The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-06
A FIGHT ON THE RAILROADS.
MEN WITH GRIEVANCES TO HOLD =
MASS MEETING.

Its object IL 20 Protest Against All
NInnner of Alleged DiscrImIna-
tfons-The Papers in the Fight 60
Secure Lower Freight Rates GA
Fruit Forwarded to the Inter
state Commerce Commission BY
the Attorney General.
Atlanta. Ga. July 5.-A movement was
decided upon here this afternoon TO hold
a general mass meeting OF shippers and
others, who have grievances against the
railroads Of the Southern Railway and
Steamship Association.
John D. Cunningham Of Marietta. presi-
dent Of the Georgia Fruit Growers Asso-
citation. which was organized here last
week for the purpose Of getting better
rates from the railroads. is one Of the ac-
tive agents in the proposed meeting
which he says is to be called TO protest
against all manner OF determinations by
the railroads Of the state. The date for the
meeting is set FOR July Is. at Atlanta.
Attorney General Terrell to-day for
warded TO Washington the formal papers
in the suit against the railroads before
account of their refusal to grant the re-
ductiOn in fruit rates as ordered by the
Georgia railroad commission. The inter
state commerce commission has been asked
to take the case up at once, and in dis
cussing IL to-day, Judge Allen Fort of
the Georgia railroad commission said he
believed the hearing would be had inside of
a few weeks. The railroad commission
ers are confident that they will win the
case, and the railroads will be compelled
to refund TO the shippers the difference
between the rate charged and the rabe
fixed by the commission.
There has been some talk of retalia-
tory measures by the state commission for
the purpose of forcing the railroads to
accept the fruit rate, but the commits
sion is 10th to take any such steps, al
though by exercising the power con-
ferred upon them in the matter OF rates
within the state the commission could
probably force the railroads to accept the
fruit rate adopted last week, against
which the railroads have rebelled.
In speaking OF the work Of the Georgia
Fruit Growers Association, which or
ganization is backing the fight for lower
fruit rates, President John ID. Cunning
ham said to-day: In the few days of
our associations existence II has done a
great work for the fruit growing inter-
est of the state. 1 have just perfected
ulIdllBtulthNS Dy WHICH, DtSiAHllB On
next Monday, the Sth, every member of
our association, which means every one
Of the leading fruit growers Of the state,
will receive each day a Geographic re-
port showing the amount of fruit shipped
and its destination during the
preceding twenty-four hours. All
the railroads of not only Georgia,
but neighboring states. have agreed to
furnish this information, which will be
consolidated here in Atlanta and sent out
daily by the Western Union Telegraph
Company to the fruit growers. By means
Of these bulletins the growers will be able
TO avoid glutted markets. and thereby
always get the best returns from their
shipments. In addition to the perfection
of this plan" continued President Cum
ningham, our association has succeeded
in the brief time of its existence in hav-
ing the minimum car weight on peaches
reduced from $4,000 10 10000 pounds, there
by effecting a great saving to the ship
pers We have also secured reduction
in empty car shipments from Sl44 per car
to 800, and a reduction on shipments Of
canned goods to St. Louis from Al to 81
cents per hundred, and correspondingly
to Chicago"