The morning news., 1889-05-30
FIGURING ON THE CROP.
MELON SHIPPERS GET LOWER
RATES THAN EVER BEFORE.

MELON SHIPPERS GET LOWER
RATES THAN EVER BEFORE.
The Railroads to Run Special Sched-
ules and Trains-J esup and Albany
to the CentraTs and Savannah,
Florida and Westerns Principal
Shipping Points-The Arrangement
for Handling the Crop-An Estimate
of the Crop Along the Georgia Rail-
roads.
The farmers will have almost every facil-
ity that can be offered by the Central rail-
road and Savannah, Florida and Western
railway for the transportation of water.
melons this season. The connecting lines
over which the melons will have to be
shipped are cooperating with the two great
systems centering here in facilitating the
traffic, and if the farmers do not realize on
the product this season. it may safely be
said that the culture Of watermelons is not
capable of being made remunerative.
At a meeting held in Atlanta few DAYS
ago, with view TO making quick sch9d-
ule, majority of the railroad officials
under whose supervision the schedules
come, was preseI At, aud by their combined
ehoris IL is thought that most satisfactory
schedule, rates, etc, was perfected. Fast
melon trains from Albany over the Central
railroad and the louisville and Nashville
railroad, and from Jesup over the East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad
VIII be put on next month to trans
port the crop. The time required to
deliver a train load of melons
from Albany CT Je3up over the
respective roads will be not more than
slxty-five hours, and most likely less time
The Savannah, Florida and Western rail
way will run trains over its line bstween
Savannah and Thomasyille, and between
Ihomasville ana Albany ana between Way
cross and Albany, gathering up what cars
there may be loaded at each station. When
train is made up L will be taken to Al
bany or Jesup, which ever happens to be
the nearest and there it will be put on a
through schedule train to the northern
markets.
THE CENTRAL's MELON CARS.
The Central railroad is receiving the
second iustallment Of IA order Of 700 venti-
lated fruit cars, made especially for the
melon traffic, and the Savannah, Florida
and Western railway has just received a
large number of new ventilated cars. These
cars are being "parked' in the melon terri
tory, 50 as to prevent moments delay
when the season opens. The crop has suf-
fered considerably from the long drought,
and it was thought that it would
be almost a failure, but both the
Central railroad and the Savannah,
Florida and Western railway received
intelligence yesterday from large number
of the stations in the melon district report
ing refreshing showers, which will be of
great benefit to the crop.
The following estimates of the crop have
been made by each road hauling melons this
season:
Cars.
From the line of the East Tennessee road. coo
From the line of the Savannah, Florida and
Western road. ............. .2.779
From the liue of the Georgia Southern and
Florida read ......................1, 900
From the line of the Atlanta and Florida
road. !, lUU
From the line of the Central road. 600
From the line of the Georgia road ......... 2j0
This is over 1900 cars more than last
years crop.
The Savannah, Florida and Western rail
way hauled 1850 cars last season. The estiA
mate above shows falling OF.
THE PRESENT OUTLOOK.
Assistant Superintendent Aveilhe, who
has Just returned from trip in the melon
district, said last night that while the acre
age Is SOLle less, lllb udN6 GIL lCll6u
their lands to greater extent than hereto
fore, and they expect better melons, and
possibly the crop, although smaller, will be
more profitable than last years crop.
The Central railroad estimates the acre
age on its line a little above that of last
| season. 1t was in view Of this increasing
culture that so large an order for melon
cars was placed. In consequence of the
drought the shipments viii begin at least
ten DAYS later, railroad men say.
In addition to making the special sched-
ules for the melon growers the rates have
been greatly reduced. The first reduction
was that Of from l cent per ton per mile
to 8 mills per ton per mile, in addition
thereto the capacity of the cars have been
increased from 10000 to 24,O01 pounds,
making a further reduction Of from So to
81 per car.
TIE NEW RATES.
The following comparative table COM
piled by the Savannah, Florida and West
ern railway, giving ValdOsta as a base. in
consequence Of its being the largest ship
ping point on the line, gives. an idea of the
reduction.
1885. 1889.
From valdosta to New York via
Savannah and Ocean Steam
ship Company ..-... ....SlOf 90 % %
From NaldCSta TO Cairo, I'll. .... 100 10 ~ %
From Valdosta to Louisville, XIV. 100 10 y 90
From NaldOsta to Evansville,