The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-09-03
GRAIN ELEVATORS
Are Not Holding up the Farmers
by Paying Low Price for
Grain in fuIbertson.

trip into the Dane valley Settle
ment last Sunday and talked with
several farmers IN regard TO the
price Of grain IN Cuibertson. Some
OF the farmers in this vicinity seem
to be Of the opinion that the Cul-
bertson Elevator men are pursu-
ing hold up game by offering the
farmers too low a price for their
grain and that there is too much
difference between the prices paid
here and the prices quoted in
Chicago, Minneapolis and Duluth.
The reporter promised to look
into the matter and if the farmers
were not being treated right to re-
port same in the Searchlight.
Upon asking the price Of No.
Northern wheat at the time this is
written "wednesday we find that
it is 76 cents in Culbertson and 90
cents in Duluth and Minneapolis a
difference OF 40 cents.
The freight rate from CulDertson
is ~ cents per hundred weight,
which together with the commits
sion paid for selling carloads there,
amounts 10 about IS cents per
bushel, leaving . margin Of about
s cents to the Culbertson elevators
for handling the grain, paying the
elevator investment, insurance Of
grain entransit, and all the Incl
dental cost of running an elevator,
including salaries OF manager
and helpers.
This the reporter is convinced
is as small a margin as the busi-
ness will permit, and we are salts
fed that farmers could not ship
their grain themselves and make
more money by SO doing.
The price of grain is constantly
fluctuating, either up or down. As
for instance few weeks ago wheat
sold as high as SI.4I per bushel
in Chicago this was while Patten
held corner. Since that time. the
movement has been downwards,
dropping as much as 20 cents in
Fone day, until 1t has apparently
reached lower level OF 90 to 90
cents in Chicago and Minneapolis.
"a to Is cents IN Culbertson.
All the elevators in Culbertson,
and in fact all the elevators in all
the towns in Montana, North Da-
kota, Minnesota and several other
states, are furnished price lists
from a central office in the 7 win
Cities. These quotations are based
upon the prices paid there, freight
charges, distance from-market, etc.
and are exstly the same to all.
For instance the price OF grain
at each elevator in Culbertson is
the same, and the difference be-
tween Culbertson and that at Will
liston is just the difference in the
freight charges from each point to
Minneapolis.
The margin OF about five cents a
bushel is charged 10y all elevators
in all states. and it is safe to say
that farmers elevator, or one
owned by farmers, cannot do busi-
ness on less margin and pay the
necessary expenses OF running the
elevator.
One farmer in Dane Valley
made the assertion to the reporter
that the elevators in Culbertscn
were all owned or controlled by
one man, viz, NJ. ]. Dunn, who
is manager Of the Hanson & Bar
zon Elevator. This assertion is
absurd on the face OF it,
Hansen & Barron own and con-
troll a number OF elevators, but
never more than one in a town.
the same may be said OF the I'm
perial Elevator Company. Her
man Dethmanis the local manager
of the Imperial in Culbertson. OF
the other two, c. H. Sowle is
owner Of the Valley Elevator and