The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-08-30
RAIL men INSPECT THE
GRA|k;;F|ND NO DAMAGE

Winona, August 23-On a tour Of
inspection over the grain raising ter
ritory of Southern Minnesota and
South Dakota for the purpose pri
marily of ascertaining the extent tC
which grain had begun to sprout fol
lowing the recent rains, reports oil
which development had become
alarming from certain sections, H
j. Wagon, general agent, and j. w
Doyle, superintendent of this divis
ion of the Northwestern, have re
turned to their offices in Winona
The two railroad officials are more
enthusiastic than ever over the con
ditions, for they found that prac
tically no grain in the shocks had
sprouted in this territory, that the
rains had caused no damage of any
kind beyond leading to brief delay
in threshing operations and that
farmers and grain men all over the
country tapped by their lines were
never in better spirits over the bum.
No Growth in Shocks.
early this week the reports
which came to our office from scat
tered sections indicated there might
be some loss through the growth of
grain in shock and for that reason
the trip was made, noting carefully
the conditions in various stations, -
said Mr.. Wagon last night. al.
though / inquired of elevator men,
farmers and others in most every
station, l received no information
that there has been damage from
this source. None of the farmers
had noted any sprouting of their
grains. The rains of the early part
of the week extended all over the
territory but because it was cool
and there were drying winds, the
only result was the further delay in
threshing. The agriculturists are not
complaining.
Were at the Pillow.
"A surprising phase of farming
brought out by out trip was the no.
ticable tendency on the part of many
farmers to take advantage of the
damp weather by blowing their
fields for next year. This is espec-
tally true in the west of the terri
tory.
To-day we have reports that the
threshing has been resumed with
most of the outfits along the line
again tackling the grain shocks.
West of Sleepy Eye, where the
seasons rains have not been so
heavy as in the immediate vicinity
of Winona, there is much more
shocking already completed than
east of that station. The work seems
to be more advanced to the west.
Movement of Crops.
I'VE were never in better shape
for the movement of the grain than
at this time. With the information
and positive evidence that the yield
would be a bumper one, We began
long ago to assemble our rolling
stock in the territory where it will
be needed. Today, our trip revealed.
we are playing what could be term
ed "a waiting game Every sidetrack
is crowded with box cars and hum
dreds of these cars are distributed
all along the line.
ITO date there has been only a
brief amount of shipping of grain,
although we expect the demands up-
on our road will be heavy within the
next few days if the rain holds off.
Six Solid Trains.
Late last week in one day, $50
cars of grain came out of our Da-
kota territory, making six solid
trains. We have averaged from forty
to fifty cars a day on the division
but the rain halted the movement
simultaneously with the threshing.
Within the next few weeks
many solid trains of grain, some
days following one another as rap
idly as possible, will pass through
Wlnona. This grain. however, will
not represent all that is garnered
from our territory for much of it
VIII md its way into MINNEAPOLIS,
The Chicago grain, however, will
pass through Winona.
Our engines and equipment of
every kind is entirely adequate and
there will be no shortage in this
section at least, of grain cars
Loading reports which have come
In today indicate that the loading is
again becoming normal"