The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-31
CRAVING is COSTLY
WICHITA'S APPETITE FOR BERRIES
Costs A LARGE SUN.
More Berries are Consumed than are
Raised Here-A Wachira Produce Dealer
Gives rev Interesting Ffgures-what
the Express Companies Did in Four
Months-Producs Dealers Sold Nearly
of Foreign Berries this season-Berries
Measured by fcx. Crate and Car Loa DIS

Wichita produce dealers in less than
four months sold nearly $4,000 worth
OF berries raised in other states
There are perhaps not TO exceed one
hundred people in Wichita who have
even a remote idea Of the amount of
berries handled by the produce men in
this city,
Berries. Of course. are Chased as luxu-
ries and owing to the stringency of the
times there would be fewer berries sold
this year than there would have been
with better times.
Mr.. Johnson Of the Wichita Produce
company for his own satisfaction, yes
terday obtained from the express conn
panies in this city The amount OF straw
berries. black berries and raspberries
shipped in here in the months of April.
May. June and July of this year.
His figures were taken from the books
or the express companies and are OF
course correct Is 10 the berries obtain
ed from the outside but OF course do
not include the berries raised in this
county and marketed here.
Mr.. Johnson's figures show that May
and June are the berry months. II
shows that the berries imported for the
four months were for April 573 crates:
May 5,SSS crates; June 4.167 crates and
for July up 10 yesterday 1,0lS crates
were received.
That is good many berries added to
the home production and this state
ment shows that Wichita dealers dis
tributed 12.241 crates of berries more
than supplied by the home market
There are twenty-four boxes in q
crate, which makes 2S3. 7S4 boxes of ber-
ries supplied from outside the home
market, mostly from Missouri and Ar
kansas.
For bringing in these 1924 crates Of
berries the produce dealers here paid
the express companies s5,0994l as the
charges on 401.9 pounds of freight.
which Of course is added to the cost OF
the berries and the consumer must pay
ii.
These berries OF course are brought in
express cars attached To passenger
trains and cost more than IL shipped as
common freight. People want fresh
berries and freight trains are too slow
and for that reason they must be ship
ped in the shortest possible time.
Some idea of the amount of berries
contained in these 12,241 crates may be
gained from the statement made by an
express agent last night that theywould
fill eighteen express cars, which would
be equal to three full passenger trains
of six cars each.
The produce dealers here claim that
berries have average over 81 a crate
this summer. but counting 81 and Wich
tia has paid in a little less than four
months for berries shipped in by the
express companies s244s2.
This is good deal OF money TO send
out for luxuries that might be raised
at home, hut Kansas people are not
hogs and the people of this section are
willing to let the railroads and express
companies and the people of adjoining
states live.
The fact, however. remains II any,
body near Wichita wants % engage in
the berry business that they would be
pretty certain to find a market for his
product here.