The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-21
FRUIT:-GROWERS
OF CALIFORNIA.
THEY WRITE TO THE SOUTHERN
PACIFIC IN REGARD TO
FRUIT RATES.
EXPRESS WHAT THEY DESIRE
A BELIEF THAT THE COMPANIES
CAN CARRY FRESH FRUIT
AT Cost.

The committee on transportation APP
pointed by the fruit-growers in State con-
vention at Sacramento last November have
addressed lengthy communication to the
officers OF the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company on the subject of freight on fruit
In this they say:
1t is not difficult to foresee the end should the
experience of the fruit-growers in the next
two or three years be repetition of the ex-
perienecs of 1898 and 1894. 1t must mean,
hrst, the financial ruin of the vast army OF
frultgrowers, who are among the most desirable
citizens of the State. it must further mean q
most serious shrinkage, not alone in values
throughout the State, but also in population.
All of which cannot but mean most serious
shrinkage in the values of California railroad
property. 1t must therefore, be plain that at
this time the interests of the California trans
portation companies and the fruit-growers are
Identical. The prosperity of the railways in
this State must largely be dependent upon the
become almost the prime industry of the State.
We believe, that as intelligent, thoughtful, and
wlde-awake railroad men, you fully and deeply
appreciate all these facts.
The question at issue is: How shall the
present deplorable condition be remedied?
We hope we are not of those who unwisely and
unintellgently lay the entire responsibility of
the serious losses involved at the doors of the
railroad company. We believe that the rail-
road company is sufficiently alive to its own
interests not ito kill the goose that lays the
Its helping hand and to aid all that lies in its
power to relieve the distress of the fruit-groW-
erS.
The communication details at length
what has been done in the matter of trans
portation, and offer suggestions which. it
is claimed, would result in benefit to the
transportation company and to the fruit
growers. The writer's say:
We believe that the California TRANSPORTATION
companies could well afford to make the mat
ter OF carrying fresh fruits tosEastern markets
what the grocer makes of his sugar and -four
and what the dry goods merchant makes of his
calico and his muslin articles, handled with
little or no profit, but which, as a policy,
brings increased business and increased profits
from other directions.
The following is a recapitulation of what
is desired of the transportation companies:
First-We ask that the five-day ventilated
car-service to Chicago be in some manner guar
anteed.
Second-We ask that you obtain from the re-
frigerator companies a concession of at least
$50 per car.
Third.That 81 rate to Chicago be granted
on ventilated cars for eight-day service.
Fourth-That carload lots of fruit for Eastern
shipment be hauled to points on main line on
a OASIS OF through rates, instead of local rates.
amount OF cherries to be loaded in refrigerator
cars, as experience has shown that twelve tons
cannot be properly refrigerated, that it is detr-
mental to the fruit to be thus overloaded and
in the beginning of the season that it is hard
to get over eight tons of cherries for any one
car without holding the fruit too long.
Sixth-We ask that mixed cars of dried and
canned fruits and nuts be accepted by YOUR
company, each variety paying its own rate in
stead OF the highest rated article establishing
the rate Tor the entire car; and that q similar
concession be made on mixed cars of fresh
fruits and vegetables.
We, ask that this be done to enable us to
broaden and widen our markets among the
smaller communities throughout the East.
who cannot handle carload lots of one variety
OF product, and who, if compelled to paw the
prohlbltory fractional carload rates on smaller
can do no business.
Knowing as we do from your repeated utter
ances that you keenly appreciate the necessity
and the Importance of charging our markets
and thus increasing the demand for California
products. and knowing as we do that YOU stand
ready to aid all efforts in such direction we
feel assured you will, il necessary, strain a
point to grant this desired concession the effect
OF which must be so far reaching for good as to
be almost beyond estimation.
Seventh-We finally ask, owing to the woful
depression of the raisin industry. that an
emergency rate of rs cents be given on the
raisin crop of 1895.
Frank H. Buck, Vacaville; D. T. Fowler.
Fresno; H. F. Stabler, Yuba City; ]. L. Ander-
son, San Jose; B. F. Walton, Yuba City; George
d. kellogg, Newcastle: H. Veins took, Sacra-
mento, chairman.