Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-02-25
opNFeREacE lrlrn raEuEes.
sauthsr Meeting for the discussion Of
EeE.isht fshHraEA.


sisT Gore pondsEre offisksiie ani i5ilTnNl.
3tyar. fei,. a4 --Tha Iipuas commit
seo on freight aud express rates bsii
Ruother public meeting In the State
aouse parlDT yesterday afternoon.
Several farmers we're present anu made
addresses.
d. N. Brown stated that during the
past week be bad learned that the
fr5ight charges Oh agricultural imple-
mnnta over the Delaware railroad were
from five 10 lG times greaier than that
charged over tho roails leading into
Delaware. The farmers, he held, who
are the purchasers Of implements, must
pay tho eyeass OF rats, ana when they
sell their produce they muat paw an
other excess OF freight rate on their
shipments. He requested the committee
10 summon agricultural implement
dealers 70 gave testimony.
Philip Il, Cannon inquired as to
whether the committee is a judicial
committee or committee of invsstiga.
ton. He stared that il II was com,
miItee of Investigation tho farmers can
furnish all the evidence desired and
will Willingly do SO. He suggested
that the committee have printed for
distribution copies OF tina acts ipcorpo-
rating the Delaware Railroad ca, the
p ". It. B. Railroad Co. and the
lease between the two companies
In reply to MIR. Cannon, Chairman
Donaldson stated that the committee
was appointed 10 investigate the matter
OF freight charges in the State. Its
purpose is TO hear oil complaints and
MAKE full Investigation, and it has
power TO summon railroad officials and
papers il necessary. He also remarked
that the railroads had Willingly com
Piled With all requests for information,
which had been made by tine CONN: ittee.
MIR. Cannon stated that the railroad
company charged for 20, con pounds to
the car load Of peaches in shipments
from 9ridgevilIe TO Hartford, Conn,
when II 10 a Physical impnssibillty to
put %, 600 pounds on the cars.
Mr. Brown said that the railroad
company graded all refrigerator cars by
what tho Inraest of them will hold.
II. W. pirsn Staten that hs had not
hGon able TO put $4,000 pnunhs Of
pnachea in the largest refrigerator cars.
lie gppke Of his inability to c0nyiRre
railroad officials OF that fact, and said
tley had refused to remunorate him for
the difference between the amount be
had PLACED on the cars and the amount
charged for On Is cars the weight of
his shipments ranged from 25, 300 to
"a, $40 pounds, while no was compelled
70 pay for u, UWj pounds in each case.
Mr.. hiFon read letter from g. s.
BreweF, a llaTtford merchant, WIN az
pressed satisfaction that the inveatiga.
ton was in progress, and gave tia in
formation that unless reduction in
fat9E was secured, Michigan fruit
grngars will become formidable com.
aatitors to Delaware growers as the
ratcs from points in that State are only
nominal.
mir. Brown spoke OF the visit of d
committee from the State Grange to
tho Pennsylvania rnilrond officials last
Hrring, They endRagoFed TO get re.
duction Of rates and also weights. but
no concessions would he made. Some
places, he stated. refrigerator car ser
vice costs nothing extra, but Delaware
shippers AFRO compelled to psy from $40
10 9lUO per car extra.
Mitchell Layton stated that Delaware
shippers had been imposed upun for
yoGr5, and he hnped to Gce relief. Ho
rad he WAS required to pay about three
! aentG pGr quart on berries shipped last
uoGsun. He also spnks Of being re.
CURED to pay 40 cents per barrel for
limo shipped from Baltimore to Bridge
vile, while it could be shipped TO
| Salisbury and points below for 20
eenta. llo was informed that the reason
for the lower charge to Maryland points
was that there was water competition.
Last summer the rates were so high
on berries that it was necessary 10
| rtop picking befoFa tho season was
over, and for that reason a portion of
tho crop haul TO 20 TO waste To-day
there arc 20 acrus in fruit and produce
where there was hut ono aero 10 years
ago. and as the output is greater tho
jrirea in tho markets must be lower
aud tho freight rates should be lower.
tgorything hut freight has come down,
Charles Wright said that for mer.
chandihe shipped from France to Sca.
ford tho charge to New York WAS 81. So.
( and from Now York to Scaford 90 cents.
Shipments made fran Danvlle, Va,
10 soaford cost SC, and similar shin
ruents FROM Harrington cost $3.50.
Paynter Frame gave similar testi.
! mony. He is a melon grower, but said
that on account of the high freight
rates he had found it advantageous TO
reduce his shipments TO seeds.
John j. Kos submitted reports which
| no bad received from the Interstate
Commerce Commission at Washington,
lie went to Washington aud obtained
tho bnoka and presented them to tho
committee.
Samuel II. Derby said that farmers
had boon unable to recover for fruits
damaged while being shipped, although
shippers OF other merchunitise had been
enabled TO recover. He also stated that
farmers were comnelled 10 pay freight
as soon as their shipments were movol
from the stations, while other SINNERS
had week in which to nay.
Chairman Donaldson stated that
representatives OF railroads and EXPRESS
companies would he welcome before the
committee, as it was the desire to hoar
both sides,
AT the conclusion of the public hear.
ing the committee mot behind closed
| doors, but transacted no business. 1t
was decided to meet tomorrow at noon
to formulate some plan of action,
TRUSTEES or THE room.