Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-17
FRUIT DEALERS TROUBLES.
Boston Merchants Suffer From
High Railroad Rates.
"Drawn Into Your Fold and Thon slaugh.

"Drnwn INTO hour fniu ann hnen SiauRh-
tered Like sheep"--so Says Letter
Addressed to One Railroad Oficial.
Boston. Mass, Journal, Aug. 10th.
There seems to be trouble brewing
for the New York, New Haven g. Hart
ford Railroad Company.
The fruit dealers of Boston were
especially active at the hearings before
the special committee of the Legislature
which sat for SO many weeks taking
evidence few months ago.
II will be remembered that when the
legislative committee had heard the case
of the fruit dealers, as presented by
Governor Long, their counsel, rein
forced by testimony of leading members
of the Fruit and Produce Exchange,
counsel for the New Haven road offered
to SO deal with the fruit people in the
future that no complaints could reason
ably be made.
Now it is claimed that the agreements
of the New Haven people have in no
way been carried out, or, if carried out
according to the letter Of the offer, the
spirit thereof has been sadly left.
Ever since the fruit season began
there have been mutterings, and to-day
Messrs. Snow s. Co., fruit dealers and
members of the exchange, addressed the
following rather spirited letter to G.
Peter Clark, the general freight agent
of the New York, New Haven g. Hart.
ford road, whose headquarters are in
Boston.
The substance Of the letter is as fol-
lows:
1--WE desire to call your attention to
the dissatisfaction and disQuietude of
the peach receivers of Boston, of which
body we are one. High tariff rates are
charged for high service. Whenever
we have complained of the high rates
we have always been met with the argu
ment that the superior service, rapid
transit and right of way even to the
sidetracking of passenger trains, com
pels high rate of freight. The whole
thing is travesty on commercial in
tcgrity.
ave have been compelled to come
over your route, and obliged to submit
to the unsatisfactory terminal facilities
or stop doing business. We have sub
mitted because we could not do other
wise. With a train of only ten to fifteen
cars late arrivals have been the rule,
and to-day Saturday, with only thir-
teen cars reported to arrive, but small
number came on time, the balance ar
| irving very late in the day. Late trains
any day mean severe loss, but ON Satur-
days the loss is much greater, as your
| judgment must tell you. The concensus
of opinion, as we learn it, is that your
personal attention to complaints is hard
to obtain, that you are seldom to be
found, and if found no satisfaction can
| ha oh In hoU
driven like sheep into the fold of the
slaughtered through neglect.
1.-The complaint is not new, but this
season we were more particularly in the
grasp of youi road, and the familiar and
| trite remark of the Tammany gone, but
not forgotten boss, What are you
| going to do about it? comes with par
ular'signiicance and force at this par
ticular time as applied to the situation
of the peach receivers vs.. the New
York, New Haven 81 Hartford railroad
ITO state the position in brief, we are
compelled to patronize your road
whether we desire to do SO or not. 2
For such service as you choose TO rem
der, we are obliged to pay sum thai
even the Pullmans would raise theil
mats to. 8. That such service is bad an6
is causing great loss to all patrons o.
your road. A. At the best, with per
feet service by your company, little
satisfaction can be expected by
the grower and shipper of peaches this
season, in consequence of the presen
widespread depression in all branches Of
business. 8. The industry of growing
and handling peaches, giving employ
ment to SO many needy people, must b.
discontinued, as under the present con
dition nothing but disappointment anC
pecuniary loss can come from continu
ance of it, and we shall withdraw from
the business unless prompt attention by
you to our interests can be depended
upon in the future. The fable of killing
the goose that lays the golden egg yol
may remember, and also something
about the last straw that broke the yer
tebre of the camel"
1t is understood that other seriou
complaints will soon be made by othel
prominent and influential members o
the exchange.