Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-02-17
MONOPOLY
The 0iant OF the State aud How 40
Forces GrORns From the Peach
GrOWers


held at Dover, on the 18th of October,
1871, the following resolution was uuani-
mously adopted:
pointed to prepare and publish an address to
the fruit growers of this Peninsula, upon the
magnitude OF the interests involved and the
importance Of united aud energetic action
Undsr this resolution, the CHAIR APP
pointed ]. Alexander Fulton, Esq Martin
b. Hillyard, Edwin Il. Cochran, DR.. Isaac
Jump and Charles Bessten as said
committee.
The committee prepared an elaborate
report which was read before the spring
meeting In February, 1872. II contains
many paragraphs in relation to the op-
precision of the p, W. Il B. Railroad
Company, the present publication of
which Is Appropriate and timely. The
same reasons for relief exist now that did
then, and even with greater force, since
the arguments which We're made at that
time have the advantage of not having
been made Ia the interest OF the Delaware
Western, or any other road, as the report
containing them was prepared nine years
ago.
In speaking of peaches the report
mentions the fact that from 1870 to 1871
there was falling off OF Ia psr cent. In
the sales of trees for planting on the PEN
insuls, and it continues.
| We do not regret to see our people hesitate
to plant more peaches for, as the business is
| now conducted, they are, to the extent OF at
| least one-fourth their crop, toiling for
strangers, living outside their borders, who
| pocket their earnings in the shape of exorbi-
tant freights and high commissions.
After touching on the subject of COM
missions, the report proceeds:
But another, and more aggravated and
| oppressed burden, under which the fruit
| growers labor, is the excessive freights
charged for conveying fruit to market. This
| has been felt and complained of for years
but still no substantial relief has been OBJ
tanned now, in view OF the low prices
| obtained, It IL well nigh intolerable.
1t Is rule of trade, and of almost univer-
sal application, that the greater the amount
done the cheaper it can be done. And this Is
correct, as may be easily proven, down to the
| lowest point of profitable operation. Another
rule of trade is, that the raw material can be
carried at a loss rate than the manufactured,
| or, in other words, the grosser the freight the
! cheaper the freight. But the carriers of our
peaches not only ignore and set at naught
| these rules, established in all countries aud
sanctioned by the wisdom and experience OF
|
expense and to our injury for, while they
| Will carry carload of grain from Dover to
New York for S46.40. they charge 800 for a
| carload OF peaches Of the same weight and.
while it costs 81 cents to carry 100 pounds OF
| dried peaches to New York, II costs TT cents to
carry tho same weight of raw ones. or more
| than double as much. As an illustration OF
the gross injustice praetced upon fruit
| growers bv the carriers by rail td
| New York We will mention an instance
| which came under the personal
observation of one of this committee; The
| same person had occasion 10 hire cars, in
| 1869, We believe ut a station on tine Delaware
railroad, to carry both peaches and grain to
| New York. The charge for II car to carry
| load of grain was SAP. 1t made one trip q
| week aud consequently the whole week
! earning WAS si2 The charge for carrying
| from the same point car load OF peaches
was si25. The trips per week, three aud
consequently, the weeks earnings were 1875;
so that the car carrying peaches earned IL
the same time 1888 more than the car carry
ing grain or, i'll other words, nearly nine
times as much. We sometimes hear much
said about the expense of building new car.
to accommodate the peach trade, but III all
other branches OF business we have Away,
been taught that 1t was a prosperous sign
when increased facilities for carrying it on
| had to be provided and We would suppose il
would not be u burdensome trade 10 build
cars that would pay for themselves in less
than two weeks.
Last year the freight per basket from Dover
was ~ cents. Iii many cases this was more
than half what peaches brought in market
and, taking the crop and season through il
was ut least equal to Ono-half of the net
return. Can any trade or business bear such
a carrying tax2 How would our farmers like
to give every second bushel of their wheat
and corn or our dalrymen every second pound
OF their butter and cheeseY And it is to be
observed that most kinds of freight are
merely delivered at the depot or station to be
Loaded and unloaded by the carriers; but in
the case OF our peaches the shippers have to
load and unload at their own cost the carrier
simply drawing them from one point II
another. In view Of all these facts, the
present charges are not only enormous but
eXtOrtonate and oppressive in the extreme.
