The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-03-15
TRAFFIC EXPERT BEFORE STEEL
TRUST PRosERs SAY GAINS
AID STOCKHOLDERS.
FREER GIVES TESTIMONY
Declares Minnesota Iron Range Lines
Gains in 1910 Were $40 Per
Ccnt.-Other News Of
Congress.

tended to show that subsidiary rail
road companies all connected with the
United States Steel corporation, by
high freight rates. earn large divi-
dends which go to stockholders of
the steel corporation. and that such
railroads are an advantage to the
steel trust, over competing concerns
that own none, were submitted to the
Stanley investigating committee by
Guy NJ. Freer, a traffic expert.
An effort to shut out opinions ct
the witness as to re%asonableness of
certain rates was made by Republican
members of the committee. but it fail
ed when The committee supported the
decision of Chairman Stanley by a
strict party vote.
Statistics presented by Mr.. Freer
showed high freight rates on ore
roads and large earnings. The Du-
luth, Missabe and Northern railroad.
he showed, in 1910 made a return Of
more than 240 per cen on its capt.
tai stock when the ore rates from
the Minnesota mines to Lake Super.
Tor was 80 cents u ton. The Pitts
burg Steamship company, another
steel corporation subsidiary which
carries ore down the lakes, it was
shown. made large earnings.
The profit to the steamship COM
pany in the handling of the ore was
24h cents a ton," Mr.. Freer declared.
THAT profit on the. total c%apitaliza-
ton of SIC. $500. 900 is is per cent"
Would Probe Wooden Firm.
An investigation of the American
Wooden company will be asked by
Representative Francis of Ohio when
the rules committee of the house
meets again to consider the resolu.
tons calling for an inquiry into the
strike conditions at Lawrence. Mass.
Money Trust" Probers Named.
The Republicans of the house com
mittee on banking and currency who
will serve on the two branches of the
money trust Investigation were al
nounced.
On the committee to investigate the
trust will be representative Memoir
ran. Mich; Hayes, Cal; Guernsey.
Maine and Head. Delaware. On the
committee to study the Aldrich cur
rency plan will be Representatives
Vreeland. New York. Mc(;reary,
Penn; and Mckinney. Illinois.
Probe for indian Office Operations.
A subcommittee will be sent to
Arizona and Oklahoma and other
states In the West to get information
first hand on the operations of the In
dian Office. A charge that an official
Of the Indian Office permitted intoxi-
eating liquor to get into the Usage
Indian reservation will be investi-
gated. The government spends nearly
$100,O00 a year to suppress the liquor
traffic among Indians. .
Supreme Court to Recess.
The supreme court Of the United
States will take a recess from next
Monday to April L. /!
st. croix Improvement Likely. F..
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of the
st. Croix river. both in the matter
of navigation and power Is contem-
plated in an agreement made by Rep
resentatives Stevens Of Minnesota
and Lenroot Of Wisconsin. This
agreement is the outcome of a bill
by Mr.. Lenroot authorizing the con-
struction of what is known az the
Nevers dam In the st. Croix near
Sunrise, MINI.
Mr.. Stevens has a bill pending. pro-
viding for the construction Of a dam
in the same vicinity by the Markham
Kelsey interests. These two measures
were introduced at the last session Of
congress. The interstate commerce
committee reported the Stevens bill.
At a conference Messrs. Len
root and Stevens decided to submit
the question to the war department
for arbitration. The wal department
will be asked to decide whether the
Movers dam or the Markham-Ke lsey
dam shall be constructed.
The war department will also be
requested to make . survey Of the
st. Croix from Taylor's Falls to the
head water Of the river, both as to
navigation and power. A survey Of
the river from Prescott to Taylor's
Fails is authorized In the river aud
harbor bill now pending before the
house. The war department will also
be asked to make a recommendation
looking to the construction Of works
that will prevent the recurrence Of
Hoods In the st. Cr0tx.
AMUNDSENS DEBTS $4,000