The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-06-22

lima Truck and Fruit Growers Associ-
alton were in annual session yesterday
from 12:15 until about 5 o'clock bearing
a short intermission for dinner. The
business OF principal interest was the
hearing OF the report Of the board Of
directors and the election OF a new
board OF directors for the ensuing
year. Nj. w. L. Hill. OF Warsaw
presided over the meeting as president
and Mr.. c. NJ. Steinmetz the secretary
was at his post.
ANNUAL REPORT OF DIRECTORS.
The principal interest OF the meeting
centered in the report OF the board OF
directors which covered the operation
of the association during the past year
1t was read by Mr.. j. a. Brown
chairman OF the executive committee
and was as follows:
Gentlemen: Your board Of directors
beg to submit the following report;
Your board, with the management of
the association, was subject 20 some
criticism on the part Of your stock
holders at the last annual meeting on
account of the contract made with the
California Fruit Transportation Com
pany. Your board We're acquainted with
all the facts in the case and understood
thoroughly the folly of attempting TO
cause either the California Fruit Trans
p%ortation Company or the Atlantic
Coast Line to violate their contract,
and were practically forced to accept
the best terms that could be had at
that time. They were able, however,
to force the c. F. I. Company TO put
up a guarantee of $40, 100000 for the per-
Torrance of their contract; and We are
glad to report that our business agent,
Mr.. H. T. Bauman, has been able to
collect, since our last annua meeting,
the sum of SO, 593. "a for damages sus-
tanned by the shippers for the season
of 1899, as a result Of the above-named
contract, and without any cost what
ever to the shipper.
Your board is glad to be able to re-
port that all the officers of our asso-
citation have performed their duties
faithfully and earnestly during the
past year.
The Atlantic Coast Line informed
your board that it would allow the
Eastern Carolina Truck and Fruit
Growers Association to invite bids for
refrigerator service for the season of
1900. Bid We're advertised for, n he
California Fruit Transportation Com
pany, the California Fruit Express
Company, and the Fruit Growers Ex-
press Company were the competitive
bidders for this service, and the Fruit
Growers Express being the lowest
bidder. the board recommended the
selection Of this line to the Atlantic
Coast Line, with the result that the
contract was awarded to them.
Taking New York as a base, We were
able to secure from the Atlantic Coast
Line a reduction of 121ac per package
- 1@-- ~>-
package in carload lots, making a re-
duction in the combined freight and
refrigerator charges Of 271ac per pack
age in carload lots n zoe in less than
carload lots. These reductions have
saved the shipper in strawberries
alone. for the season Of 1900, the sum
of $50, 627.3 SO.
Your board found it was impractical
bic to carry on the business of the as
ISOLATION without some responsible
representative in charge of the clerical
work, and Mr.. H. T. Bauman was en-
ployed with headquarters at South
Rocky Mount, for the season of 1900.
and from his records we find hat 345,-
127 crates or II, 044, 064 quarts of straw
berries were shipped from the territory
covered by this association.
The busineSs agent of the associa-
ton has made numerous inquiries of
shippers and receivers and the reports
show that while the refrigerator ser
vice has not been perfect, it has been
a decided Improvement over the past
seasons. n while there have been a
few complaints, OIL the whole it has
been good.
We congratulate the association that
the officials Of the Atlantic Coast Line
are showing willingness n a DISPOSE
ton to treat the grower and shipper
with more consideration than hereto
fore by giving a better service thar
ever before.
Your board has been sadly disap-
pointed in the treatment received at
the hands of the Southern Express
Company. The executive committee OF
the association, at the request Of the
board Of directors. held several confer
ences with he superintendent of the
Southern Express Company and re-
Quested a reduction in express rates,
but action in this matter was deferred
from time to time with promises and
when the rates were finally established
they were higher at least 20 per cent.
than they should have been. Your
committee was disappointed at the ar
D1trary manner in which the officials
or this company treated the matter and
hope that the board Of directors for
the coming year will protest vigorously
against this rate and make every effort
possible to have 1t reduced to a proper
basis.
We are glad to state that the crop
was fairly well distributed during the
past season and all serious gluts were
past season and all serious gluts were
avoided. This shows the wisdom of
having n crop distributed. and should
De a great enefit the coming season;
we believe that these results were
largely due to the efficient manage
ment Of our shipping agent.
We desire TO call your attention to
the fact hat during the past season the
territory covered by the Eastern Caro-
lima Truck and Fruit Growers Asso-
citation practically had control of the
strawberry market. The weather dur
Ing the past season was unusually ia
vorable for the harvesting and mar
keting Of the crop. which was short.
While the crop at competitive points
was practically destroyed bv unfavor-
able weather conditions, We were more
fortunate, and, as above stated, were
practically in control of the market.
But if we will deduct the refrigerator
and freight saving Of $50, 900 from our
net results, we will find that our profits
were not as large as they have been in
past seasons. We especially call your
attention to the fact that reports have
gone put from this territory to the