Omaha daily bee., 1915-03-31
PRICE OF CORN AT
STOCK YARDS WILL
BE INVESTIGATED
Charge Made by Assistant Secretary
Vrooman that He Paid $3.50
Bushel for Corn Starts
Something.
MANAGERS SAYS PRICE WAS 81
Official Says He is Sure He is Not
Mistaken, but Will Have Book.
keeper Look It Up.
Why HE MENTIONED OMAHA
trrom SAD correspondentl

(From n start Corresponucntl
WASHINGTON. March So (Spe-
cial Telegram Out OF a statement
recently made by Assistant Secretary
Carl vrooman OF the Department of
Agriculture that he had been sub
iected to an enormous charge for
corn by the South Omaha Stock
Yards. and that farmers generally
we're at the mercy OF stock yards
management. there is every promise
that most searching investigation
will be made by the Department OF
Agriculture covering this question.
Growing out Of dispatch from The Bee
correspondent In Washington with refer
ence to the charge made by Mr.. vroomen
that he had been compelled TO pay s25o a
bushel for corn to feed a carload OF hogs
CONSIGNED TO n commission man az South
Omaha. when corn was only selling at t6
ceais a bushel, a tempest has been cre-
ated which may grow into large proper
tions before flnsl settlement is reached.
BOmbRrded with kilograms.
Assistant Secretary Vrooman stated to-
day that a number OF kilograms had been
received not only by himself. but by Sec
rethry Houston from General Manager
buckingham and Secretary Stryker OF the
stock yards company calling upon Mr.
Vrooman for a more explicit bill OF par
ticulars.
Mr.. Vrooman said that the transaction
had taken place November u, 1s1z That
the carload OF hogs had been consigned
TO Frazier johnson at South Omaha, who
had acted as his commission merchant for
several years and had given excellent sat
isfaction. The hogs had been sent from
strahan. Mills county. Ia. by the man.
ager OF his farm. ]. F. Summers mem
ber OF the State Board of Agriculture and
a graduate OF Ames college.
The telegram from the stock yards poo
pie 20 Mr.. vrooman state that they were
paying for corn on that date 52k cents
and they acknowledge that they charged
81 Der bushel,
VIII Apologize ~ Mistaken.
MIR. Vrocman, without showing the least
bit Of choler over the affair, said;
The only reason mentioned Omaha In
my speech was that soma ono got tho
yards confused and jumped 70 the con-
clusion that the reference was made 20
Chicago. In order 70 remove a false I'M
precision told the facts with relation TO
the itranNaction. Now do not believe my
memory is at fault as to the amount I
was compelled to pay for the corn sup
piled by the stock yards people.
II have told the South Omaha people
that would have the matter examined
into carefully. have asked my book
keeper at Bloomington, Ill, TO go over
my papers and II possible find Che state.
ment from Frazier johnson. II the state
ment cannot be found / win advise the
public accordingly, as l have no desire
to wrong anybody.
Many Complaints by Farmers.
II am not cunning for anybody, for
anticipate the methods In use at South
Omaha are as good as any other place,
but farmers have been complaining Bit
terly OF excessive charges at the hands
Of stock yards managements and espe-
cIally In the handling of live stock and
the department has decided TO find out
II there IL any truth In these accusa-
tions.
II do not propose TO limit the investi-
cation to my immediate locality. but TO
make II general.
This office has been flooded with COM
plants which up to this time have not
been made public and they have par
tieular reference to the handling OF live
stock growing out OF the foot and mouth
disease.
These complaints have now reached
such proportions that believe a general
investigation should be made. Nothing.
however, will be made public until the
complaints are substantlated.''
IL is interesting in this connection 10
know that Mr.. VroomRn happened TO be
at the South Omaha yards on the day
his carload'of hogs were penned and while
he was only an observer. he recalls dis
unctly that the average for corn, which
at the time he bought, was outrageous.