The record-union., 1895-07-17
FRUIT MEN HOLD 4 CONSULTATION.
Meeting Of the Growers and Ship
pers' Association.
Probability That a Compromise VIII
Be Effected With the Rival
Association.

members of the California Fruit Grow
ers' and Shippers Association. there as
sembled at the Office of the Secretary
yesterday the following named gentle
meu: Henry Arm brust of Stockton. d.
and w Brinck of Winters, Frank ID.
Buck of Vacaville, F. j. Mason of the CO.
operative Fruit Company of Newcastle,
Earl Fruit Company of Sacramento,
W. o. Davis, Manager of the OF Florin
Fruit Growers Association; G. D. Kel-
logg of Newcastle. 6. B. Katzenstein
of the Orangeyale Company. n.
Salisbury OF Porter Bros, J. c. Shinn OF
the Niles Fruit Growers Association, a.
Anderson of the Suisun Valley Fruit
Union, II. p. Stabler of the Sutter County
Fruit Grawers' Association, Thacker
Bros, of Sacramento, J. a. Webster OF the
California Fruit Union OF Nacavllle, W.
J. Wilson IL Son OF Newcastle, Captain
w. j. McCann OF the Auburn Co-opera-
tive Fruit Company.
President Weinstock said that before
making his report he would suggest that
o committee wait upon Mr.. Fairbanks OF
the National Fruit Association, Mr.. Ruhl-
man and Mr.. Narney OF the Dried trult
Union, and invite them TO attend the
meeting. Mr. Farney was the only one
who found time TO attend.
VENTILATION CAR SERVICE.
The following communication from c.
I. Smurr of the Southern Pacific Com
pany was read:
Colonel II. IFeinStock, President CALI
JOT7tla Fruit. GT0UeyS' and Shippers AS-
SOciati0n, SACRAMENTO, CdL.-DEAR SIR:
You viii doubtless recall the stress laid
by shippers on the necessity tor this
company arranging Tor this season Il fast
train schedule for green fruit IN ventlla-
ted cars from Sacramento TO Chicago, and
your individual expression at the Fruit
Growers Convention IN Sacramento to
the effect that il a liye-days schedule was
obtained il would prove the most i'm
portant achievement yet accomplished IN
the interests OF California fruit.
To date this company has dispatched
seven ventilated fast fruit trains, each
making 40 hours from Sacramento 10 Chi
cago, except the first train which un
fortunately met with ten hours deten-
ton in Illinois through an accident on
the Chicago and Northwestern Railway.
All these trains have made the agreed
time over the Southern Pacilic's line to
Ogden.
In undertaking to carry out this 100
hour schedule. the companies have been
handicapped by the fact that at no time
has there been train load Of fruit, the
cars for Chicago or beyond ranging as
follows; First train, .; second train, /;
third train, :; fourth train, 2; fifth train.
5; sixth train, i; seventh train, 8.
Since the beginning of the 1ruit season,
this company has been at all times ready
to run a special ventilated fast fruit train
whenever sufficient mum Der Of cars to- do
so was in prospect, but at no time have
we had any assurance OF an adequate
number of cars being so rendered. The
best we could do under these circum-
stances has been to canvass the shippers,
w a "a
prospect of train load Offering, an
nOunce q train out OF sacramento on
specified evening 10 care for the business.
Having thus announced the train we
have run it il but one car offered.
Results TO date have been so discourag
ing that we feel impelled TO call your al
tention TO the fact that shippers are not
giving these trains the support we had
antici pated from the expressions OF lead
ing fruit growers, and especially based
on your strong ana able utterances at the
eighteenth Fruit-Growers' Convention,
also on those OF the late L. w. Buck, in
which connection l may recall pages 81
and 81 of the printed official report. At
that convention, too, at least one speaker
iuEmated that although the carriers had
in previous seasons given fair rate with
promise of quick time in ventilated cars,
the shippers were driven to retrigeratOrs,
whether by design and manipulation
or by force OF circumstances not
being made clear. That intImatiOn had
no foundation in fact SO far as this COM
pany is concerned, for this company
makes its arrangements IN good faith
and with the full and honest intention of
carrying out any programme arranged
between shippers and ourselves. Now
we are anxious that no room be left this
season for any reflection regarding this
company's part in administering the
ventilated train service. and in view of
your commanding position in the cOun-
sells Of growers and shippers of green
fruit; recognizing, too, the spirit Of fair
ness that has characterized your dealings
with the subject we think il we'll TO in
quire whether we can rely on the weight
OF your authority and the forcible eX
preston of your views at this time IN
calling the attention OF growers and
shippers to the necessity for patroniZing
the ventilated fruit service if they desire
same continued.
So far the running of the seven trains
has cost the carriers many times the reve
nue. derived from the fruit the trains
transported, and as q practical business
man you viii recognize the fact that the
continuance OF the service on such basis
OF loss cannot be justified. 10 date the
company Is not receiving such support
as TO warrant continuance Of the service,
and unless your influence and that Of
your associates is exerted in the direc-
tilated oars so that we can handle same in
trainloads on fast time, the hopes in
dulged in before the season opened will
seemingly have proved without founds-
ton, and very costly experiment inau-
gurated without tangible result.
Relying on such representations of
those interested in fruit transportation,
this company ordered several hundred
new ventilated cars built expressly to
put into this service; the cars are here.
but practically nothing for them to do.
We are not disposed to give up without
struggle the project OF handling Cali
fornias green fruit in ventilated cars on
fast time TO Chicago. We would very
seriously regret the necessity for abau-
doning the train, and would thank you
1or an expression of your views on the
subject and indication of what, II any
utterance or action you may contemplate
in relation thereto. Very truly yours,
c. 4. SMURR.
THE SERVICE SATISFACTORY.
Mr.. Salisbury of Porter Bros. said his
firm had sent fruit by every ventilated
train that had gone out, and would con-
tnue to do so as long as the results were
satisfactory. Some of the shipments had
not turned out well, but that was prob
ably on account OF the Character OF the
fruit Itself Out of some twenty carloads
of fruit sent out on the preceding day
there were but four ventilated cars. while
much more OF the fruit. especially pears,
could have gone by ventilated cars Just
as well as by refrigerators
Frank ID. Buck said his experience
with the ventilated cars as far as Chicago
had been very satisfactory. He was one
of those who urged upon the Southern
Pacific Company the establishment of
five-day ventilated car system to Chi
cago, and he thought these cars should be
better patronlZed.