The Ward County independent., 1922-04-06
Townley, Ladd and DockaEe
Continuing reply to Mr.. Putney)

= . B
Continuing the report Of the eleva-
tors on dcckage. Mr.. Olson, manager
Of the Victoria elevator for the past
ten years, was gone to Wilmer, MINI.
last week, hence his statement now.
During the three years that the N.
p. L. laws and Ladd rules have been
in effect, one farmer demanded and
received yellow mustard, and another
farmer demanded valuable dockage.
AS have no desire to cause any more
illfeelings than possible will give
him the assumed name of "Yank"
who was raised a Republican but
since joining the N.P.L. is more radi-
cal than any socialist in this neigh
borhood. Like all radicals he delights
in insulting those who differ with
him. In order that he may be recog-
nized as THE LEGAL leader he gives
great emphasis to all N.P.L. laws. In
short Mr.. Yank is the most ideal man
in this neighborhood from league
standpoint to pass on the dockage
laws and rules. Mr.. Olson's state
ment follows: "Mr Yank brought 381
gross bushels of wheat to the eleva-
tor and demanded the dockage.
cleaned the grain taking out 1853
pounds of screenings or dockage. Mr..
Yank took ITO pounds of the screen
ings home. l am holding 1853 pounds
for him and he owes me $3.50 for
cleaning He refuses to pay the char
ges or take the remainder of the
dockage, claiming that the dockage
is not worth the charges" Hence the
unsettled bill.
Mr.. Olson narrates another example
where he initiated an effort with
radical farmer (call him SMITH in
order to make him see the "light" on
N.P.L. dockage laws and rules. Smith
consented. Olson prepared the result
as follows: 40 bushels of wheat; II
per cent dockage less three per cent
unaccountable shrinkage equals 8 per
cent. After separating the valuable
from the valueless dockage left 3k
per cent of valuable dockage, which
equaled 2 bushels, 20 pounds of feed
and the cost was $1.20. When Smith
returned for his feed this is the result
viz:
Mr.. Olson-Well can you take your
dockage with you today?
Mr.. Smith-Yes,
Olson-Well come in the office.
Olson-Now give me $1.2O and you
can have your OWN dockage.
~ Smith (as he started to hand over
the money)-How much did get?
Olson-2 bushels, 20 pounds.
Smith-To h. with you and your
dockage too (Smith put his money
back in his pocket while both had a
big laugh).
At the time this happened the
market price of oats was 18 cents per
bushel, yet Smith was about to pay
As cents per bushel for feed.
Mr.. Olson cleaned out about 5000
pounds Of screenings for emergency
purposes in case some one should call
for his dockage and shipped the re-
mainder of the wheat to Minneapolis
where twas cleaned. And all Of that
screening was given away.
! . Now for a summary of the dockage
or. screenings at the four elevators
here, which they gave and threw away
viz: ..zs..,... .,.s.-.,.. .-..> l.. ,ss.
s Andrews 45,O00 pounds
n fuckers 10000
Total pounds given and thrown
away, 4O9,191 " -.@s ~.e..
Counting 1900 pounds as load
that total would make BAL wagon
loads. Just mediate for one mo-
ment. During test of three years
Of the N.P.L. dockage laws and Ladd
rules, less than one per cent claimed
benefits under it. Ninety-nine per
cent found the dockage NOT worth
paying for.
It is reasonable that the test at
the Berthold elevators is the same
over the state. H..
Is farmer entitled to the dockage?
will answer MOST certainly he is.
And it is up to the farmer to have
BOTH the valuable and valueless if
he so desires, but the tests at Berth
old prove this:
/. That the claims of the N.P.L.
leaders on dockage are false.
2. That the major per cent of the
dockage is valueless.
8. That the N.P.L. are on the
wrong track to cure the evil.
A little while ago l hauled wheat
to a local elevator and was docked
I21x per cent while another farmer
hauled wheat on the same day to the
same elevator and was docked AZ per
cent. (Call him Smith,. The price
threshing without teams that year was
IL cents per bushel. Take 100 bushels
for easy calculations. had to pay
for threshing and trouble of hauling
to town and throwing away 211 bu-
shells. at NET cost Of IL cents, three
mills per bushel; while Smith had to
pay for threshing then hauling to
town and then throwing away AZ
bushels at NET cost Of 20 cents,
six mills per bushel. II both Of US