elevator men for fear 1t
might create a feeling" with the reg
ulars. They had, prior to two years
ago, received a few isolated letters
from Oklahoma and Kansas persons,
asking them not to place bids with cer-
tain grain men, but had not let it in
fuence their action.
Frank q. Crowell, vice president Of
the Hall-Baker Grain Company, on
gagged principally in exporting grain,
which leases elevators in Kansas and
Nebraska, was asked:
''Has your company been In any
agreement to fix prices?"
mot now. l have no doubt that up
to about two years ago the predeces-
sor Of this company had been party
to such agreements"
G. H. Hunter, a miller of welling-
ton, Kas., said that the effect of mix
ing grain in the elevators was detri-
mental. He said he had mixed grain
to sell himself. His object was to sell
1t with no consideration Of the effect
L. had a.. III -four