The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-26
RAILROAD news.
California Fruit Growers Make
Charges Against Railroads.
Claim Scarcity or Cars Has
Caused Immense Losses.
ADOPT RESOLUTIONS.
Committee Appointed to Confer
With Railroad Executives.
Western Passenger Association
Authorizes Reduced Rates.

California fruit growers have protested
against the treatment of the railroads.
which they claim have been the cause
OF immense losses to them by reason Of
a scarcity of cars. Recently more than
200 citrus fruit growers assembled in
Los Angeles IN response to a call to con-
sider the injury the orange industry has
sustained in the matter of marketing
fruit A morning session devoted to
discussion was held, the afternoon being
devoted to the series Of resolutions that
had been prepared by committee Of
1--WE.
James Boyd, a well known grower,
seemed to voice the sentiments of those
engaged in orange raising when he said
that there was a time when grower
could trace the car, but now combi1a-
tons had formed ana it could not be
found after il had started
He thought it would be well to know
whether the railroads run the govern
ment or the government had any control
over the roads It was a fact that II
required a much longer time to get fruit
TO market than ever before. He thought
that when the shippers gave their fruit
TO the railroads they expected the roads
to get the fruit TO market as expeul-
tiously as possible, and when thesgrcysr
was called upon to pay the freight ne
had a right to expect the reads to do
their part Of the work.
The temper Of the meeting was out
lined in a set Of resolutions which
provide necessary transportation facl1-
ties that trains had made slower time
and that motive power had been taken
out of TIE freight and put in passenger
service at the expense Of the fruit serV-
ice. It was resolved that 4 committee
Of five be appointed to confer with the
heads Of the roads regarding the exist
ing situation and to urge upon them
w. e. Jansen. assistant to President
Ripley. eff the santa Fe, explains the
trouble thus.
Reports from the coast are true and
have not been exaggerated. The grow
ers are IN a bad plight, but first and last
it is not due to a dearth of cars. as has
been reported we nave plenty OF cars
but we have been unable % move them.
and if we are not able to move them out
and deliver them at their destination On
time what is the use in having them
loaded So when we haul out a cargo
we send in only as many empties as we
know we can handle. The railroads have
moved out of southern California 20 per
cent. more oranges than at this time IN
previous years. The crop Is enormous.
and owing to the way it ripened If is
extremely delicate and will not last
through the season. As a result every
grower has his crop ready for market at
one time The mild winter ripened the
fruit almost before Christmas. and the
dry weather aided in producing a heavy
CROP The rains came. the oranges
SWelled with moisture and a frost did
the rest. causing many Of them to drop
Off This fruit, Of course. must be sent
to the market at once, and then it may
spoil on the way. In fact, it Is my be-
lief that the orange growers who have
already marketed a large crop viii save
money if they let the remainder rot on
the ground rather than send it east. pay
freight and have the commission mer-
chants refuse it. Tt is rhe railroads,
therefore. that will lose the money if
they do not carry the crop. Our whole
trouble has been because Of the coal
strike in New Mexico. We were COM
PEELED to haul coal from Illinois 10 the
coast and change the draft Of our en-
gines 50 that they could burn it. We I'M
derstand than the men have gone back
to work at the mines ana the situation IS
rapidly improving, so that the growers
are getting relief"