And. to aggrayate the injustice and TYRANNY,
this enormous tribute, amounting to hundreds
Of thousands of dollars every year, is paid tc
foreign corporatOrs, residing beyond oul
limits, VINO have no sympathy with Oui
people and no interest in them farther thar
to compel them to pay to the utmost of theil
capacity; and this, too, while they are enjoy
: ing franchises and lmmunlties conferred by
J the same persons they so ruthlesoly Cypress
Attention is tnrn devoted to sumo plar
by whisa TO bring Nnre profit to the pro
Queer and less to the m,dllemen. for -,
I many cases the m dtliemsu gst more lha,
4 the grower The SD ct of ffeights i
r xt taken up as follows:
The reduction Of freights il a subject @
great Importance, aud one that mas elaine
r the attention OF our association from its OF
ganizatiom To the present time. The desig
OF the carriers from the beginning seems
s have been to tax the peach trade to the nj
N most within thelimlts of absolute pruhibitlo,
Although the peach CARRYING trade has bee
1t the largest of all, aud entitled, by the rult
, OF trade, u the cheapest freight. it has bee
charged greatly IN excess OF all others o.
II remonstrances have been vain, and our con
!, plants have passed unheeded. From wear
year We have appointed committees to conf,
70 with the officers Of the railroads to Obtain
l. reduction, but to little or no purpose I,
\ while slight nominal reduction has bee
sometimes conceded it has been
d only in name and not in reality. III
. freights have still beeA about tue san
' when compared either by the gold standai
e or the market price of peaches. 1t is fruitles
Y therefore, to make any further attempt
voluntary reduction, and the means Of redre
y must be sought by the growers thernselye
lr not III the sense OF justice of the carriers b
III their fears; or by providing other meal
OF transportation. 1t is satsfa tory to belle
.. that the means of redress are ample al
u efiectual, We shall not go into details. b
p Will content ourselves by indicating, in
m general way, what they are And the first
legislation, All these corporations owe the
l. existence to the will Of the people, express
n through their Legislature, and are ind
their CONTROL Laws may, aud should
81 passed, regulating charges aud establishing
@. not uniform rates, at least uniform rules
j., which these rates can be ascertaned. In II
u way unjust discrimination between the d. III
q ent kinds OF freight can be prevented al
coerciye means to enforce an observance
such rules are abundant and need not
specified here.
.. Besides bringing the old lines to reason
1t tins way, new ones should be established DO
10 by land and water. Every proper and shou
IN lie given to every feasible enterprise. A III
IN canal across the Peninsula would be Of va
he benefit and should be encouraged to the 1
,h most of our ability. Cross railroads from b
10 Day would he Of immense advantage, III
ia should always claim our support. In Benei
~ all these improvements would be great BEL
tits, not only to the localities through viii
A. they puss, hut to tbcpntire Peninsula. The
of are two chartered routes, however, viii
re claim more than general notice. These q
On the Georgetown Il SeafUri and the Milford
a. Delaware City railroads. The first il the ca
az meeting link between the two bays and ca
tlnued by steamers from Lcwcs to New YOI
MT anurding an independent outlet for tue low
mt part OF Delaware aud large part Of Man
of land. The after forms the connecting Iii
between the Junction It Brealiwater railro
% at Milford, and the Pennsylvania network
IN roads terminating ~ Delaware City. III
x wonld afford ample and prompt relief to t
~ entire eastern h,lf OF Delaware, aud the t
OF together to at least three-fOurths of the sta
ia and much more than threa-f1ulths OF L
of present. peach-prodncing portions of t
n. State, besides large portion of MARYLAND.
With all these means OF redrCs. al hur