The daily gazette., 1877-07-25
, FIRST : EDITION!
The Peach Question.
The Growers UItimatum.
Lever Freights or no Shipments
A LARGE MEETING OF PEACH
GROWERS AT DOVER.

RAILROAD STRIKE AFFECTS THE
PEACH GROWERs-THE QUESTION
OF LOWER FREIGHTS--A POSI-
TIVE EXPRESSION OF OPINION,
ETC. Ia. .I
DOVER, DEL, July "a, 1877.
In pursuance of call issued by the
Committee on Freight Rates appointed
at recent meeting of fruit growers, a
further meeting was held In Court House
Hall, Dover, this afternoon.
The call was addressed to "all who
believe that the rates Of freight demanded
for the transportation of peaches are
much higher than the deplorable. con-
ditlon of our markets will warrant" and
proceeds to state that SHOULD relief from
the exactions of railroads not be granted,
the propriety of asking the protection of
our -citizeDs will be considered"
The response to the call came mainly
from New Castle county and the vicinity
of Dover, only some half-dozen growers
coming up on the afternoon train from
below. When the meeting opened at
2.30 O'Clock, about fifty persons were in
attendance, but in a short time the audi
ence numbered fully two hundred. The
proceedings were characterized by much
earnestness, combined with unity of
thought and perfect good feeling, and it
was evident that the proceedings were
the result of careful deliberation and
sound resolve.
The meeting was organized by the
selection, on motion OF Mr.. George w.
Cummins, of Dr.. j. l.. Atkinson, of
Easton, Md, as chairman, and w. Z.
Appleton, Of Middletown, as Secretary.
Immediately after organization, Mr..
VIM. Green, Of Middletown offered the
following:
WHEREAS, We, the peach growers of
Delaware, are the first representative body
of the citizens of this State to assemble
since the beginning OF the most terrible
crisis in our social and national life, which
Is unparalleled in its extent and promised
atrocity In the annals of any nation; there
| fore,
RESOLVED, That we recommend the Cover
nor of Delaware, and its citizens. to be In
Simultaneous in the organization of military
to prevent outrages of u like or similar
kind within our borders. and 10 project pro-
perty of all kinds against this communis-
| tic attack.
ResotUed, That we recommend every In
dividual to follow the example well. set by
| the public press to endeavor by frequent
and public utterance to so mould public
sentiment as to render the perpetraLion OF
such outrages neither probable or possible.
DR.. Henry Ridgeley, of Dover, moved
that committee of five be appointed, to
whom shall be referred, without debate
all resolutions that may be offered.
Mr.. Saml. Townsend was of the oppin-
ion that if this motion prevailed he woulC
urge the appointment of separate com
! .,,.t E,.A NH xrya, 81 u
for the railroad troubles. 1t was sub
ject which this meeting had nothing to dc
with, as it was gathering to discuss rate.
of freight and peach shipping arrange
ments, and not railroad troubles.
DR.. Ridgelev's motion prevailed, where
eupon the chair appointed the following
committee on resoltinons: DIR. Hener,
Ridgeley, VIM. Green, Geo. W.Cun
minis, Saml Townsend, E. R Corhram,
the committee at once retired for consul
tation. ~1r -y. s-4 -
The chairman said in referring to tn,
object of the meeting, that he was not
prepared to state whether it would b.
well or i'll advised for the this meeting t.
express sympathy for the Railroad Com
panies in their present troubles, but h
thought snch an expression of sympathy
would not be oct of place. The great OBJ
lject, however, to secure an abatement y
the present exhorbitant charges of freigh
on peach shipments.
Mr.. Robert Il. Cummins suggested
that Hon. Charles Brown, who was pres
ent, be requested to give the meetin,
his views upon the action of the Railroad
Company i'll making such discrimina
tion against the peach growers in freigh
charges. an
Mf. Brown declined giving his view
upon this question, but spoke general,
upon the peach subject, favoring the ex
tension of shipments, as far as practica
BILE, to distant markets.
Mr.. Robert II. Cummins followed, ant
discussed the ediscrimiDation against peacl
growers placticed by the p, w. & b. r
r. Company. ...t-
i Mr. Manlove Hayes, of Dover, Treas
urer of the Delaware Railroad Company
a said that the interests of the growers am
n the Railroad Company were identical
and it was unreasonable to lay all tn
charges of discrimination against Presi
Q dent ainckley. The P. W. & b. r. r
!, would act In fair spiuittowards grower
y in the shipping arrangements. He fur
g ther said that freight charges on peache
had been reduced so per cent. in the las
ten years, and in proof asserted that i
4 1866 the charge for 52S baskets froI
Townsend to New York was Sl72.90, an
!, now the charge per car load of 1900
10 pounds. or 500 baskets, was but $Sl.
v was the intention the p, W. q b.
r. Co. to still further reduce the rates
l; succeeding years, but the growers shoul
% not expect minimum rates while IL
Company was still feeling the great ex
'S pense of preparing for the peach shil
!: ments, and was paying the enormous ia
of $4,000 imposed by the State Legisli
L. ture. ID F.fe
Mr.! r. II. Cummips asked what tt
e. growers had to do with this fact, an
o. why does the Company discrimina
i against the growers because tits heavil
s: taxed by the Legislature ----
n; Mr.. Hayes said that freight charges O
peaches were made heavier than on 9TH
products on account of the expense
preparing cars, running fast trains, al
: hiring extra hands, He then took occ
j sion to read the following telegram
which he had received during the day :;
Sc PHILADELPHIA. July "a, 1877