The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-23

Annual MeetfD xorsh. esv
terday-A &c neral kick About Trans.
p~ortatfon " ..,rer~ nfacers Elected.

ucEaI IA AOoE&
portation " Iatters-Oficers Elected.
East Carolina Truck and Fruit
Association met in annual
onventf IN in this city at II O'Clock
~, in the court house.
Pres ldent w. L. Hill, of Warsaw, |
resi- led, and Secretary c. N. Stein
lei z, of Rose Hill, was or hand. There
"a IS an attendance of about a hundred |
Members Of the association, represent
an acreage Of 1000.
DR.. E. Porter moved that Messrs. 5.
H. Strange, G.. S. Reid and j. ID.
Moore be appointed a committee to
verify and report upon the amount CT
stock represented in person and by
proxy.
The motion was adopted and the COM
mittee subsequently reported that 61sh
hare of stock were represented IN
person and by proxy, constituting a
majority of the stock.
A quorum being present, the meet
ing was duly opened, and President
Hill delivered his annual address. His
address was complete and to the point.
and made a fine impression In his re-
port President Hill said, among other
things:
Fellow Stockholders of h East Caro-
lima Truck and Fruit Growers AS
ISOLATION:
I'VE stand the latest, and if we fail.
the last experiment of a farmers or
truckers organization in North Caro-
lima. The object for which our associ-
alton was founded is mutual protection
and advancement of its in the
trucking and fruit growing business.
Through this organization t~ransporta-
ton has been reduced both by the re-
frigerator and express companies, n
the volume Of business increased to
such an extent that it overtaXed the ca
pacity of the California Fruit Trans
portation Company's cars, even though
supplemented by the Continental Fruit
Express Company's cars, not to speak
of the multiplicity of trains furnished
by the Atlantic Coast Line this season
to do the buciness. Still, this year has
been the most disastrous to the straw
berry growers along the line of the
Wilmington n Weldon railroad in the
history of the berry business. They have
lost money almost without exception,
owing to several causes. In the first
place, the increased acreage was suf-
1clent to Slut every market used for
DcTIlcS, DOln III lT6 TOrCn anu west, anu
in every other market that the fertile
imagination of our capable and palms.
taking shipping master could introduce
our berries. Then there was the nOW
in March, which covered the berries
and injured the early crop; then, when
shipments began, storms and floods
Of rain fell and injured the berries to
such an extent that part of them could
not be gotten to market in good condi-
ton, hence low prices prevailed and the
demand fell off for berries from this
section. Finally, Tyhen the weather
got settled and fine berries were pro-
duced shipments were pouring into the
markets from Virginia and Maryland,
and overproductiCn capped the climax,
running prices so low that it did not
| pay to market the berries from this
section, and such berries at that, that
had in previous years made such rapid
strides in the estimation of the public
at large, that they relegated all other
fruits to the rear, selling at a price
| within reach of the masses and very
| often beyond their intrinsic value. But
| the bad weather and the O~ver-prOduc-
ton were not the only disturbing fac
tors that brought about such disastrous
results to Our people. The ~transporta-
ton and refrigerator companies had
also much to do with the low prices
that came so nea bankrupting so
many of u growers, notwithstanding
the ~assiduous efforts made in advance
by the general manager and traffic de-
! partment of the Atlantic Coast Line to
forestall against such emergencies; and,
furthermore, a written guarantee from
the president of the Wilmington and
Weldon railroad as to good service on
the part of the California Fruit Trans
portation Company when the question
OF insolvency was suggested by your
executive committee. The delays Of the
trains in TRANSIT often necessitated a
sale after the regular market hours in
conslgnees were forced to receive
these berries u-loaded at that
in the middle of the day which
caused qualities of them to sell fol-
barely freight charges and nothing tt
be returned to the growers after thei1
year or toll. Whether the rail.
road company will reimburse the ship.
pers for h losses occasioned by sucI
~delays-some times a day late-ir
reaching their destinations, I refer yo,
to our attorney, Judge w. r. Allen, an6
II upon investigation he finds tina
your cause is meritorious, then go int
court and redress your grievances a.
once, II 1T can be settled otherwise"
President Hill spoke further at som,
tation, criticising the service and sug
costing remedies for the relief of tn,
truck and berry growers.
The annual report of the board O
directors was read, and it covers tn
work of the board for the year, am
make recommendations as to the flu
ture. Dissatisfaction is expressed witt
h transportation afforded the berr,
growers this season, and the report i
emphatic in recommending as a relic
that w refrigerator car lines be Sc
cured to handle the business next sea
son. The directors also urge upon tn
railroad authorities the Importance O
reducing the freight rates so that tn
berry growers can compete with othe
berry and fruit regions of the Unite,
States. 1t is also recommended that tn
acreage and production be reduced.
The report Of Mr.. S. H. Strange
treasurer of h association, was read
A lengthy debate on the financial man
agement followed, and a satisfactor,
solution was arrived at.
Mr.. c. NJ. StenmetZ offered a resolu
ton authorizing the board Of director