The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-24
COMPLAINING OF HIGH RATES.
What New York Melon Handlers
Have to Soy to the Growers.

Have to Say to the Growers.
The watermelon receivers in New York
are making lively crusade against what
they consider excessive freight charges
The receivers and commission men have
sent out circulars to the growers in the
south stating their case. The circular is
addressed to 1.-THE Melon Growers Of
Florida, Georgia and South Carolina" and
call, for prompt aud decided reform in
these abuses After reciting the condition
of things in the melon market in New ork
and of the charges made by the railroads
aud the Ocean steamship company, 1t says
We have appealed to these corporations and
laid the case before them, but they seem TO ig
more both your interests and our statements.
Now appeal to you Every intelligent
grower will readily see and appreciate the force
of our argument, and if you will only ship such
goods as will more than bring the freight and
then demand lower rates or give other markets
your goods these lines will soon find it is neCes-
sary to respect your interests and wishes. AS
it is the majority Of you ar getting but little,
and many absolutely nothing, for your melons.
You, therefore, see that by shipping your
stock and submitting to the sXorbitant freight
and the present system Of disposal OF such as
will not bring full freight, you are advancing
the business and bonds of these corporations
and filing the pockets of those whom they en-
plOy TO sell them and who are unknown TO you
and are in no way dentif with the melon
trade and bring it to New York is concerned.
Better ventilation is necessary on the steamers
or melons will continue to arrive overripe and
Overheated.
Instead of e, 900 to a, 900 pounds per carload,
allowed by the railroads of Georgia and
Florida, you should demand at least 10000 to
$4,000. The roads west and north, and we be-
lieve even south, allow 81 900 to 40 900 on grain,
butter. cheese, etc. Why then this discrimina-
tion against melons? We have right to de-
mand the same weights as allowed upon grain,
but If a compromise of from 1900 10 3,400
pounds can be effected it will be material item
TO US
Gen. Sorrel says there has been no adj
vance in rates by the Ocean steamship com
pany. The rates are the same that they
were last year. The steamers receive the
melons from the railroads on the basis of
10000 pounds.
If the melon growers would ship only
such melons as the market demands" said
Gen. Sorrel, and would not load the mar
ket with inferior fruit, there
would be no cause for complaint, but
the trouble is just here; the growers load
down the cars with inferior melons that the
market will not have, and tie result is that
everyb body that handles them does so at a
loss. Growers must ship better fruit.
There is no profit in poor melons. The
northern markets don't want them. 1t
would pay the growers better to let them
The sooner the growers understand the
situation the hetter it will be, both for
them and for the transportation compa-
Mes
The railroad officials here say that there
has been no advance over last year. The
cost IF carriage has been on the basis of a
capacity Of 10000 pounds to TIE car, and if
that weight is exceeded and the car over
loaded it has been the rule to charge for the
hot lie ho rt,Ia laS
season, and if any overloaded cars went
through without the excess being paid for
they slipped through. This plan is adopted
as much to guard against accidents and de-
lays arising from accidents as anything
else, and to discourage overlooking
Melons arc heavy freight and it is necessary
to prevent overlooking as much. as possible,
not only i'll the interest of the railroad, but
interest of the shipper and dealer, for every
DELAY dminisheS the value of perishable
goods and watermelons require quick
transit.