The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-05-01

With each passing day now the
strawberry shipments from points up
the Wilmington and Weldon, and At
lantic and Yadkin and the Wilmington,
Charleston and Augusta railroads are
growing in volume. All shipments thus
far nave been by Southern express. 1t
is not expected that a shipment by re-
f~rigerator car (the Fruit Growers Ex-
press) will be made before the first or
middle of next week.
During yesterday the Southern ex-
press handled 80 crates OF
berries from points on the Atlantic and
Yadkin railroad and 568 from points on
the Wilmington and Weldon railroad.
from here TO Rocky Mount.
Yesterdays shipments on the VIII
mington, Columbia and Augusta could
not be obtained last night, but on the
day previous so rates We're shipped
from Chadbourn and intermediate
points.
OF the 56S crates of berries shipped
along the Wilmington and Weldon
oad yesterday the largest, 132
crates, was from Rocky Point and
the second largest, 125 crates, from Rose
Hill. The other shipments were pretty
we'll distributed among the other sta
tions. The destination of probably
two-thirds of the shipments yesterday
was New York.
In addition to the strawberry ship
mentS Yesterday there were 265 pack
ages of vegetables principally lettuce
and asparagus. These were pretty
well distributed between New York,
Philadelphia, Cleveland, Buffalo, and
Baltimore.
There is every Indication that at least
1000 crates will be shipped along the
Wilmington and Weldon oad today
with good prospects for 1000 or 1,500 on
Sunday. Rocky Point alone expects to
ship at least 400 crates Sunday
morning.
Mr.. j. ]. Croswell, the efficient route
agent on the Wilmington and Weldon
road is authority for h statement
that the special express train will very
probably be put in operation for the
strawberry season early next week.
The shipments of berries by express
from his point are as yet very limited.
Seven crates were shipped yesterday,
three by Mr.. G.. w. Westbrook and
four by Mr.. w. A. Riach. On the day
previous two crates were shipped by
express by Westbrook and Wright.
1t is only a question of a few days
now when the refrigerator cars of the
Fruit Growers Express will be called
into requisition to handle the straw
berry shipments which will now in
CTSdSe Ill NOIuIle udily ullII SI1OI
nous proportions are reached In
fact, Mr.. G.. w. Woodward, agent
for the company in this section, thinks
shipments in refrigerator car load lots
will begin probably as early as Monday
or Tuesday. An ample supply of the
cars are already here garnished and
ready for service. They are side track
ed on the railroad yards in this city.
A thorough organization has been per-
fected so lat there is every indication
that when the refrigerator car ship
ments begin the movement will be like
clock work, the refrigerator car COM
pany, the railroad companies and the
growers cooperating to the mutual
benefit of each.
AS usual great care will be eXer-
cised in the distribution of berries
among the northern, eastern and west
ern markets, an eye being single, to
the very important matter of reaching
the various markets at most advanta-
geOus time, care bein gtaken that ship
mentS shall not be made to any given
point on such days as would cause the
berries shipped to arrive at their desti-
nation on Sunday and thereby sustain
considerable damage by having to lie
over until Monday before they could be
sold. For instance in shipping to Bos-
ton il is estimated that the berries
would be three days in transit; Chi
cago, -four days; New York, two days;
Grand Rapids, five days. 1t also re-
quires about five days 20 put berries
on the Canadian markets.
MI. Henry T. Bauman, of this city,
shipping master for the East Carolina
Truck and Fruit Growers Association,
will have his headquarters al Rocky
Mount this season for the reaso that
he will be more centrally located there
and more accessible to the members
OF the association. He makes a special
ty Of keeping in thorough touch with
all the northern, eastern and western
markets and will keep the growers
posted as to the prices on the several
markets and also regarding the supply
so that the shipments nay be distrib-
uted to the best advantage, avoiding a
glut upon any of them.