The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1897-01-21
THE HORTICULTURALIST'
Their Convention Is Largely Attended
By Railroad and Commission Men.
MANY INTERESTING TOPICS DISCUSSED
Exhibit OF Apples which Captured
Every Eve-Pubiic school schoi-
ars ms Newspaper Reporters-Mis.
ceIIaueous Bits OF News.

The annual meeting Of the Northwest
Fruit Growers Association in this city,
on Tuesday and Wednesday. was a
decided success. The full program Of
Tuesdays meeting was somewhat delayed
owing to the lateness of the west bound
train which brought quite crowd OF
delegates, commission men and railroad
officials, number of whom had Travelled
thousands of miles to be present at the
sessions.
The display of apples at Mason's opera
house, was an eye opener for the visitors
for it demonstrated to them that no Sec
ton of the country was superior to faki-
ma, if the equal, for this class OF fruit,
and the compliments which the exhibit
brought forth was certainly most pleas
ing to the citizens of Yakima and to the
grow ers of this section.
President Blalock's opening address on
Transportation was listened to with
marked interest. He handled the rail-
roads and the commission men in way
which was calculated to correct the abuses
which have prevailed, and yet his re-
marks were in such vein that all
recognize the justice Of his claims and
did not take exceptions to them. He ad-
vocated the adoption Of association boxes
of standard measurement 90 that ship
pers and buyers could make and take
orders for car load lots at a certain figure
without the fear that the railroads would
come upon them for additional charges.
He also advanced joint inspection of
the fruit, by railroad officials and COM
mission men as soon as it reached its
destination. This would be protect ion
to the railroad as well as the shipper He
said the average transportation per car
charged last season was 1899, while the
average returns for the state were but
1919, proving net loss to the producer.
He was answered by General Freight
Agent Moore and Hall, the head of the
express department. Both alleged the
railroad was willing to meet all fair de-
mands OF the growers and the former
cited the fact that reductions far below
those accorded California growers had
already been made. Both promised to
give all possible assistance to the COM
mittee on transportation appointed by
the association.
James NJ. Gilbert in discussing legisla.
ton advised the adjustment OF the
present horticultural board of seven and
the appointment of a chief inspector at a
fair salary and deputies to be named and
paid by the counties at 81 per diem.
Throughout the entire proceedings Of
the two days the greatest of interest was
manifested and the various papers were
listened to with marked interest while
the leading questions were discussed with
vigor and intelligence.
The transportation committee made q
report demanding that uniform rates be
adopted on the weight of various fruit
packages as follows: Apple boxes
fifty pounds; pear boxes forty; peaches
twenty, cherries ten, apricots, grapes.
prunes and plums, all in four basket
crates of twenty i've pounds. The COM
mittee also requested that the minimum
weight of all cars of fruit, straight or
mixed be 10000 except apples, which
should be 1000 pounds. The commit
tee also requested reduction in freight
and express rates, grading from 10 to 20
per cent, below the existing schedule,
and asked the express companies to fur
nish ventilated cars for fruit transporta-
ton.
The report vas closely discussed and
the committee had a conference with
representatives of the Northern Pacific
and the latter agreed to refer the requests
and recommendations OF the committee
to the heads of the departments of the
railroads promising all assistance in their
power to secure the relief asked for.
Among the railroad men present we're
Moore, Nadeau, Timing, of the Northern
Pacific; Still and Hackett, of the Union
Pacific; Savage, of the G. & N. W; Rog-
ers of the w. & G. r.. Burns, OF the o.
r. & N; Draper, of the C. B. 4 O.;
Harder, of the Great Northern; Niles, OF
the Union Pacific, and Hall, Reese,
Humphrey and Otto for the Northern
Pacific Express company.
Appreciation was shown of the efforts
OF Dr. Blalock for the success of the as.
sociation meetings by again electing him
president. Portland was selected as the
next place Of meeting, and a vote of
thanks was e. tended to the daily papers
OF the state, the citizens of North Yaki-
ma and to the local press. Thirty names
were added to the membership rolls.
r. :. Flint Makes a Statement.
In response to the extract published in
THE HERALD from the Ellensburg Daun,
regarding the loss of % 900 trees in p. ].