HOUSE WITH CLOSED SHUTTERS 75 



business of the exporters to make shipment to other 

 countries. Wheat is sold to exporters and millers by 

 the elevator companies, who are interested in running 

 as much grain as possible through their elevators at 

 country points. The chief business of independent 

 dealers is to handle wheat that stands " on track," 

 ready for shipment, either buying outright from the 

 farmer or handling it for him on a commission basis. 



The " commission man " is in an especially good 

 position to do a clean-cut business. He assumes no 

 burden of large capital investment and operating 

 expense, as do the elevator companies. His chief need 

 is a line of credit at a bank and from this he pays 

 advances to his clients, his security being the bills of 

 lading of wheat consigned to him. He does not need to 

 buy or sell on his own account and, unlike the exporter, 

 he does not have to risk changes in freight rates or in 

 prices or make deliveries by given dates. As for 

 the satisfactory milling quality of the crop that is 

 something for the miller to worry over. In order to do 

 business it is necessary only for the commission man 

 to be a member of the exchange and to obey its rules. 



For a long time Winnipeg has been known as the 

 greatest primary wheat market in the world. That 

 means that a greater volume of new wheat, direct from 

 the producer, passes through the Winnipeg market 

 than anywhere else, not even excepting Chicago where 

 the first grain exchange to reach international develop- 

 ment was established in 1848. The Winnipeg market 

 is fed by the vast wheat area of Western Canada and 

 frequently between two and three million bushels of 

 wheat go through Winnipeg in a single day. During 

 the rush season sixty or seventy cars of wheat leave 



