The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-06-10
NORFOLK TRUCK AT BALTIMORE
An Interesting description OF Its
Arrival md DfspGsni

800 A"achcSS'A. NcScrbPt1Oh Oh Hin
Arrival md Disposal.
Baltimore, Md, June 9.-(Special.)-
Many Baltimoreans eat Strawberries for
their breakfasts these mornings which
were growing in fields around Norfolk,
over zoo miles from the city only the af-
ternoon before. AS they sprinkle the
tempting fruit with pulverized sugar and
add a little cream perhaps to increase
the fiaVor, they give little thought to
the manner In which the berries rea ched
them, or perhaps from whore they
came.
This is the time Of the year, when
every morning, steamboat loads OF small
1fuit and green stuff" arrive in BALI
more soon after sunrise for sale TO any
one who Will take an early breallras S,
Or get up before breakfast and visit
Union dock, OF the Old Bay Line. for in
stance, the sight is one long to be re-
menrbered. While thousands Of people
are still sleeping in their beds or rub
Dlng their eyes preparatory to getting up
for the morning meal, hundreds OF men
ana teams can be seen here unloading
ana carrying away the freight from
me vessels. The long docks are packed
TO the roofs with boxes, barrels and
crates marked for Baltimore and points
perhaps hundred miles further north
one gang Of brawny workmen Invested
OF their coats and vests. and with shirt
sleeves rolled up TO The elblw, rushing
out IN long lines with packages Some Of
these are very large, and require one
man nj each end rs fast as they emerge
from the hold. The men are directed 10
!lerent points In the yard, where they
deposit their load. These spaces. or
stations a they are technically termed
are proportional out among various
irlllt and vegetable dealers of the CITY.
ana each is usually in charge of a rep
reSentatve of the firm, who, with his
n Il. 1,pt,
car, sees that his consignment is fully
delivered or sold. From each OF the
.hrce entrances OF the boat come the
long lines Of hurlying men, only to re-
turn sometimes in less than a minute
empty handed. Rapidly the stations be-
come illled up with boxes, barrels and
crates: Huge wagons drawn by two,
sometimes three horses, are backed TO
the pile or packages. More gangs begin
putting away the fruit and vegetables.
and when the driver whips up hi:
horses he Is sometimes sitting on the top
ol barrel or cabbage, or perhaps
surrounded by vegetables so that he can
scarcely be seen on account Of the size
or the cargo which is being carried.
IheFe IS no time lost anywhere, for IL
TIME rs worth money, 1t is worth money
mere ana every minute counts. Although
me powerful steamers Of the Old Bay
Line cover the distance from the great
gardens around Norfolk and Hampton
Roads to baltimore so quickly that they
frequently reach Union dock before G
Q clock in the morning. much Of their
irelght must be unloaded and again
ioaded IN express or freight cars for
transportation to the north. while such
Is the demand for the fruits and vegc-
tables that the Baltimore market men
want their delivery to customers as
early rs possible.
Hence 1t is that the horses attached
TO the delivery wagons are whipped to a
smart trot, and go dying through the
cry IN dlliereht directions. some to the
pubic markets, some to the corner green
grocers and some to the commission
stores, many OF them arriving at their
destination before the usual breakfast
hour. The family cook is well aware
or these early morning hour deliveries
she mas been made acquainted with
them by the market men or grocers
and as soon as the wagon arrives. is
ready to purchase lettuce or onions, Der
rieS, or possibly the necessary vegetables
for dinner And SO it happens that
many as has already beet stated, have
berries for breakfast which were picked
the evening before, packed In crates.
placed on board one Of the steamers of
the Old Bay Line and carried TO Balti-
more In time for us to enjoy them at
the breakfast hour.
1t is truly remarka BILE what Il lot Of
truck can be brought 10 Baltimore in one
OF these vessels. Ten thousand packages
Is not an unusual cargo. Only recently a
boat arrived al the Union dock with
5000, large proportion Of which con-
sisted OF crates Of strawberries To show
the remarkable facilities for unloa ding
and quick delivery, it might be stated,
that the exact time was taken of the
handling Of this cargo It required Just
l60 minutes ito remove every package
from the boat and pile them in the sta
tons allotted to the different market ana
commission firms. The commission
merchants frequently sell large proper
ton OF their consignmcnts to custo-
mers who come to the dock, and carry
them off in their own wagons. Before
me cargo was entirely unloaded. over so
per cent. OF 1t had been examined at the
stations and sold to customers by the
commission men. AS already stated, the
strawberry crates require two men to
handle each, consequently more time
was required than usual. In order to
accomplish this feature Is; was necessary
10 carry out nearly GO packages per
n a S1,N