Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-09-17
saved annually to the people by concessions
EASTERN FRUIT snIr,IEyrs.

lOW III iUIcc.
EASTERN FRUIT SHIPMENTS.
Notably may mention the efforts of the COR
panies to meet the demands of the Eastern fruit
shippers for low rates Mr.. Estee had the cour-
age last year to call attention TO this gratifying
fact, and submitted to you a comparative table
of rates car lots for the thirteen years proceed
ing 1853, and including six months Of that year,
and also showed the amount of shipments. |
am able now TO complete his table for 1850, and
show seven months results for 1856.
In ISL there were less that ECO COO pounds Of
green Irlit shipped; in 1855 there were over a.
go Goa pounds. OF canned fruits we shipped IN
1872 1900 pounds, and in 1855 nearly 31G99,OCO
pounds OF dried fruits we shipped IN 1879 not
quite $1,000 pounds, and in 1873 over 5,l55Ul0
pounds OF raisins we shipped in 1874 only 30
pounds and in 1885 over 800, 90 pounds The
rate OF increase shown for wines and brandles
was very great.
But to my mind the most astonishing though
not the most important fact brought out by mir;
Estee was this, that vegetables could be exported
with profit. In 1874 we shipped 26l so pounds;
in 1855 we shipped l., 1913 30 pounds.
The table OF rates shows q gradual reduction
Of over loo per cent. in many eases, and nearly
that in all.
To reduce the comparison to carloads of green
fruit, canned fruit dried fruit Ta sins and Yese-
tables we find that the early shipments referred
to amounted to III carloads, while in 1888, they
reached the enormous gain of 5,Ol4 carloads, or
Sc TO !. The gain in wine and brandy was from
III carloacS to 1,6I1 carloads, or II to l: We
shipped in 1888 of nuts 1,762, go pounds, OF
which Mr. Estee made no mention in this con
neotion l mention thst in 1855 We shipped East
4Gl carloads Of barley. 10 seven months OF the
present year We have shipped of barley $50 ear
loads, ard for the first time, ! believe, wheat
shipments for the Fast appear. Ny table ShoWs
81 carloads in seven months. The full table lur-
niShed Inc by the General Freight Agent of the
Southern Pacific Co. | append TO my remarks.
The shipments for seven months of 1886 show
gratifying increase.
Low RATES oNIFRUIT. AND QUICK TINE.
What We particularly wanted, however, was
lower rates on green fruit by passenger time.
Starting with rates of 81 200 percarload, andeven
after a reduction to $500 and $500, only choice
fruits in small quantities could be sent. We
wanted to reach the masses of the people at
prices remunerative 10 growers and not prohlb-
itory to consumers. This matter WAS taken IN
hand by intelligent and enterprislDg growers.
and rate was made. promptly and III the BEST
spirit, of 500 per car, i'll trains OF hiteen cars
! have sought sEch Information rs to the result
of this rate Us l could Obtain and now lay II be-
The California Fruit Union, through its secre-
tary, II. A Fairblnk, reports 10 me Shipment
to August 10Th of 302 cars, and he states that
further shipments viii greatly exceed this num-
Der this year.
W. r. Strong & Co, of Sacramento, reports
shipments by the Independent Fruit AsSocia-
ton of 30 cars, and that they viii probably
ship $50 cars more.
Mr.. FaiTbank says it is safe to say 1000 cars
win go forward, agains 1.l22 last year.
THESE. SllHIlGutS are All 4fOLl IAltlulS
California Mr.. FairbauI deals also with
the question OF future concessions that are
absolutely necessary. He says We must have
better time made and Fewer cars IN tram. /
quote: " East of the Missouri river We have no
cause 10 complain OF the speed made as they
take our special trains through ahead Of pasSen-
ger trains. But the railroad people tail to APP
pIeciate seemingly At thisend OF the route the
importance which difference OF lew hours
makes in the returns to the truitgrOWer. The
Eastern people realize this thoroughly, as IS evil
denCcd by their fast tea trains when run
ahead of the passenger Trains all through the
Eastern States In fact. so great difference
does the ioTty-eight hours make in the,salable
value the fruit i'll Eastern markets, that many
of our members prefer ID pay 500 per car, winch
VIII go through on passenger time To Il S9tJ rate
on Il car which fakes six aud half days to
reach Chicago. which is the fastest time made
by the fruit train so far and the actual money
returns bear them out in their belief.
Then too we mist have concessions with
regard to early shipments of fruit. Take the
vicinity of Winters. Solano county. Parties
there This season sent some ten TO thirteen cars
before any one else had made up single car,
and il was way along i'll June before Il train was
started. while cars were started by the 18th of
May.
day, but at no time could a sufficient number be
collected to take advantage OF the Railroad offer
Of $3.50 rate for IL train of nine cars or over
the maximum being thirteen. Should we be
able to get together ten il would bring this profit
percar TO $50, but we found it impossible, and
- contented ourselves as best We could and
paid $500, but were determined that before
another year crop had to be moved, backed by
the showing OF the amount OF fruit hand cd by
the Union under the exist ng favorable circuIE-
stance :. strenuous efforts would be put forth to
reduce the freight per car ON early shipments
and also to divide by two the number OF cars
now required before any reduction could be
had" Mr. Fairbank presents many interesting
facts to which must ask your attention, and
therefore append his full letter to my remarks.
\ IL .FD af-r.r foil ...Vf.,
report as to r0isins and oranges shipped from
southern California:
Relative to the orange crop would say. last
year Riverside shipped 50i carloads of Sl5 boxes
each; add the balance of the southern Cali
fornia oranges shipped east and 10 San Fran.
CISCO l, 100 carloads. The Riverside crop netted
the grower about 81 per box on the tree. Fine
Riverside Navel oranges Detted 81 per box on
the tree during the latter part of the season.
1.-The raisin crop of Riverside last year was
lis 900 boxes. or 115 carloads. All the fruit net
ted the grower packed s. per box The crop of
the State was close to $50 coo boxes. This gives
this place one-fourth of the crop. The coming
year the Riverside crop will give Us 10000
boxes. if we have no bad luck, with 10000
boxes in the county
1.-THE coming orange cropis estimated various
ly. 1t will not be SIS heavy as was supposed last
winter, but / think it will be third heavier
than it was last season, with fully as good
prices as Florida viii have less than one-half
its estimated crop OF last year before the
freeze"
C. W. Reed, of Sacramento, a large fruit
grower and the pioneer shipper, in a letter to
me says: The service of the railroad company
has not grown with the business of shipping
fruits, and this has been the worst year shippers
ever had, What is needed is passenger time
trains OF ten cars each, and fruit cars to do the
business with, instead of common freight or
cattle cars, which is what the bulk of the fruit
has been shipped IN since large shipments have
been made"
had hoped 20 show the results of fruit ship
mo- VT fullN- have failed n1iaiu "a
ports. Enough, however, has been given in the
course OF my remarks 10 convince anyone that
we are entering upon the brightest period of our
history.
oyER-PRoDCcToN.
IN urging fruit and yine-growing am con-
stantly asked TO show why we viii not soon ind
ourselves with glutted markets and low prices,
as we are with wheat.
1t is not easy TO meet these doubts III mo-
ment, and dognaiic assertion will not be re-
ceived. There are q few salient facts which
satisfy my mind on this point
First rs 20 wines. The great wine country OF
France makes 100000 Co gallons, and yet i'm
ports more thanjshe exports Our product has
never exceeded 15.GO.01) gallons, believe.
The American people have not yet become u
wine-drinking people; but good cheap vines
can be made here ut profit. Our export trade
may be large and Will be when our wines prove
the meri! they possess. We shall have in the
future foreign countries as well rs our Own fora
market {. Nowhere else IN the United STATES can
the true wine grape be grown except here. \
comparison OF areas adapted to the foreign va
rieties of table grapes and the raisIn grapes and
the import and export trade and consumption
bring similar results. Unlike wheat, the wine
area is not enlarging. | submit for considera-
ton Il concise statement by Mr. Nhetmore.
Chief Vitieultural Officer of the wants Of the
wine industry.
Second as 10 fruits We grow many varieties
of desirable fruits not elsewhere produced. OF
all varieties we produce them more surely and
of better quality and greater quantity to the
acre The market for green fruits in the United
States Is immense, and constantly in
creasing, and the region for growing is
limited. Experience has rhown profit
in the business. Only small portions OF the
East have yet tasted our fruit; the completion
of the railroad to Oregon opens new and vast
area north and east on the frozen and non fruit
producing parallels: the transportation compa-
MES are gradually meeting the demands of this