The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1915-12-02
CANADIAN WHEAT
|SCOMMANDEERED
FOUR GRADES OF GRAIN FROM
LAKES TO ATLANTIC SEIZED.
OWNERS TO Be PAID PROMPTLY
Twenty Million Bushels Included il
Requisition for Use in Allied
Countries. Action Taken Un-
der Special War Act.

Ottawa, Ont, Nov. 29.-The Canad.
ian government, has Communicated
all high grade wheat in elevators from
Fort William on Lake Superior to the
Atlantic coast 49,
The action was taken under the
special war act by the Canadian
Grain commission. The wheat seized
was of grades hard and /. 2. and 3
northern. 1t was the property of
grain shippers and millers. That TAX
en- is all which on Saturday night was
Port Arthur, indian, Tfftin, Port Nc.
Nichol, Collingwood, Coderich, Kings,
ton, Fort Colborne, Prescott. Que
bee, st. John, Montreal and Halifax.
A revised estimate places amount
at about 100000 bushels. A consid,
cradle amount is the property Of
American grain dealers.
The grain was taken Saturday night
so that grain exchanges should be
affected as little as possible 1t is Of
ficially stated that the price will be
fairly adjusted and the grain owners
promptly paid by the Canadian gov
eminent 1t is estimated that there Ia
still in Canada, in the hands of farm
ers and dealers west of Fort William
$50, 100000 bushels surplus of wheat
available for export. It is expected
that most of this will be taken in the
future for the use of Great Britain
France and Italy. The domestic sup
ply of Russia is more than sufficient
to meet the needs of that country
Had the Dardanelles been forced. the
surplus of Russian wheat would have
made the present action unnecessary
White the wheat just taken was
Communicated to fill an order from
the British government for a large
quantity of wheat, 1t is understood
most of it will be shipped to Italy.
The Canadian government will look
after the transportation of the grain
to the Atlantic seaboard and from
there it's shipment across the Atlantic
will be undertaken by the British
government. a.:
Grain Trade ParaIyzed.
Winnipeg, Man, Nov. 29.-Grain
trade Of Canada is paralyzed, as the
Canadian government has comman'
deered all No. 1, and northern
wheat in terminal elevators at Fort
! William and Port Arthur, some 20.
100000 bushels, and, it is understood
will extend seizure to other parts oi
western and eastern Canada.
1t is understood that action was
taken at the request of the British
! government.
Boat Loading Halted.
No certificates of grade or weight
are being issued. All boats loading
at elevators for Buffalo or Canadian
lower lake parts have been ordered tn
cease loading. All railway companies
which have thousands of loaded cars
in their yards are not allowed to I'M
load
The seizure was made shortly be-
fore midnight on Saturday.
No inkling of the threatened move
was given to the grain exchanges on
! Saturday. The government is proceed
! ing with extreme caution.
To Pay for Grains.
DOSIOI hSSlllp SudlI Vi lAC Suhu
, dian grain commission, who is here
refused to make any statement. So
! far the government has refused to
enlighten the grain trade except to
state that no losses will be borne by
them and that a full statement will
| be issued.
1t is understood there are still $50,
000,0 bushels of wheat for sale In
western Canada.
Seizures In Terminals.
In the government statement 1t was
stated that the only seizures made
were those in terminals at Fort vii
liam and Port Arthur and in eastern
terminals. The object of the seizures
was to stop speculative price fixing.
At meeting of the Winnipeg grain
exchange it was decided to suspend all
/ trading on exchange today.
The government on Saturday night
also stopped all loading of vessels in
! the harbors. These ships included
two of the largest on the great
lakes, the Worden and Snyder. Jr.
capable of holding over 100000 bush
els each. All inspection and weigh
ing also ceased. Grain men here have
many important contracts to fill be
fore the end of the month.
1t is believed the seizure will ex
tend to other parts of western Canada
although the farmers are not yet az
fected. While the government seized
all grain in boats In the .harbors. this
was modified and eight boats partly
loaded will be allowed to proceed To
lower lake ports.
To Halt Price Fixing.
In the government statement 1t IL
announced that beyond seizures at ter
minals it is not intended to take grain
In western elevators or in farmers
hands, but the governments object Is
to stop all speculative prices ruling
the market, so that export orders from
Great Britain may be secured for Can
ada's grain Prices will be fixed by
the government.
Bankers. railway men, grain mer
and clearing house associations will
be in continual conference all day. II
is believed the seizures will ruin many
grain houses.