The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-16
PLANTERS OF THE MELON
AN ASSOCIATIONS ORGANIZED AT
THOMASVILLE.

the Meeting Was Called to order
The Constitution of the New Organi'
Zation-The Demands of the Associa-
ton Put on Paper.
TOWNSVILLE, GA, Aug. I5.-About
fifty delegates to the melon growers con-
vention, called to met in Townsville to
day, met this morning i'll the court house.
j w. Tally, President of the South Geor-
gia melon and truck growers association,
called the body to order, and, on motion,
A. p. Perham was requested to act as score
tary.
On motion, j. L. Hand of Pelham, ]. r.
| Forester of Albany, George McCree of
| Lowndes, j. p Brooks of Quitman, and T.
| L. Stephens of Boston, were appointed a
committee on permanent OrRanIzatlno
The committee retired, and after delibera-
ton made the following report, which
was adopted:
Your committee on permanent organization
beg leave to submit the following report;
| ReSJiUed, That George r. McCree OF Lowndes
| be made president and J. w. Talley vice pres-
dent and A. z. Perham be made permanent
| secretary.
| 2 That this association shall be known as the
| Georgia melon and fruit growers association.
g. That the objects of this association shall be,
by organized action, to promote and protect the
interests of the watermelon and fruit growers,
and TO give constant and vigiant attentionto the
| correction of those owls which threaten the
| destruction of this important industry.
I. The officers of this association shall consist
| of president, secretary and treasurer, a vice
| president and an executive committee of six be-
sides the president who shall be- ex-ofiicio chair
man.
3. These officers shall be elected annually by
the association, and shall serve until their sue
cessors are elected.
FfFTY-TWO JOIN.
4
stated that 1t was in order for gentlemen to
connect themselves with the permanent
| organization, and fifty-two prominent
| melon growers of South Georgia joined the
| association
Col. lift of Albany made motion that
| a committee of five be appointed to report
| business. The chairman appointed the fol
lowing committee; Col. N. Tiff of Albany,
| j. j. TWitty of Pelham, NJ. Jones of Val
dosta, j. L. Hand of Pelham and j. R. For
roster of Albany. These gentlemen retired
| to prepare business for the meeting.
A TELEGRAM FROM TEXAS.
| The secretary read the following tele-
gram:
HEMsTEAD, TEX, Aug 49, 1888.
| Secretary Watermelon Contention, 7hOmasvitie.
We send greeting. Success to your efforts for
cheap transportation.
SECRETARY WALLER COUNTY AssoCIATIoyS.
The committee appointed to prepare
| business for the asSocia ton then made its
report as follows, which was read, discussed
and adopted.
The object of this convention is to promote
| in a fair and equitable way, the interests of all
| parties engaged in the production, transporta-
| ton and III rketing of melons, AS producers
we have not received remunerative prices and
we attribute this result TO:
/. Excessive freight rates, which consume
a large part Of the sales of the melons, leaving
small and often no returns to the producers.
,. a want of sutficiency of ventilated
cars.
3. lack of sufficient cars that will carry
| over any and all roads to market.
4. Delay in transportation.
| 5. Lack of uniform tonnage and excessive
| charges for over weight, sometimes over 20 900
and sometimes over "a, 900 pounds.
For the purpose of promoting the melon in
dustry we desire to have these obstacles to sue
| cess corrected If possible by an agreement
| with the railroad authorities, and to this end
| we recommend:
| /. Re- SOtUed That transportation committee
| of seven be appointed. with authority 10 confer
| with the transportation companies and take
| any further actiCn necessary to receive relief
| 2 That this committee ask a reduction of at
| least 1878 per cent. from the present rates or
| price when freights are guaranteed or prepaid.
| g. With view to shipments in box cars we
| submit the following showing of exhibits from
| actual account sales of shippers: zone
hundred and fifty-two ventilated cars,
average net proceeds per carload
| $50 55; thirty box cars average net proceeds
| per carload, So &C. and a large number of box
| cars from their shippers are still unreported,
| which, no doubt, will prove total loss. This
statement needs no comment from as to
| the duty of the transportation companies.
| and we recommend that the transportation
| COMMITTEES urge on both the Central and Sa-
| vannah. Florida and Western railroads to aid
| in providing the necessary ventilated cars by
| having some of their own built as it has been
their custom in the past to rely chiefly on their
| connections to furnish ventilated cars for this
| business which is peculiarly their own.
| 4. We recommend that the basis of carloads
shall be uniformly a 1000 pounds, instead of, as
| il now is, $1,000 pounds over some lines, and
| $4,000 pounds over others.
| 5. With regard to the dispatch given our ship
| mentS our experience in the past season is that
| the schedules have been unsatisfactory and ir-
regular. the time in transit between certain
points varying as much as four or five days re-
sulting in great damage to shipments thus de-
layed.
| g. We recommend that this convention en-
! deavor to receive from the railroads the priv
! ilege of sending any loaded cars TO any market
| selected by a shipper without regard to car
| initials provided always that the road owning
| the car shall be patronized when practicable
| {. We consider the practice of some of the
| railroads in carrying our shipments 200 or 800
miles out of the way and thus causing delay
| of twenty-four or forty-eight hours illegal, and
| without excuse in law. The traffic arrange
| ments with other roads with regard to routing
| of cars, which they plead as an excuse for
this, could not be recognized by the
courts when the result is shown to be that,
while certain roads get a longer haul and a
| larger revenue out OF its natural channel, the
| shipper gets less. We hold that the
shipper of perishabe produce has
| the right to require his shipments
transported over the shortest and quickest
| route, and that when his instructions in the
matter are disregardcd, that the forwarding
| road is liable to him for damages
| T. In view of the losses resulting from delays
| caused by the law now in force against Sunday
| freight transportation, we would recommend
| the legislature to modify the laws so that the
| railroads may give prompt attention to trans
| portation on Sunday to watermelons and other
| perishable freight.
| Q. We recommend tho appointment of a
standing committee to be known as the market
| committee, ITO inquire into the standing and
| responsibility of commission merchants and
dealers in cities soliciting our business, with in
| structions to report to the president. and black
| sufficient evidence OF unfair dealing is obtained.
| THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
The following compose the executive
committee: Nelson Tiff, j. r. Forester of
| Albany, Mitchell Jones of Valdosta, j. L..
Hane Of Pelham, j. W. Haygood of Monte
yuma, j. G. Mccall of Quitman.
The members Of the market committee
are: p W. Twitty of Camilla, J. J. Mize
of Pelham, j. 7. Brooks of Quitman, II.
II. Sanford of Townsville, j. A. Dasher,
| Sr, of Valdosta, $. Z. Veal of Montezuema
and W. A. Graham of Fort Gaines.
After passing resolutions of tina ks to the
press and others the association a ljourned