Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-08-15
Farmers, Meeting at Keller.

ruinous prices being received for
their crops at this time. The meet
ing was organized with DR.. John L.
Wilkins chairman and Mr.. Edward s.
Wise secretary, and i'll response to
calls, speeches were made by DR..
George w. LeCato, Captain 0. A.
Browne, Mr.. R. A. King and others.
DR.. LeCato, after prefacing his re-
marks with information as to the
reduction of freight rates to New
York, Philadelphia and Wilmington,
proceeded to give some reasons Tor
the low prices and principal among
them, the Indifferent packing of our
produce for market. He said, that
for cooking purposes our sweet pota-
toes were better than those grown IN
New Jersey and when sold in bulk
years ago always brought more than
any others in the market, but had
brought less since the crop had been
marketed in barrels, because of the
tendency of some of our farmers to
slip into the barrel strings, and in
some cases, vines and nail kegs-which
the speaker characterized as fraud
which must cease-and the evil could
and would be remedied by an act OF
the Legislature if in no other way.
Captain Browne, the next speaker,
emphasized the correctness of DR..
LeCato's remarks, by saying, that he
had been in the out-markets of New
York and Pennsylvania for the pur-
pose of selling his own crops and that
he found few reputable dealers will
ing to handle what was known as
Baltimore stock-none cared for it,,
when anything better could be had,
and he could only get his stock
handled, by assuring dealers that he
never faced up potatoes by putting
good ones on top, that they were the
same from top to bottom, and if they
were not first class, that they could
have them for nothing-in this way
he placed his stock with good men
and realized more money than others.
He said, that he had favored dis
tribution of crops from the COM
mencement OF the season and as long
ago as 1878 he had made tours of
Western markets, but the plan was
never supported by the producers
and it went down. He showed from
circulars, estimates and letters how
the business was conducted in the
West. That in Arkansas and the
Indian Territory were large pro-
ducers of round potatoes and though
they have been growing the crop but
a few years, at some stations only one
wear. vet there was business or
ganization, and none but good sound,
marketable potatoes were allowed to
be loaded on the cars. That out Of
3, $50 carloads of potatoes from this
new section all were inspected and
the result was, that these potatoes
gave satisfaction in all the markets
that he found them, and had the
preference of the Eastern Shore stock.
Can't. Browne exhibitor book of
rates to all points East. He further
said. there was no doubt but that
the farmers could greatly benefit
themselves if they would organize,
that was the first thing and the
second was to stay organized, that it
was good, long, hard work and would
require resolution and courage to
stand byl the observation-disclosures
were proverbial, for lack of unity in
action, and many persons had given
it up as & hopeless Job to get them to
co. operate, but the times were press
ing them so hard, that he was willing
to try It once more, and that now
was the time to commence, that we
could not wait for the Legislature,
but should act at once, and for that
purpose he would close by Offering
the following paper:
Resolved, That the chairman Of
this meeting appoint a committee of
five persons, who should retire a-d
report what steps, in its Judgment
should be taken for immediate action
to organize the farmers. The motion
prevailed
The Chair appointed Capt. o. A.
Browne and Dr. G. Fred Floyd from
Northampton, and DR.. Geo. w. Lee
Cato, DIR. John E. Mapp and Mr..
George w. Jacob from Accomac.
The following is the report of the
committee:
Mr.. Chairman:-Your commioGee
have retired and consulted with the
limited time at their command, and
are of the opinion that steps to band
the farmers together for mutual pro-
lection and benefit should be COM
menced at once, and to this end re-
commend that all the farmers in the
two counties should be joined in one
organization, and submit for your
consideration the preliminary report
at this time:
list, The name of the organization
shall be the Truckers Association of
the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
Cd, All persons engaged in farming
shall be eligible to membership.
9rd, That committee of five per
sons be appointed by the Chair to
draft constitution and bylaws for
the government of this association
and to report at the next meeting of
the body one week from to day, 15th),
at Parksley.
4th, We recommend that Capt. o.