The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-15
WANT FREIGHT REDUCTIONS.
Fruit Growers Ask Railways to Cut
Charges Txventy-Ffve Per Cent.

Fruit Growers Ask Railways to Cut
Charges Twenty-Five Per Cent.
The recent meeting of the joint com
mittees of the Georgia State Agricultural
and Horticultural Societies and of the
Georgia Fruit Growers Association, that
was held in Macon on Tuesday, inaugu-
rated a vigorous movement for a decreased
scale of rates for the transportation and
refrigeration of fruits and vegetables from
this state to Northern markets.
OF the fifteen members of the committee
eleven were present, among these beng
Col. John NJ. Stubs of Dublin, who was
elected chairman, and Mai. G. NJ. Ryals
of Savannah. Yesterday Maj. Ryals out
lined to a reporter of the Morning News
the work the committee proposes to I'M
dertake and some of the propositions n
would make 10 the representatives of the
roads. As a preliminary step, circular let
ters, that were drafted in part at the
meeting, will be sent by the chairman to
the traffic departments of The railways of
the state and to the connecting lines that
transport the products further North, with
a view to securing their cooperation N
the plan. The committee believes that the
roads can be brought to think that their
own interests demand the Inauguration Of
a more reasonable and equitable scale of
rates.
The committee will suggest to the roads
an appropriate reduction of 25 per cent.
upon their rates. For instance, the rate
upon a carload of peaches from Middle
Georgia to New York is now $3.50, of which
S175 is paid the road and So goes 10 the
company operating the line of refrigerator
cars for the use of the car and refrigera-
ton during the trip. 1t is to be suggested
that the roads reduce this rate to $500 and
take charge themselves of the refrigera-
ton, selecting the companies they will pat
ronize and assuming responsibility for the
safe carriage of the fruit
The committee also wants the roads to
guarantee that the cars will reach their
destination at something like their ap>
pointed time of arrival, a consummation
that in the past has seemed TO them i'm
possible of attainment. They want the
road to assume control of the refrigera>
ton of the fruit and avoid the present
necessity of dealing with two companies.
which confronts the farmer and causes
him much serious Inconvenience.
In return for these concessions the COM
mittee will suggest to the roads that they
require the prepayment of freight or the
guarantee of payment upon arrival. As
matters now are, it is frequently the case
that careless and improvident growers will
which is not upon arrival worth the cost
of transportation, and which the con-
signee refuses to accept or to pay the
freight upon. From this cause springs
much expense to the roads and the COM
mittee wishes them TO provide against
its happening in the future by the re-
quirement of a guarantee or the prepay
ment of freight charges.
Backed, as the committee is, by tie en-
tire agricultural and horticultural interests
of the state, 1t believes that it is in a posi-
ton to accomplish some good and thai it's
conferences with the representatives of the
roads will make for this end. If necessary
the committee will go on to Washington
and at every stage win leave no stone I'M
turned that win help in its work. With
many of the growers the time has come
when they must either secure lower rates
of transportation or so out of the bust
ness.