Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-29
new RULING TO !. ].
HELP FARMERS
GRAIN HOUSES.
Railways Must Deliver Cars IS
in Proportion to Grain
on Hand.

Bismarck, N. D., Dec. 29.-Great
importance, is attached by the North.
Dakota railway commission to asde-.
cision just handed down by the inter
state commerce Commission in an &C.
ton involving unjust discrimination
On the part of the Milwaukee line in
the distribution Of cars at Vermilion,
S. D., as between the Farmers Ele-
vator Co. and line elevators located at
the same point.
"The exaction complained Of was
exactly the same as a great many
which have been the basis Of COM
plant in this state" said j. A. Little,
day. 1.-THE farmers elevator stated
that in normal times the railway COM
pany distributed elevators with the
mount of grain on hand in the ,vari-
u houses as a basis. and in the event
one house had ordered a great many
cars: all of these cars would be sup
piled before the other elevators got
their cars. When the elevators. all
were full of grain, and a a shortage
existed, the railway company distrib-
uted h cars in rotation, giving one
a to each elevator, regardless of the
quantity of grain to be shipped in
any particular house. The Farmers
NAONokOA W.. SLdAlA0O LIl0Ll ILLS IuI0
OF distributing cars in times of short
age Disseminated against 1t and fore
ed the patrons of the farmers COM
pany to deliver grain to line house
competitors until such time az all OF
the houses were full, and then each
house could only buy the same quaint
ity Of additional grain, based on It's
ability to ship grain out and make
room for new receipts.
THE interstate commerce commits.
sion decided that this method of dis
tributing cars was in violation of the
interstate act and ordered
the railway company to make car dis
tribution rules that would at. all times
give elevator companies carr in pro-
portion to the grain actually on hand
for shipment. Under this ruling, IL
elevator has so per cent Of all
the grain on hand for shipment at a
station, it would receive half the cars
available for loading at that station.
The commission also held that an ele-
vator company may not order a large
number OF cars to be supplied by the
railway company when its turn came
and have all these cars delivered be-
fore its competitors could receive adj
dttional cars. When all the elevators
at a particular station are full, the
commission held carr must be- dis
trtbuted in proportion to the number
- ~ ia 6A0A4I ASkU NY 08Cu
house.
The North Dakota railway COM
mission recently has received q num-
Der Of complaints Of the method OF
distributing cars in this state, which
ts substantially the same as that
adopted by the Milwaukee line in
South Dakota We are therefore TAX
ing this matter up with the railroad
companies doing business in.ythis
state and calling their attention to
the decision Of the interstate COM
merce commission in the South Da-
kota case and asking that the same
rule be adopted by. all lines in this
state.
THE interstate commerce commits
sion has jurisdiction over the dis
tribution Of cars intended for shin
ment to Minneapolis and Duluth ter
minals. and its ruling If applied to
North Dakota will cover over. 90 per
cent of all elevator shipmentA"