The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1917-09-29

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win objects, fearing that control
will fall into hands of people
whom he cannot control or who
will be. inimical to his methods
and interests.
Not only does Mr.. Baldwin con-
troll the commission houses in
both Duluth and Superior, with
the one exception, but the houses
at the head of the lakes have a
combination or understanding
with the Minneapolis commission
houses.
In addition to the monopoly in
control, Mr.. Baldwin, personally,
has the monopoly of the fruit
business in Duluth. All the other
commission houses must buy their
fruit Of Mr.. Baldwin. He sets the
price. If a customer asks what
Mr.. Baldwin buys for or what he
makes, the monopolist informs
him it is none of his business.
Prices on fruit are lower in Min
neapolis, despite the combine with
the head of the lakes, owing to
the fact that retailers buy more
heavily down there in some cases
and, also, because there is greater
competition, as we'll as independ-
ent buying.
Michigan Street Methods.
This matter of methods on
Michigan street is a deep and
long one. Some startling stories
of waste and manipulation have
come to the surface from time to
time. Last spring, when it leaked
out that whole trainloads of po-
tatoes were permitted to freeze
and spoil on the sidetracks near
large cities, Michigan street did
not wholly escape odium.
One citizen tells a tale Of how
farmer sold his entire crop Of
head lettuce to commission
house buyer. He got good price
and spot cash. Freezing time fin
ally got so near that he Informed
the firm that the crop was IN
great danger Of frost.
"You have received your pay,
have you not?" the commission
man replied.
EYES," the farmer admitted.
"Then do not bother yourself.
We will get the crop when we
are ready
Buyers Never Came.
They never got ready and the
lettuce froze and was wasted,
merely to help avoid Cutting the
market thereby lowering the
price. At that time,, lettuce was
worth seven cents a head.
This summer, a retailer was,
asked $1.OO bushei for some st.
Louis county-grown cabbage. The
price was so high that the re-
tailers could not afford to buy
and it was rotting there in the
commission house.
"What do you get for that
cabbage?" asked a retailer of the
farmer who grew it.
Fifty cents a bushel, y was the
reply.
The commission man asked the
retailer one dollar a bushel.
Rather than take less than 100
per cent profit, the commission
man was willing to see the cab
bage rot. 1t did rot.
Local Produce Unpopular.
Duluth commission men are not
strong, as a rule on homegrown
produce. Some of the best vege-
tables ever grown in the ground
have been positively refused in
this market and then eagerly
bought in distant market:
Choice vegetables have received
nominal offer here only to sell
at an exceedingly heavy advance
in distant markets.
Some years ago a farmer raised
a big crop of onions. A Duluth
dealer refused to buy them, declar-
ing that they had not properly
matured. They were shipped to
Denver, where they brought a
profitable price and were highly
commended for their qualities.
A buyer for a Michigan street
commission house went out near
Wrentshall where he inspected
potatoes in the bin and accepted
them without qualification. When
he had them safely in his store
house, he declared that they were
not up to grade and refused to
pay for them. His bluff finally
zuas called and. to avoid a suit, a