Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-02-10

Messrs. Denny and Day were appointed 10
conduct the discussion ON the latter subject,
when the club adjourned to meet the first
Saturday OF March.
THE SHIPMENT OF PEACHES.
Complaint of a New York Dealer
Charges against the Transportation Lines.
At a recent meeting of the "American
Institute Farmers Club in New York,
Mr.. C. w. Idell, commission merchant of
tina. city, read an article describing his view
of the peach business in Delaware, and his
idea of the particulars in which complaint
was to be made Of the railroad transporta-
tion companies. We print it in full, as rep
resenting the views of a number of our own |
readers, but without endorsing, of course, |
any of its statements:
TIE DELAWARE PEACH TRADE.
As the peach crop is one of our most val
liable ones, and everything connected with
this fruit is Of interest to farmers, propose
giving them some information in regard to
the fruit after it leaves their possession, also
few items for the information of those
not acquainted with the trade. | know
that many of the complaints made by grow
ers against the dealers would not be made
If they knew the difficulties the latter have
TO contend against.
Farmers know all about the labor con-
nected with the picking and delivering OF
the fruit 10 the cars; hut after that there
is an interval which they imagine to be
kind of dream III a fairy realm. That is,
the fruit is shipped, and sold, and they
soon get their money. All this is done
without the least exertion on their part,
consequently they do not realize the labor,
anxiety or expense it costs. Before touch
ing on this point, however, will give a
more general idea of the business
The cars belonging TO the Wilmington and
Delaware Railroad are of the sizc usually
; made use of for freight purposes, and are
lined all through. In the ends are placed
strong cast iron gratiugs about two feet
square, and space about six inches wide
= in the side next to the roof, covered on the
IL outside with strong wire grating. An inside
door covers this space when ventilation is
y not required. The side door is formed by
: using stats two inches wide, leaving space
! OF the same width. The inside is arranged
with shelves the height of basket, ant
III | .,,;n an,+,;n snn hash ata nnph
u The system adopted by the Delaware
'e Railroad Company to freight peaches is {
Ie peculiar one. 1t compels the parties whit
u need the cars to charter them at stipulated
7. price per trip during the season, and re
a ouires deposit of twenty-five dollars OF
&c each car when engaged ; then this amour
n is refunded by deducting two dollars an
fifty cents per car each trip it makes If TIL
y car is not used often enough TO recover th
al amount of the deposit, it is forfeited to tn
Company Each car must have the nam
80 Of the consiguor or consignee, and the nam
- of the depot from which it starts, secured
is fastened on each side of it. All empt
is baskets are returned free of charge.
er This train is run over four principal road
X before reaching Jersey City. The Delawai
or Road unites at Wilmington with the Phil,
an delpha and Baltimore Road; that at Gray
Ferry, or West Philadelphia, with the Can
in den and Amboy, which unites with II
III New Jersey Road at New Brunswick, Ne
as Jersey, the terminus being AT Jersey Cit,
Ter opposite New York, where oil the cars al
RS; unloadcd, and the fruit carried 10 New Yoi
le- City
IRIS The depot contains, to the best of n
IL Judgment, about ten acres and is coyert
all over with double tracks, so that the ca
1t on one track can be unloaded on the mort
his and the other on the south side therec
ne The space for unloading is wide enough I
,es a cart to stand by the side of the car, viii
me a third can pas between them Two stree
lg, cross the yard, which are the entrances al
OF outlets for all teams employed in cartii
this fruit. There is not u single lamp in
ids immense space to enable the farmers al
ri this dealers to see how to transact their hu
aw ness neither is the yard paved in any pa
of of it, Tie center is graveled, whils 4
nts northern part is filled with cinders, Will
He are soft and pliable to the wheels, MAXI
hia hard work for the horses, and is very dus
ia dry weather and very muddy when
er- rains.
lrs; You cannot imagine the noise, coniusi
NC. and danger, arising from the rush of t
to cartmen on the arrival of the cars, to fl
led the one car which contaips their respect
OF fruit. There are frequently ore hundr
no, of these carts, and it is so dark that il
I'm was not for the lanterns carried by I
hat dealers they could not see the names on I
me; cars and frequently these carts becoI
3 u completely entanglcd in one confused ma
six and unable to move for some time.
overcome this difficulty the dealers W.
ano compelled to hire and pay d sufficient nu
,res Der Of police ia keep these men in order,
d a many of them are what is called Scat
got carmen"-those who have no regular w0
|. 93 but frequently force themselves in the "
all of those who have, in order TO get emplC
ment.
up There are no buildings in this yard de-
lion ted to the peach business, where the deal
sted can enter to wait for the cars, or to prot
themselves from the storms. The OF
leat room this Company has is q small, di
Wan Office about ten feet square, connected W
sted the regular freight department; and dur
lea the first mornings in September, VIII
CHS were very cool, ,lc officials made e
cred fire in il, and locked the doors, declar
ass. that they would not have any peach deal
ers; IN there | know that in several instanc
when gentlemen called to make inqu
ia about their FRUIT they were denied adm
t, as lance.
nth 1t is frequently the case that the cars
rive late, consequently the dealers are
had able to unload them as soon AS some of
arm, officials wish. Then begins u system
give "driling' that is very annoying to
lck- dealers and destructive TO the fruit. wi
ware out tho least niimation from the Agent
ould locomotive will back against the car W
acre tremendous force, knocking the peaches
pco- over the car, and then, with jerk, it ,
start, and away goes more fruit and off
ing, the cars, which sometimes are detained
sing an hour, and perhaps then placed in d {
g. erent part of the yard. The convenienc,
hern dealers is not consulted in the least.
$ of would be but ,rife for these men TO {
saac them notice that they were going to m
lded them, but they will not. RemoHstra
If its does no good like their superiors, they S
shes only their own convenience; they care
hch it the whole carload Of fruit is upset
irait; would be no loss to them. In several
made stances horses have been injured, and sew
G 10 lives have been in imminent danger Fl
lcu- this recklessness. In one instance, W
was they they came near killing man,
Lnlnl nllicInl renliel that g he did not care I: