The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-05-13

north. that are not raised for market at
all in this region. We can raise as fine
wa,eFme.ons here as in Georgia. and put
them in the market from two 10 four
weeks earlier.
have often said, If | could net one
cent per pound on sales in the north, l
would raise watermelons for shipping.
When | was in the north. three wears
ago in July, as near as could estimate
they were selling for about three cents
per pound. and had been higher earlier
in the season. Now. carload at this
rate, taking the load at %, coo pounds.
which il the estimate for car Of Or
anges. would amount to 2h0. That
gives $500 10 transportation companies,
commission men and retailers. Ii seems
to me that siM per ear 10 more than
ought to he paid for the carriage and sale
of such productions. So far as know.
all VII" have engaged in this industry
have made 4 failure.
Ii sales averaged two cents per pound
there still ought to be enough left for
the producer to realize some profit.
lived on the Illinois Central Railroad
when it WAS opened from Cairo to Gale
ma. The railroad had large amount Of
land for le.and the local traffic scarcely
paid 10 run ore light freight train per
dar between Decatur and Cairo. The
peorir in that region were encouraged
to 20 into raising peaches In the peach
season Il special fruit train was put upon
tie road. freghts pu, low. and the peo-
llc We're encouraged To- set tie in that re-
gion, and dill So and soon made 4 pay
iug business for that road the year round.
will not say the road has been as liberal
with the settlers as they might and
ought to have leen. but in no case was
such tariff imposed ns to be n prOhibi.
ton to the production Of the fruits and
grains of the country,
II trunk lines of our state. and those
going north, will only deal literally with
the settlers, they will he furnished with
increased freight. and will az much do
benefit to themselves As Justice to the
people aloug their lines
It is Just d, true as tate, and you may
malk it down in your notebook, that
the people in Florida who cultivate the
soil must mako some money in so doing,
or every other interest in the s,ate must
decline.
The crop Of northern visitors ma!
keep mp the towns to some extent, and
many largo hotels but the railroads will
lack the business that a rural population
mal;,t. and like our river steamers, will
have to haul OF in the summer, or run
their trains at rllinous rate.
! But YOU may say our traffic is all the
time rapidly increasing. and why should
this not bc permanent: Let every one
remember that we are now living on
foreign capital foreign to the state.
Our railroads are bringing in immenpe
sums. and using them here Every man
who moves here brings more or lee,
money, and mul,itudes who do not live
here arc sending in money to buy land
and make groves. BY and by this will
change. Tie railroads must gather up
and carry away more than they have
| brought in, or how else comes the rail.
road millionaire: These groves must
pay back to their owners their cost OF
making and being taken care Of; and
less anil lcts prorortionally Of money
will hc sent into the state for the pur-
chase of land Then where is our money
To- come FROM If our orange culture il
to be made u failure by the cost Of trans
portaiion, and dishonest commission
men or forwarding companies, and our
vegetables in like manner be- unprofita.
Bic. what will become Of our statet There
will be- a getting out Of the state much
faster than we have been getting in.
Bnt tho men who have built and are
building our railroads certainly have the
sagacity to see that patronage Of thriv'
ing and. prosperous communities alone
will make them wealth. Starving and
.qualid communities and villages along
their road will not only make the coun.
tr, through which they run undesirable,
but vii impoverish tte company fol
want nf business, and make their road
unprofitable.
Very few realize the fact that il il the
last few cents on box OF oranges that
mako it pay, and % keep up the bust
nos. II j. costs $1.50 per box 10 raise
aud t.. TT ,cs on 'be market, and ths
net sales realize 81 go, there 10 a gain ol
ten cents per box. n they sell at &l.50
there - no gain, and 40 inducement tc
ty ep into the business. X for el.4o
thvtt ~ u IpS-; aiid The sooner our OF tins
business the better. Now, here 10 only
difference Of ten and twenty cents
Scarcely noticeable to the commission
merchant or the transportation company
but it il sucrogs or ruin to the producer
Now. If twjre ~ much IL charged I,
send our lta.t north that 10 paid to brini