The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1922-03-30
DOCKAGE, TOWNLEY AND LADD
Continuing reply to Mr.. Putney)
Berthold, March Is.

Independent:
The w. E. Tucker, Independent ele-
vator reports giving away, $4,000
pounds Of screenings the past season.
Mr.. Tucker formerly was manager OF
the Lonetree Farmers elevator, hence
his statements may be verified by the
farmers Of that community. Mr.:
Tucker is q buyer Of many years
experience, and, long BEFORE the N.
P. L. was thot of, he invited and
tcourted trade by paying for valuable
dockage. Whenever demanded he
cleaned The grain and returned the
dockag1 Tor cost Of cleaning. Only
one farmer since the N. P. L. laws on
aockage in 1919, demanded pay for
dockage according to N. P. L. prom.
ises". will give him the assumed
name of Root, and then give his de-
mand and Mr.. fuckers reply viz:
Mr.. Root want pay for my dock
age of the grain ! sold here last fall.
Mr.. Tucker-What do you consider
your dockage worth? 4 y.
Root-$4O per ton.
Tucker-I am glad to hear that.
Bring your wagon in and will let
you have ton for $50. Then You
can sell it and make $40.
ISOOI-A WuH w ~ "oHt P0y Iva
my docksge. s
Tucker-Well now l want to settle
this matter with you satisfactorily if
possible. Bring your wagon in and
| will let you have ton for $40.
Root-No, l want PAY, not dock
age.
Tucker-Well, now there must be
way that we can settle that matter,
I'll tell you what I'll do. Bring your
wagon and will give you twice as
much dockage as you are entitled to.
Root-N0, l want PAY for it, and
if you don't give it to me will write
to -McGovern and he will make you
come thru:
.Tucker-Go ahead and write to him
and collect it if you can and be sure
to let me knew when you get it.
(Note-Mr. Roots threat was a
"Nonpartisan inspiration, which Mr..
Townley would like to shift onto the
other side, if he could.) >.-&a 2s....
Mr.. Root.-After some correspon-
dence with McGovern, came, to the
conclusion that the N. P. L. dockage
law would not enable him to obtain
any "easy" money, nor did those laws
substantiate the Townley-Ladd gold
mine" story.
The Andrews elevator, Mr.. Knudson
manager, gave away $4,000 pounds OF
ports "less. than one per cent of his
patrons demanded pay according to
the N. p, L. promises on dockage."
Mr.. Knudson has been grain buyer
for many years in N. D. working for
several lines Of elevator companies,
and states that large majority OF
the elevators were provided with
cleaning machinery, and that any
farmer could get every pound of dock
age any time he demanded it for cost
of cleaning. ~ r,
The Farmers Elevator, Mr.. Carlson
manager, reports giving and throwing
away 278,191 pounds Of that Townley
Ladd "gold mine" stuff. Figuring on
the Laid basis of 3.99 per cent dock
age, it would require 99,O77 bushels
to. produce the dockage as reported.
Then figuring the N. P. L. minimum
of two cents per bushel for cleaning,
would entitle them to receive $1,9S1.54.
BUT they received only $3.50: This
ought to prove to any reasonable man
that the N. p. L. laws and rules on
dockage have accomplished nothing
for the farmers.
Now for specific example: Mr.
A. took load of. so bushels of wheat
to the elevator. The d0ckage was
IL per cent and oats, etc. Under the
N. p. L. laws and rules, there is an
unaccountable shrinkage allowed Of
three per cent. Then there was taken
270 pounds Of oats, dirt, weed seed,
etc. The dirt and weed seed were
taken out and which amount to s.
pounds, leaving 205 pounds net Of
oats (about 61s bushe!s). The clean