Smyrna times., 1877-07-25
For the Smyrna Times.
Peach Convention.

DOVER, July "a, 1877.
The Peach Growers Mass Meeting as ad-
vertised came off here to-day, but as a mass
meeting was not n success only about fifty
or sixty growers being presents; but what it
lost in size it made up in enthusiasm.
The total result as obtained was not much
but the speeches, and individual sentiments
expressed, BODIED lively times for the rail.
road company if the growers can by any
means make it lively.
The meeting was called to order at 2.30
P. NJ, and on motion of Mr.. Geo. w. Cum
minis, DR.. j. l.. Adkins, of Easton, Md, was
made Chairman, and on motion of Mr..
Green, w. E. Appleton, of Odessa, was
made Secretary.
On motion of DR.. Ddgely, "A committee
on resolutions was appointed. The chair
appointed Messrs. II. Ridgely, w. Green,
G. w. Cummins, Samuel Townsend and Z.
r. Cochran. The committee then retired.
The Chair then addressed the meeting
briefly on the general subject of railroads.
Mr.. Robt. Ii. Cummins then moved that
Hon. Charles Brown be requested to address
the meeting in regard to the rates of
freights, &c.
Mr.. Brown addressed the meeting briefly,
giving his experience as a shipper and
stating that it was utterly impossible for
the growers to make anything at the
present rates of freight tariff or compete
successfully with the New Jersey and
Southern growers. In regard to the pro-
posed change in the manner of shipping
the fruit, he did not see any disadvantages
in it to the growers, and as the railroad
officials said that they would carry peaches
better and more conveniently in their own
cars than they could in chartered cars, and
they should certainly know, he supposed
they could do it. In regard to the matter
of taking cars from all points of the Della
ware road to Chicago, Pittsburg, Rochester,
Buffalo, and other distant points he re.
garded that as no disadvantage to growers,
as it would tend to relieve the New York
and Philadelphia markets. He also blamed
Mr.. Hinckley for the holding up of the
tariff.
Mr.. Hayes, Sec'y of Del r. R., in reply to
Mr.. Brown said it was Unjust to lay the whole
blame Of the upholding of the present high
tariff on the President of the 7. w. & b.
r. r. as that road formed only fraction
of the lines over which the peaches had to
be shipped to reach New York and other
points, and that no reduction could be
made except by concerted action. He also
stated the freight tariff on peaches had
been reduced one-half in the last ten years
that the freight from Townsend in 1866 was
$172 per car and in 1877 $50 per car in
Guiding return of baskets. In this con
nection one of the growers in an undertone
remarked that his peaches netted him 81
per basket in 1866 and 20 cents in 1875
when the freight was the same as this year.
The railroad company had reduced theii
freights greatly in the last few years on
everything but peaches, aud it could not be
expected that the railroad company could
reduce its freights to a minimum when il
was compelled to pay half the taxes of the
State. lie also read a dispatch from Pres
dent Hinckley requesting him to have q
number Of dispatches enclosed read to the
meeting about the railroads being in the
hands of the mobs
Mr.. Cummins here interrupted Mr.. Have.
and asked why the railroad company had
last year, reduced the freight on corn and
not on peaches.
Mr.. Hayes replied that he had before
said the rates for transportation of peaches