The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-11-22
Present Charges Eat Up All the
Profits.
MULE POWER MUCH CHEAPER.
AS Usual, the Railroads Represen-
tatives Talk of the Company's
Many Sacrifices.

growers convention Barwick read paper
on the question of transportation. He
began by saving that competition was
failure. Ihirty-four years ago Nj. Roseir
of Belgium declared that the Government
only should be allowed to monopolZe the
railroads. Politicians fooled the people
all the time as to the real issues. and at
the last conventions they pinned voters by
pledge to vote for party candidates whom
they had never seen.
The president interrupted the speaker at
this point by suggesting that he should
refrain from making alluson to political
matters.
Abram Block of Santa Cruz said that he
had been informed that fresh fruit had
been shipped from Portland to Mime
apolis at much less rate than that
charged by the railroad from California
points.
Mr.. Kellogg said that the rate on fresh
fruits from Portland to Minneapolis was
$50 per car cheaper than in California
and charges for refrigeration were less.
Professor d. r. Fowler, in an impas-
stoned speech, complained that the rail-
road required from TWO to four days to
bring a carload of fresh fruit from Fresno
to Sacramento, and it is material injury
to fruit. and we cannot expect, under the
conditions. to put our fruit into Eastern
markets in good condition. We have, in
addition, excessive rates of transp rtation
on fruit. This year in Fresno our mules
are doing work and successfully COM
peting with the railroad" added Mr..
Fowler. "The railroad rate on lumber
from Butler Station, five miles from
Fresno, is SIS pr car, and the rate on
greer fruit was S. per car" He went to
Division Superintendent Frazer to COM
plain about it, and he was informed that
his request fer reduction of rates on fresh
fruit could not be allowed. Frazer wrots
to Agent Smurr at the general head
quarters, and Smurr replied that it could
not be done. because IL would interfere
with the rates on green fruit elsewhere.
Since that time 300 tons of fruit have been
hauled from that station to Fresno by
mule-team, and not one pound by rail.
Applause. lRThe railroad company should
be forced 10 bear its proper share of
responsib ility for fruit ruined by delays
ard accidents while en- route. As it is now
the producer must foot the whole loss, and
he can get no redress.
MIR. Fowler made some comparisons be-
tween rates of freights and fares in India
and this country.
Wilcox of Santa Clara believed that the
remedy was In the producers hands. 1t
is true that you can send goods from Min
neapolis to Seattle, Tacoma and Portland
cheaper than they can be sold in San
Francisco, because of cheaper rates of
transportation. Ten years ago the rail-
road charged $500 per carload for fruit TO
the East. and Abran Block of Santa Clara
made more money then at that rate than
he can now al lesser rate. because fruit
brought higher prices. Mr.. Porter has
made 81, 600, 900 handling California fruit
Since that Time the railroad. by Its high
rates in California, has built up the Puget
Sound country as against the interests of
the State of California.
Brickford of Placer spoke about neigh
Dor who had not been able TO pay the ad-
vances made him by the shipper, nor the
interest, nor money borrowed to pay his
hired help. because he had not been able
to realize enough on his fruit to pay ex-
penses.
Mr.. Barwick offered resolution urging
upon Congress the Importance of the
speedy completion of the Nicaragua canal
c. +. Smurr, general agent of the
Southern Pacific Company. was then in
troduced and addressed the convention.
He began by saying that the railroad COM
pany had as vital an interest in this cues
ton of a profitable market for green fruits
as the producers themselves. 1t has re-
garded the fruit industry of California in
the same light as it regards the iron in
dustry of Pennsylvania. 1t has been as
serted on this floor that the fruit-grower
of California has made plenty OF money in
years past. He believed that that might
be said truly of each and every industry of
California, the wool, the lum Der. and other
industries along the lines of the railroads
of this State. "In my capacity as freight
agent" continued Mr.. Smurr, there is
not single day that passes that am not
interviewed by some representative of
some of these industries urging up
on US the consideration of the de-
pressed state of the industry. Intelli.
gent marketing and distribution of your
fruit strikes me as being a factor much
more important than the question of
freight" In reply to Professor Fowler's
comparison of rates in India with those
in California, Mr.. Smurr said that when
the laboring people of the United States
were prepared TO work for 20 cents per
day, and when materials and other things
shall be AS cheapas labor. the carriers of
this country could aft rd 20 carry freight
and passengers as cheaply as they do in
India. The elements en- tering into rail-
road rates were a market competition and
carrying competition. and these had to be
considered. The speaker denied that the
Southern Pacific had ever charged $40
ton on wheat from San Luis Obispo to San
Francisco as has been asserted.
In reply 10 question as to whether the
Southern Pacific did not carry freight for
the Santa Fe road at Y cent per ton per
mile. Mr.. Smurr saiQ that the Southern
Pacific had 30 pro rate with other roads.
At this afternoons session W. G. Curtis.
assistant to the general manager OF the
Southern Pacific Company. addressed the
assemblage on the expenses of maintain
ing railroads. The patrons of railroads.
he said, are chiefly concerned with the rate
charged for freight and the various ex-
penses of running railroads, and they do
m Ot take TN into aonnupt