Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-09-25
FRUIT SHIPMENTS.
THE CONVENTION YESTERDAY AT
SAN FRANCISCO.
Report of the Proceedings-The Sug-
SeStion of Governor Stanford
Fruit Trains for the East.

| Fruit Trains for the East
ESPECIAL DISPATCH TO rHR seooRp-uNIoN.l
{ SAN Francisco, September 24th.-The
State Convention of fruit-growers, held un-
der the auspices of the Board of Horticult-
ure, met at the Chamber of Commerce at
10 A. NJ. to-day. There was a very large
attendance Of the leading orchardists and
vine-growers of the State The purpose of
| the meeting, as heretofore announced. was
to consider the question of transportation
rates upon fruit shipments to the East, and
its sale and distribution there.
E. J. Wickson, Secretary of the State
| Horticultural Society, called to order. and
| Professor E. w. Hilgard was called to the
chair. He said the question of promoting
| fruit shipments eastward had been several
times discussed. While southern sections
| were fairly accommodated northern parts
of the State labored under disadvantages.
| The East can take all the fruit we can send,
! but the question of transportation was not
| so settled as to make the business wholly
safe. In some fruit growth we cannot COM
| pete with the East, but when we can supply
| in ADVANCE of the Atlantic season we can
get ready market.
Z. J. Wickson was elected Secretary. NJ.
NJ. Estee. Napa A. Block, Santa Clara; II /.
P. Livermore, Folsom A. T. Hatch, So
| lano; a. Kinney, Los Angeles, and w. II.
Pepper, Sonoma, were chosen Vice-Presi-
dents
r. j. Trumbull addressed the Conven-
tion. He said that our fruit-growers were
| not getting the returns they should. The
| Gamers and Eastern markets are not using
up our supply, ana our markets ought to
be enlarged. Concerted action among fruit
| growers would secure q rate East of $500
instead of $500, per car. There has been a
glut III the market this year, and the sur
plus next year will be greater. Mr. Trum-
bull said that it was of the utmost import
ance for fruit-growers TO know something
| of the consumption of the Eastern States
The Convention should appoint man who
is experienced in business, and he should
be sent to every town in the East of 10000
inhabitants, and ascertain what is their
probable consumption. He could then re-
port to a central body here, which could
ship directly to the points to be supplied
He offered the following resolutions:
ResOired, That it is the sense of the California
frulI-growers, in mass meeting assembled, that
ately formed, whose object should be the buy
ing, selling and shipping of the products of our
ealifornia orchards and vineyards
ReS0tped, That Il committee of seven be ap-
pointed to formulate plan of organization in
harmony with the foregoing resolution, to report
to this meeting.
]. w. Cassidy, of Petaluma, favored the
organization of a central society. to be gov
erned by constitution and bylaws to be
adopted
T IL *
following resolution:
ReSolred, That committee be appointed to
formulate plan whereby fruit shipments may
be made in quantities of less than a carload.
Mr. Lubin said that it had been found in
| this section of the country that it would be
| necessary for the railroad to consent for
| shippers to ship one-half or one-quarter of
| a car at once. 1t would be impossible for
| small growers to ship a carload. When
you compel men to fill car at once, they
must have immense capital. But if it is
| allowable to till quarter car, small
| farmer can do well. When you say ship
q carload " you might as well say " ship a
mountain" 1t can't be done in most cases.
! A New York agent of the speaker informed
| him that under the present system a great
| amount of capital is required. It would be
just as sensible for the railroad company to
| keep passengers shut up in room until a
! carload or ten carloads were obtained, and
| then send thep off. If the railroad COM
pany would put partitions in a car, dividing
| 1t into four compartments, and take what
ever fruit is offered in quarter-car lots, or
more, there would be hundreds of carloads
shipped where there are single cars shipped
| now. He did not believe in corporation or
incorporation in his business. Harmony
cannot be maintained by such a measure.
When the railroad divides the cars into
quarters, and allows all who have fruit to
sell to ship it, there will at once be opened
a way to dispose of all of our fruit. and
land will from that time increase rapidly
in value.
W. H. Aiken, of Santa Cruz, said that
last year committee was appointed which
has gathered important facts As member
of that committee, he was given leave to
give the result of the work of the commit
tee referred to. He then read as follows:
SAN FRANCISCO September q. 1885.
To Gt Secretary Of The Fruit Gr0pers Conrcntton
-SIa; The fourth annual convention of fruit
growers OF this State met in this CITY on the 2qh
day OF September, 1884, and appointed COM
mittee to confer with the railroad authorities
and SECURE Ii reduction in freight charges upon
green and dried fruits TO the Eastern markets.
to act with similar committees appointed by the
State horticultural Society and the State Witt
cultural Society.
The Joint committees consisting OF 1. w
Buck, Nacavilie; J. NJ. HiXs6n san Francisco:
W. II. Aiken, santa Cruz committee from State
Fruit-GroWcrS' Convention of 1851: |. A. Wilcox
santa Clara ". c. Blackwood, Haywartls; A. 4.
Hatch, SulSun committee from the State Horti-
cultural Society; Nni. B. West, Stockton: W.
Mcpherson Hill, Glen Ellen, Sonoma county; H.
7. Llyeunore, san francisco committee from
Stats Niticulturai Convention of 1SSD subse-
quentiy met and organized and after having
several interviews with A. n. Towne, General
Manager, prepared and submitted memorial
entitled memorial of California fruit and
grape producers to transportation companies
concerning the enlargement of the market for
their products by reduction of rates of freight
thereon to Eastern markets. which is herewith
submitted and made part of this report
The Joint committee urged a reduction in 1885
from $500 to Si00 per car, passenger time, and
expressed an opinion that such a reduction
would result in a large increase in the amount
of fruit offered for Eastern transportation with
satisfactory profit to both fruitgrowers and rail
road.
The railroad authorities reduced the freight
per car, passenger time, from $500 TO 5000 and
made similar reduction on slow freight
The following letter from A. n. Towne, GEN
eral Manager Southern Pacific Company, is
herewith submitted:
Dear Sir: Your letters of the 18th and 10Th
duly received, and | hasten to reply and give
below comparative shipments of green and
dried fruits, raiSins, etc., through East-bouud
from January to September l. 1854 and 1885
Yours truly, a. n. TowNE.
Pounds, Pounds
Oranges, lemons and lines
freight trains. .................. 606650 % $50
Oranges, lemons and lines
passenger trains...... ...... 331 900 % 500
All other fruit, freight trains. 2s39,72O S33S53O
All other fruits, passenger
trains S,19s,OiO 7,O96,o5o
Total green 6,g76,88o 87,Sl2, 200
Dried fruit. 325,050 ISIS $50
Raisins. go so Sl09lO
Grand total l 523 950 40 4eo 5en
The committee concludes from the statement
that the volume of business in fruit shipping by
passenger trains has more than doubled and
the income from freight thereon has increased
from Sl2I.l2l from January LIST to September l.
1881, to S2l2SS1 from January 1st to September
/, 1885, amounting to an increase of SS5 160
which is largely owing to the announcement
given frmtgroweTs by the reduction of freight
charges.
The fruit buyers, shippers and niddlemen
have undoubtedly profited largely by this i'm
proved fruit trade with the East, but it is feared