The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1885-08-07
4 gTirulture
Transportation On Potatoes.

hfLCtG llubitt NtA ~ 3ttif iS~HH "a iHC
15tu. written by NJ W. T. Durrett,
which iHu & oipiainiig manner apea1s
Of tl,e rates IT transportation rs lre
venting the l,rsduc, in of D3latoes-
etc.
Relying upon the merits u said
communication anticipate no ba..
erect rpoa shippers VINO understane
the situations bui at the shine time u
i c~icuiated ta mslcad scenic Of your
many roaacrs, aud tor lhat reas.'n
ask space % reply.
iii the first place, yqur correspond
ent cenceies that rates to Louisville
aud Cincinnati are low enough. Thi-
a. certainly le, and ne had rs we.l
have said that the Louisville & Nash
vile Co.'S line ,loes nor extend beyond
tie cities mentioned; hence ia max
Ing rates ~ Chicago and other cities
beyond. the wishes Of other roa.ls must
be consulted; therefore tie rttea to
the lurihest points On oursorn liat
are low enough, it would seem the
Louisville u Nashville road should
not be held responsible for the rates
freight to points beyond.
But is there really any cause for
complaint Us to rates beyond, taking
Mr.. Durretr4 own fgures?--i e.:
Price of potatoes in Chicago. l Is per
ba' rel. RIte If ireight, 81 cents pqr
100 pounds, 80 cents Commission
la Chicago, SO, IS per barrel. Net
price, l.07 err barrel. Cost Of rro-
duction, 90 per cent, including rent
OF land, cultivation, and other expen-
ses. 70 cents per barrel Net profit
% producers, B cents per barrel
And to illustrate, tukiug one acre
of potatoes Il lie low average Of forty
barrels to the acre, we have net
profit 10 tile farmer Of 1850; and to
carry the comparison still further,
showing the result of profit to the far
MIR in u wing Of corn on same
ground, am confident the potato
statement Viii prove fal more remun-
eralive and more satisfactory to tie
producer.
But how is it with the railroads ?
Take the rate Of 81 cents per 100 lbe.
to Chicago. The distance is near 500
miles. The actual cost of trausporta-
ton, exclusive OF OHIO river bridge
toll, or fast trains being run to aecum-
modate the vegetable traffic, will not
fall far short Of one cent per ton per
mile
The revenue derived on trnnsporla>
ton of product Of one acre of puta
toes, 40 barrels. al 1I5 pounds t. the
bari els, 1000 pounds at 81 cents PEI
100, is equivalent to $3.50 Deduct
cast, ] cent pr ronper mile, 500 miles
II 80. Bridge toll, 3 cents per 100,
. To- IS go. Profit Tor railroad,
$40
Here, then, we have fer tie farmer.
with substantially no investment al
all (reuts, EXPENSE Of cultivation
etc. being included is the cost of pro
du"'ion). a net profit Of 1880 per
acre, while the railroad, with its in
vestment Of millions and the risk m
dent 20 rapid transportation, shows
up q duubtful rrctit Of 420 or de!iv-
cry at tho market selected by the
shiple Sarely your correspondents
views hat one sue OF the question, and
in h.; haste to find fault Is unwilling
to do justice.
/ may here add that the Louis willie
q Nashville road, notwithstanding
the limited profit at the rate referred
TO, fully mindful OF the depressed con,
dition OF the potato trade, several days
before the article in question appeared
in print voluntarily reduced the rates
to Chicago To % cents per 100 pounds,
which ut best is barely cost of trans
portation; and no one knows better
than Mr. Durrett that the Louisville
~ Nashville road has always eyinced
a desire to aid the vegeta ble-growers
in their efforts to find remunerative
market for their products. My per-
sonal efforts to aid IN The correction OF
any apparent discrel ancy has at all
times been prompt and attended with
pleasure, hence l am somewhat sur
prised ut the position taken BY Mr..
Durrett ID. 4. CHAMPE.
In SPIRIT OF tie Farm.
Second Crop Potatoes.