Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-23
THE MELON MOVEMENT.
A SHORT CROP THROUGHOUT
THE STATE.

How the Fruit L. Handled by the Rail-
roads-FaciIities Of the Savannah,
Florida and Western RaiIway-As-
sistant Superintendent Iiaines la the
Melon Belt Directing the shipments
A DIscouraging Prospect for the Grow
ers.
The Savannah, Florida and Western
Railway has completed arrangements
with connecting roads % ship the melon
crop along It's line In through trains Of
ventilated cars 10 New York, Philadel-
phia. baltimore and other points North,
and via Jesup aud Albany for points
West. The matter was referred % as
prospective la an interview with
Assistant Superintendent ilaines some
weeks ago. Now that the arrangements
have been perfected, the railway company
and their patrons Ina the melon growing
belt viii doubtless share the benefit which
prompt delivery Of the fruit la the leading
markets is calculated 90 assure. The UNI
dertaking has been the subject Of a
good deal 81 correspondence and study.
As result, all the connecting roads, in
GLIDING the lines operated by the Penn
sylVania Central, the East Tennessee
Virginia and Georgia, the Louisville and
Nashville, the Northeastern Railroad,
and other corporations. have given the
project their prompt aud hearty c0-opera-
lion.
Al Wilmington, n. g., hoist has been
erected for transferring the loaded ears
from trucks running ON narrow gauge to
broader gauge tracks, 80 as 10 avoid
breaking Of bulk. An additional adYant-
age connected with the through train sys-
80. l. fNuf tina nuFa will ha RIM an fagf
time.
A train OF four cars left Savannah ON
saturday Tor Philadelphia and New York,
taking about 1900 melons. A reporter OF
the MORNING NEws was informed by As
sistant Master Of Transportation Jackson,
at the savannah, Florida and Western
depot, that these trains could be sent
through 60 New York IN less than ility
hours from savannah. Another train will
leave Savannah this morning at 9;5t
O'Clock, arriving al Charleston June
ton this afternoon az 4;d5
O'Clock, where Il will connect with stint
lar train from Augusta, and after stoI
OF hfteen minutes viii proceed without
relOading the fruit tO the Northern and
Eastern cities. ON Saturday fifteen cat
loads, averaging 1900 melons 10 the ear,
arrived az Savannah. Whilst this was
one days shipment, the average
was fourteen ear loads. This
average, IL is expected, will be greatly
increased during the next seven days
Assistant SUPERINTENDENT Haines Is To-
Gated at Naldosta, looking after the melon
shipments via the Savannah, Florida and
Western lines 60 the West. Mr.. Haines
went % Naldosta about ten DAYS ago, and
has forwarded about seventy car loads Il
Western cities via the road lead
ing through Jesup and Albany
lie expects TO forward daily during the
heighth OF the season about 100 car loads
including the number which will BE-
brought to Savannah. The melons on the
train 81 hfteen ears which reached here
saturday were destined by rail and steam.
ship as follows; To Charleston, one car
load; 10 Baltimore, two car loads; q
Philadelphia, i've car loads, and New
York, seven ear loads. The melons were
In excellent condition and OF good size
The total number In shipment was eigh
teen thousand.
The crop throughout the state Is light
and, 50 far as can be learned, Is partial
failure, the shipments falling greatly be
low those OF last year. The indications art
that the markets will avoid anything like q
glut, and no trouble will be eXp erienced in
that direction. The acreage was smaller
nc the start than last year, hut Il was eN-
pected that there would be much larger
yield. The heavy rains and cool weather
however, damaged the crops 50 that II is
generally estimated that it will not eN
coed twO-thirds 90 what was expected
/ The prices thus far have beer
| satisfactory 90 growers. good melons
selling for $3.50 10 $500 per car load il
market With the facilities which the
railroads have provided for moving th,
| crop, IL Is predicted that il it does moi
cause the average price 70 be maintained
melon culture will be at an end II
1 ERorNiA