LEGAL WAR OVER SAWDUST

DAKOTA FIRM WANTS TO KNOW WHETHER IT'S LUMBER OR FUEL

Is sawdust lumber or is it fuel?

The Northern Pacific Railway company classifies it as lumber while the William Plummer company, a firm of general merchats of Minnewaukan, N. D., declares it is fuel. The interstate commerce commission has been asked to decide which is right.

A complaint was filed yesterday by the Plummer compay, which says that in February last it was compelled to pay $53 freight charges on a car of sawdust from East Grand Forks, Minn. to Minnewaukan.

The charges were in accordance with the railway's tariff, which provides the lumber rate on sawdust. The Plummer company says that the rate on sawdust should not exceed the rate on wood for fuel, which in this case would have been $21.20. Reparation of $31.80 is asked.

Source: Crookston Times, August 28 1909
Submitter: Brenda G.
Updated: April 2015, K. Kittleson