The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-08-27
TRUCK FARMING And RAILROADS.
Z. B. Stahlman Answers an Article in
the Appeal Touching the Necessity
for Railroad Commission,
And by Tabulated Statements Proves
that the Farmer and the Planter
Have the Best Of
The Railroads 80 far ms Charges are
COncerned, and are Greatly Bene-
fted by Their Facilities.

Under the above head the Memphis
Appeal Of Aug. p, publishes a letter
written by Sr. +. B. Stahlman, OF
Nashville, in answer 10 an Appeal
editorial Of some days ago, charging
Tennessee Railroads with desire to
Cypress the truck farmers" Of Geor-
gia by exacting exhorbitant rates Of
transportation on melons TO the
West, and also charging an attempt 70
cripple the work Of the Georgia Rail-
way Commission. Mr.. Stahlman, who
is an able and well informed railroad
man, in an exhaustive paper supplied
with valuable statistics and facts,
shows that extraordinary exertiOns
have been made by all the roads to
keep the truck farming" interest Of
the entire South-that the average
rates charged n0lr are no greater than
in former years-that rapid trains
are being run at largely increased ex-
pense to the roads, and that large in
vestments, aggregating a half million
dollars, have been made in refrigera-
tons and ventilated cars to handle this
perishable traffic i'm a satisfactory
manner.
he shows also by elaborate and
complete tables that while the Georgia
planter, upon the product Of one acre
Of ground, worth not exceeding thirty
dollars, makes a net profit of 500 10
500 per acre, the railroads, upon an
enormous investment aggregating mil
lions OF dollars, realize a net profit OF
only ten 10 twelve dollars for carrying
the product Of this one acre 10 mar
ket, the paper and exhibit is valuable
in showing what a small percentage
Of the profit in the business really
goes 10 the railroad, and how
thoroughly groundless the stereotyped
charge Of extortion, etc, etc. The en-
tire paper should be read 20 be prop |
erly appreciated, but want of space |
forbids more than a synopsis. Upon |
the question of truck farming" in |
Tennessee he Says
Your article, by implication, |
charges the railroads with discrimina- |
ton and extOrtion against the truck /
farmers" OF this State, and intimates
that a Railway Commission is necessa-
" 10 protect their interests.
With Tennessee. as with Georgia,
the railroads have done much TO slim
ulate truck farming. Nothing has
been left undOne which could be done
TO help promote the interest of the
farmer; rates were made low and
gradually reduced. There has been no
advance in rates from Tennessee to
any point since the traffic first began.
j append herewith the
RATES FROM TENNESSEE
producing sections 10 Western con-
suming markets upon all classes Of
truck. That denominted first-class
embraces such products as grapes, ber-
ries. plums, etc. Second class, such
as beans, peas, pears, peaches, etc.
The third, or lOwer-class, embracing
potatoes, onions, cabbages, cucumbers,
apples, melons, etc, is not given, for
he reason that no change in rates
either up or down has been made
within the last two years. For the
two classes upon which there has
been a change / give the figures as
Ollows: