Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-10-17

MEETING OF DELAWARE PEACH GROWERS
| AT DOVER.
The Convention of Peach Growers, at Dover on
Tuesday, was largely attended, from two hundred
To three hundred being present. At ~ o'clock,
the meeting was called to order in the State Capt.
tai by Samuel Townsend John p Cochran, of
Middletown, was made Chairman and j. A. Full
ton, of Dover, Secretary.
| Mr.. Townsend then stated the object OF the
meeting to be the protection of the Delaware
peach growers " from tho tyranny of Railroad
monopoly" which had shamcfully robbed them
of a large portion of the profits of their peach
crop, by exorbitant freights. Mr. Townsend de-
nounced in strong terms the action of the Rail-
road companies. He considered the action of
President Hinckley an insult which should be
| resented.
| The X. r. Company should be made to under
| stand that we are no longer to be controlled by
"a set of prospecting Yankees and that the pco-
pie Of Delaware were unwilling to be domincered
| over by Yankee adventures who had no interest
but to monopolize and rob the people OF their
laboIs. The railroad was not run In the interest
| OF the people of Delaware. He thought railroads
could be made to the different ports on the Dcla-
ware Bay and produce thence shipped. He was
willing to take stock In a new road side by
side with the old one, and give the right of way
| through his farm. If other means failed lie adj
yocated special session of the Legislature to re-
leve the people. He referred again 10 the rates
| Of freight charged, and said that $40 car, had
to be paid for shipping fresh fruit to New York,
with other charges, whereas, now, car OF
| canned fruit will be sent tor $50.
Rev. Thos. Bradford, the next speaker. was in
favor Of railroad from Dover to the Bay. To
| continue to patronizc the Delaware road would
encourage them to sin on the company had fla
GRAVITY violated the stpulations Of their lease.
| lie was sure that when they were aroused, no
Yankee could be shrewder than the people of
Delaware. road from Dover to Mahon's would
cost S15J,OO0, and be made to connect with the
Md. " Del. X: r., near Halltown. The original
capital of the Del. X. X. was s4OO,00O between
$4,000 and 5000 had been paid in freghts,
from Dover alone, this season.
A gentleman in the audience stated that the
freight on q twenty acre crop cost 81 800.
Mr.. Chas. Brown, had expected to see larTer
attendance. lie made q somewhat lengthy add
dress. Something should be done TO relieve the
peach growers He was not prepared, until furth
or informed, to give his support to any one pro
ect but would like to learn more In regard to u
water transit to New York.
Mr.. Hall, though not peach grower, was in-
teresed in these subjects He said tho boats from
Mahon's to New York could make the trip in
about IL hours, carrying us high as 5000 baskets
a trip. He advocated the establishment of reg
ular line of steamers to run from Wilmington or
Philadelphia to New York, at all times when the
river was open, from Wilmington, this would be
all the time.-EDs. Con-. to stop ut Delaware
City, Port Penn, Bombay Hook, Mahons, Lewcs,
and any other practicable points. lie thought
such II line would be supported, not only during
the peach season, but az other times by the trade
and produce
>. Il. licvern, from the neighborhood of MAJ
hons spoke iavorably of the boat from that
point to New York. Twenty-Five cents basket
was charged aud the boat proprietors cleared
four thousand dollars.
Mr.. Brown thought the Railroad Company
would listen to u.s. II we show them the chance
| we have OF water transit. Committees SHOULD
disappointed.
Mr.. Townsend was in favor of Committee of
Q Senators and q Representatives convened by
the Governor.
Elias s. Reed thought things were unnaturally
reversed, and the State of Delaware was practi-
cslly the tenant, and the X. X. Co. the landlord
| The latter had lease for 20 years with the pri-
| vilcgc of renewing for 20 years more, but hc
would give them notice to quit, at the close Of
this term, and II they were not satisfied with this
he would let them sue, and try their case, "bc-
fore Kent county jury" and see what they
could make!
Robert ii. Uummins, of Smyrna, criticised the
call for the convention. If we were in earnest,
| the names of peach growers should have been at
/ tachcd to the call We cannot control the Della
ware road, for we do not own its stock by the
expiration Of the present 20 years, the T. W. Il
| Is. Co. will hold the controlling share Gentle
men may say what they will In favor of different
routes, the only straight practical way of getting
to New York Is by the line of the railway already
established. He suggested the organization Of II
| Peach Growers Association, with Its proper ofll-
GERS and executive committee. Nothing can be
gained from the Legislature the railroad knows
| how to manage ii. The Legislature has in the
| past been operated upon and controlled by an
other corporation not half so Influential as the
railroad corporation. One gentleman here said
"nevcr, never!''l Mr.. Cuminins said ii was so
aud the records would show it,
/ Mr. Il Ettlt said haiti naIn, ,,,,I
| Eastern Shore more peaches were raised than in
all the rest of the country. One million five hun
dred baskets alone had been shipped over the
| railroad, besides what have been shipped Oh the
various river and bay outlets, and yet this great
peach growing interest was in u chaotic state,
| without protection, and the peach growers with
out any organization. lie offered the following
| resolution:
Resoiced, That we, the fruit growers of Della
ware hereby organize ourselves into a Fruit
Growers Society, and that committee of five be
appointed by the chair to prepare and submit a
plan of organization for consideration at the
next meeting OF the association.
| Mr.. Bradford, Mr.. Townsend and DIR. Ridgelcy
advocated the motion. Henry Todd further crit
icised the X. r. Company.
George w. Cummins suggested another meet
ing ON the 3D. Tuesday Of November and that
committee OF two from each county in Delaware
aud three from the Eastern Shore, be appointed
| to wait upon the officers of the Railroads. He
was not In favor of making any arbitrary de-
mand OF the II. II. The officers were gentlemen
and business men, and should be met us SUCH
He believed the R.R. had imposed upon the people
of Delaware; that they had made exhorbitant
charges, but he was not prepare to 70 into n
wholesale condemnation Of the railroad. Had 1t
not been for " the Yankees" no railroad would
yet have been built in Delaware! The road had
done much to enrich the State, and even the gen.
tlcman from New Castle county owed his wealth
and increased value of his farm to Yankee en-
terprise." Mr.. Townsend, supposng he was
alluded to, said it was mot so."] Mr. Cummins
said he knew 1t Das so, and the audience here
know, that from his past political history that he
had no decided preference for those who control
tee X r., yet 1t could not be denied that there
was not farm in Delaware but what had adj
vanced fifty per cent. in value since the construc-
tion of the Delaware X. r., through Yankee en-
! tcrprise." Corporations were like individuals,
when they got rich they got saucy. The railroad
had got rich and were saucy, and consequently
imposed upon the people of Delaware. Meet
, them kindly as business men, in practical man
ner, and then i we get no relief we will go Il
work and build other railroads and try to dc
without them.
, The motion of Mr.. Fulton was unanimously
, carried, when on motion Of DR.. William Cum.
Minis, the society was named I" The Fruit Grow.
ers' Association of the Peninsula" and tho fol
lowing Committee appointed, as provided for IL
the resolution ii A. Fulton, Chairman, Dr. ii
RidgeIey, George W. Cummins, Samuel Towns
| end, William Polk
, The meeting then on motion adjourned, II
! meet on Tuesday, October 10th, to hear the re
port of the. Committee, and further complete
their organisation.