The herald., 1893-12-10

Ii your fruit eells for an amount in
excess OF these igures such excess repre-
sents yonr profit, less commission paid
on such excess. These figures are based
on shipments in refrigerator cars, and
represent the average cost of all ex-
penses incidental 20 fruit shipments
from orchard to eastern purchasers, cost
of cultivation and value of fruit, nothing
taken into consideration.
SUGGESTIONS IN CONCLUSION.
Referring again to the first object OF
our inquiry, namely, the question OF
putting California fruits into markets
not now reached, there is small satisiac-
ton in the statistics which we have pre-
sented: That in the vast region compris-
ing the populOus states OF Maine, Yer
mont, New Hamphire. Massachusetts,
Rhode IaIand. New York, Connecticut,
fzf1sx rrrl
North Carolina, we sell on an average
yearly 1870 carloads of freeh fruit that
in another great region comprising In
diana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and
the southern third of Illinois we sell
only l33 carloads; that there is a list of
nearly 40 towds in the east. each of
6O,O00 inhabitants and upward, TO which
California fruits never go direct. These
iacts are interesting enough, but
they have no real value save as
they confirm the familiar statement
that our products are not fairly put into
their natural markets; that the dis
tricts in which our fruits are offered to
consumers are almost insignificant
when compared with the wider dis
trlcts where fruit is wanted, but to
which it never goes. These facts lead
up to and point distinctly to one con-
clusion, namely, that the methods of
distribution currently practiced are
pitlfully inadequate and insufficient.
The present method of marketing our
fresh fruits is the dispatch of carload
lots to few central points, where they
are sold at auction for local consump-
ton. or, possibly, for reshipment in
small lots to contiguous communities.
No direct shipments are made to points
where the local demand will not Justify
the sending at one time of a whole car
load; and it is for this reason that 40
many many large towns never get a
taste OF California fruit. Since thev
cannot take q carload OF 24.OOO
pounds. then we cannot serve them
at all. We are told by experts
that from railroad standpoint this is
the only practical method of shipment;
that to dispatch single car with two
or more distinct consignments for two
or more distinct points on direct lines
OF road is practically out of the ques-
ton. 1t would be as presumptuous as
it would be rude to question the expert
ability OF the gentlemen from whom our
has made inquiry, or the sim
cerlty OF their replies; but we believe |
and claim that an utter misconception |
OF the conditions and requirements of |
the fruit traffic lies at the foundation of |
their theories. A system of shipment
from the places OF production to central
points, with reshipment from these
1epots to minor points will do we'll |
enough tor miscellaneous imperishable
commodities, but in the case OF fresh
rpits 1t is totally insufficient. The sp-
OF this system to California
resh fruits and the eastern markets in
1oives practical elimination of all but
'he large centers from the field OF con-
umption and so contracts the volume of
,ur sales. How this affects the pro-
lucer need not be told.
When our expert friends declare that
t is not possible to ship direct to points
which cannot take q full carload. thew
lave in mind the conditions and regula-
ions which now prevail on the railroad
ines with which we deal. And this
rings us to the point that the railroads
ave taken no steps in the way of pro-
iding suitable equipment for the Cali
ornia fresh-fruit traffic. Apparently
hey do not realize the magnitude of the
rade nor understand its requirements.
o this great special traffic, the very life
which depends upon their co-opera-
ION, they give only such rough-and-
nmble facilities as belong to a miscel.
sneous freighting business. Now, if
he roads had for the California fresh
-uit traffic special cars built with COM
artments; If they had sufficient num-
or OF these cars to meet all demands
romptly; If they had locomotives in
ifiicent numbers to haul them prompt
and rapidly; If the fruit trains were
lven the same track rights allowed to