Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-07-11
LOWER RATES ASKED
TO SOUTHERN POINTS
X Representatives of Farmers UniCn
Held Important Conference With
Railroad Officials at Spokane
This Week

reduction in freight rates on
wheat from the Inland Empire to ST.
Louis, Mo-, and points in Tennessee
that will open up the southern mar
ket to Northwestern growers was
discussed Monday forenoon by rep
resentatives of the Farmers Educa-
tional and Cooperative Union and
traffic officials of Northwestern rail
roads, at a conference held at the
Occur d 'Aiene hotel, Spokane.
After the conference President L.
! {. Crow Of the Farmers Union, and
Secretary A. d. Cross announced
themselves as certain that a favor
able reduction will be made
Prospects for a reduction were adj
mitted by railway officials, although
no figure could be suggested as
il was said southern railways which
would participate in the transporta-
ton have still to be consulted. This
consultation will take place July %
at Chicago and a basis of division of
the rate will then be decided upon if
possible.
The Farmers, lacking data upon
which to ask reduction, were rein
forced by John c. Lawrence, former
ly chairman of the state public serv-
ice commission of Washington, who
is farmer himself, although not a
member of the Union, but no definite
reduction was asked and the confer
ence finally adjourned without COM
ing to any conclusion further than to
delve into the question at future con-
ferences. Following the Chicago
meeting the Northwestern railways
will again meet with the farmers
and, equipped with the views of the
southern roads, will then endeavor
! tC fix a rate.
The project in view is the opening
up of a new market to Northwestern
wheat The soft wheat supplies of
the big milling centers at Nashville,
Chattanooga, Knoxville, and other
cities in Tennessee, have been rapid
ly dwindling in recent years, and the
hard wheat raised nearer them is en-
tirely unsuited to their purposes.
The demand is for the soft wheats
such as fortyfod and the club vari-
cites raised in Washington, which are
wanted for flour and also as a COM
pCnent in the materials used in
bleaching cotton cloth.
Under the joint rates now in force
it costs 571a per 100 pounds, AZ
cents q bushel, to transport wheat
from Inland Empire points to ST.
Louis, plus local rates beyond that
point to the mills of Tennessee,
where it is said from 100000 to
100000 bushels annually could
be used. So scare was suitable
wheat last year in the markets hith-
erto drawn upon by the mills, that it
is said they paid the almost prohib-
tive freight rates and took wheat
from southern Idaho
1--WE are very much encouraged"
ssid President Grow, land there
surely will be something done. Mr.
Blakely of tn Northern Pacific said
he could see no reason why the grow
ers should not have a rate that would
let them into the southern market
with their wheat when the millers of
this section have one on flour. Last
year local millers paid us sixty cents
to sixty-five cents a bushel for
our wheat, shipped the flour in
to the south and undersold the mills
down there that had to pay AZ cents
a bushel freight We expect the
millers of Spokane and the Inland
Empire to make a stubborn fight to
defeat Us, but I think we will get
substantial reduction just the
same. OF course II they can prevent
us from shipping our grain to
Tennessee and compel us to market
1t in the Northwest where they are
the only customers, they will do 1T.
1--WE are particularly interested in
southern market for two reasons.
We can get better price there than
here, and then We can sell our wheat
without having to buy sacks. 1t
would afford a ready market for sll
our bulk grain, and would entail the
building of many additional elevat-
nrs. Undoubtedly the miIlers, who
sell US the sacks for our grain, will
rake a stroug effort to keep us out
OF the market where we won't have
to buy sacks.
81 think that we can sell at least
100000 bushels Of wheat from
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