The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-10-18
PROBE REVEALS
NO DEMAND FOR
MUCH STORAGE
Only Few Thousand Bushels
of Grain Put in it For
Storage
RECALLS OLD FIGHT
Long Struggle For Terminal
Elevators Within State
Reflected in Story

The huge elevator storage capacity
provided by the state of North Da-
kota in connection with the state.
owned, state-operated flour mill at
Grand Forks has been little used in
the period of approximately two
years it has been in operation, in
vestigation reveals. The experience
OF the elevator department of the
project has been somewhat lost
sight of in the public consideration
OF the financial history of the pro-
ject, attention having been centered
upon the mill.
The mill and elevator project had
its inception in demands for the
building Of terminal elevators in
which farmers might store their
grain, and the question of terminal
elevators was a factor in North Da-
kota politics for many years.
The elevator department of the
state project was not operated as a
unit separate from the mill until
April /. 1924, and in the latest ac-
countant's report to the state board
of auditors by o. B. Lund, account
ant, the elevator units operations
are covered only for the brief period
of three months.
On June 30, 1924, the accountants
report shows, the elevator had in
storage for persons or firms but
722.2O bushels of spring wheat, 923. 80
bushels Of durum and 1852 bushels
of flax and other coarse grains.
There was no grain stored in the
elevator for individuals and then
shipped out again to other markets.
prior to April /, 1924, according to
Mr.. Lund.
Plenty of Space
Early in October, this year, q
statement was made to newspapers
that the elevators storage business
was increasing, probably due to the
Duluth embargo, which has since
been raised, but stating that there
was plenty of space in the elevator
for storage. The same newspaper
dispatch quoted p. A. Lee of the
North Dakota Farmers Grain Deal
ers Association as stating that less
grain was stored this year than
usual, because of prices, and it is
known that state officials do not an
ticipate great use of the elevator
this fall. 1t is understood here that
of the grain recently stored one or
two carloads were from Minnesota
points.
The question of the value of ter
minal storage within the state for
North Dakota farmers has been de-
bated often in North Dakota. Those
who have contended that such eleva-
tors were unnecessary hold that the
two-years' experience of the state
elevator at Grand Forks shows that
the state-owned project is not desir-
ed by the farmers.
None Before April l
Mr.. Lund, whose duty it was as an
accountant for the state board of au.
ditors, under the law. to provide in
formation for the public regarding
its state elevator and mill, also was
state supervisor Of grains and grains
at the time the mill opened in 1922.
There was no grain stored in the
elevator that was taken in and then
shipped out again to market" said
Mr.. Lund THAT is, no grain was
sent to Grand Forks by farmers and
stored for a time and then sent to
Minneapolis or other markets. All
grain held on storage tickets was
taken up by the mill eventually.
The construction account in the
latest audit report shows the cost of
the mill and elevator project as
$3,O44.552.S9. Apparently, from the
reports, the state has an investment
of we'll over million dollars in the
Continued m na0e ~