The Dickinson press., 1912-04-20
BOWMAN COUNTY GRAIN
ANOTHER view OF Affair

>~~
publish the following article from the
Slope County News, published at Bessie,
in Billings county, giving another side
of the Bowman seed grain matter:
Many of the readers of the News, who
appreciate the endeavor of this papel
to be ION the square" with everyone.
have come to this office and inquired
about the seed grain disturbance, recent:
ly stirred up by Bowman agitators ant
their cohorts.
The editor refused to express even an
opinion until a thorough investigation
was made, by him personally. The
following facts were obtained:
The Western Lumber & Grain Co. OF
Bowman is furnishing seed grain fol
that part of Billings county tributary t
the Milwaukee railroad. The county is
paying the company ST.. 10 for wheat
which is selling for cash to others for
$3.50. Oats which Billings county is
getting from the grain company for 81
cents is bringing IS cents from all in
dividuals. There was no bid made by
| the Western on flax, 50 the price is the
same as the regular price of S. IFS.
In addition to this price Billings
county is adding four cents per bushel
to the price,. Understand it is not the
grain company. The county claims
that the additional four cents is to
| defray expense on clerk hire. postage,
notices, etc.
As to the quality of the gram. there
is no question as to the wheat. flax or
oats being extra fine. with the excep-
ton of the wild oats. Such unreason-
able statements have been made that
seventy grains of wild oats were taken
from q handful of oats. Three good
| sized handiuls were taken from the sack
of a Billings county farmer, just before
it was loaded, which was taken from
the bin. Upon actual count there were
2507 grains of good oats. II grains of
wild oats, 2 grains of broken wheat and
one grain of cookie. Or in other words
| there was four-fifths of one per cent of
foul grain. These oats are Montana oats
which were insisted upon by the county
commissioners. The wheat was number
one Northern. good full grains but with
q light trace of wild oats. which farm
ers say can readily be cleaned or aoated
out of the wheat.
Another point upon which there was
some complaint was the matter of the
signing of the release"
This release has been signed by Bill.
lings county residents at the same Office
in 1910 and 1911 the same as this
year. Upon walking to the Bagley ele-
vator, it was found that each purchases
was signing the release of the same
nature and all bins were labeled ''un-
cleaned seed" (
Samples of these various release
and samples of the seed may be seen
at the News Office, with the thorough
understanding that not one grain Of
foul seed be taken from the samples,
Different we'll informed farmers have
examined the samples We hole. and have
pronounced the seed excellent only fol
the presence of the wild oats, which il
is claimed, are found everywhere. Thu
company claims that perfectly clear
grain cannot be obtained. r
Robert Ripe of the Bowman mill sale
he had secured Minnesota and coult
not fill the orders for perfectly clear
oats, on account of the scarcity of sucl
seed.
We shall make no comment. w,
have stated but facts upon which til.
farmers may decide.
The foregoing article appeared in til,
News two weeks ago and this week til,
same paper printed the following edi
torial comment, which appears t indi
cate that the editor liked the Starl
county way a little the best after all.
Why were the county commissioners
of Bowman and Billings counties so lat
on the job of inspecting the seed grain
They might have saved their necks il
the coming elections, had they takel
their later steps, earlier In the game.
Stark county had inspectors watch eves;,
bushel of grain sold to their county