The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-13
BEER SHIPMENTS
ARE The Cheaper
SOME INTERESTING STATEMENTS
WERE BROUGHT OUT AT THE
LAuNDRYMEN's HEARING BE-
FORE THE RAILROAD COM
MIsSIoNERs.

Claiming that beer cases were
shipped over the state Of North Da-
kota and returned at nominal rate
/ OF express charges, and that Iaun-
| drymen were Disseminated against and
Obliged to carry much dead weight the
matter before the railroad commission
Will be considered by the latter after
a brief has been filed with Judge Guy
| c. Fl. Corliss Of Grand Forks.
The hearing adjourned about 3
o'clock yesterday afternoon and there
were some interesting features brought
out.
The laundrymen contend that they
pay fully one-third express charges for
what is dead weight
They also contend that bread has
kets full are sent over the state at
merchandise rates and that the bas-
kets are returned at a nominal charge.
and that in the long run If the laun-
drymen's rate was fixed at merchan-
disc rates with the same charge on
baskets as given the breadmakers they
would be winners.
There was no sworn testimony taken
at the hearing which was attended by
Commissioners Mann and Stutsman.
Commissioner Anderson being detained
on account Of a snow blockade on the
farmers line In the Devils Lake dis
trict
AS was stated yesterday the laundry
men from the Ave cities, Fargo, Devils
Lake, jamestown, Grand Forks and
Wahpeton were represented by Judge
Corliss and the four express companies.
the Northern, the Great Northern. the
Western and the Wells Fargo, by At
torney Duggan of the Forks.
Each OF the laundrymen had some
thing to say and during the discus
sion the statement was made that beer
cases were shipped from Moorhead to
as far west as Dickinson, a distance
Of nearly 80 miles and that the emp
ties were sent back at a cost of 10
cents each.
The laundrymen eontended that dry
cleaned clothing came under the head
OF laundry and that the charge for
that should be the same as laundry
work. 1t was stated that bread bas-
kets which weigh about the same as
the laundry baskets were shipped back
empty at a very small cost, but that
laundry baskets which were being
shipped to the laundry filed with soiled
clothes were charged for at the same
prices as the finished articles. It was
also shown that the baskets weighed
about one third of the entire ship
ment and that the laundrymen were
therefore paying one-third of the en-
tire charges coming and going for
dead weight. AS one of them said
1T looks as though the railroad was
getting two bites off our cherry until
there was nothing left for US but the
stone"
The laundrymen are getting a re-
duction Of about 20 per cent under
the regular prices charged by the ex-
press companies for merchandise, and
they are now objecting to having to
pay full price for the baskets that are
returned full of soiled clcothing. 1t
was stated that even If they paid the
full merchandise price and received
the same terms that were given the
bread makers they would still be win |
ners over the present prices.
Each Of the laundrymen who an |
peared before the commission was
questioned by the representatives of
the express companies and at the close
1t was suggested that Judge Corliss
prepare brief of the laundryman's
idea and that each of the express
companies be furnished with copies
thereof
The commission was IN session about |
five hours here and the members left |
for Bismarck in the afternoon.