New-York tribune., 1901-10-30
PART III.
FOUR PAGES.
SCARCITY OF FREIGHT CARS
WESTERN NEw-YORK SHIPPERS COM
PLAIN.
NEw-YoRK CENTRAL OFFICIAL SAYS THE
REPORTS OF DELAY ARE EXAGGERATED.
L. TELEGRAPH % - rRIRr-Nr- !

IBy TELEGRAPH THE TRIBuNEl
Rochester y. Y. oct 29-Wcstern Ney-York
farmers are facing problem which they feel mus;
soon he solved If their late garden produce is 10
be saved for the Eastern markets. The cause for
their complaints lies in the inadequacy Of the
freight service. This inadequacy has been in
creasing for the last month, and now the scarcity
has approached a state which be described only
as a famine Only farmers who have seen the
suits OF such condition realize the state OF
anxiety which has over the agricuturists
who have been waiting powerless for transporta-
ton
The cabbage crop has been hit the hardest. II
was particularly heavy this fan and, indeed. I'm
comparison with the slump in almost everything
else surprisingly satisfactory. Tons of this
vegetable annually shipped East This year IL
has happened that in almost all other parts of
the country the cabbage crop has been light West
ern New-York has been called upon 10 furnish both
The East and the West with supplies OF the veg
etable The scarcity OF has put the farmer
between TWO horns Of a dilemma; he must either
run the risk OF seeing his cabbages rot in wayside
sheds or he must pay high rates in the cold stor-
age warehouses Most Of these storehouses how
ever are even filed TO overfowing. In many
cases cars already loaded have been standing
sidngs for a week waiting for trains 10 be
made ~.
Grapes have also been suffering from the famine
and as they are far more pe-shable than cabbages
the shippers are in a correspondingly anxious con-
dtOn Of mind
so the railroad say. partly 10 the Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition and partly a congestion in vari-
Gus Eastern yards, which has arisen from some
cause which the railroad men themselves do not
make clear. II has always been the custom Of the
Tairoad company % ny 70 & run ~ hg shit of cars iT Tor
year, however. the word went out that the apple
crop would be light
i've hope said a railroad man to-day. that
when the Pal- Am eTican ENrosition closes the
strain VIII be relieved. Il wifi certainly free many
engines, which will aid in the movement Of trains "
c. II Ewings car accountant OF the Newly York
Central Railroad. who has charge Of the dstrbu-
tion Of all equipment says the statement that cars
loaded with cabbages are left standing on sidings
for week is untrue. He declares that while the
freight business has recently been unusually heavy
there has been a shortage Of cars. excepting
in open slat cars. ordinarily used for live stock
but suitable for transportation Of cabbages for the
that this class Of vegetables. when confined
in a closed car. is likely 10 perish.
IF cars loaded with cabhages grapes have
been left standing for week" he said "it has
been al the request OF the consignOr. We can move
every promptly when ordered While our
grape business is unusually heavy. have Yet to
learn Of single shipper who has had TO wait for
The cabbage shippers are anxious 10 get open
slat cars In closed cars. when cabbages are
shipped from distance. they often rot. The ship
pers can't always get these cars because they are
Used for live stock We had no trouble in furnish
when the live stock business started In That, Of
The increase in the freight business of the road
has been tremendous. Last year IL handled fifty
thousand empty cars whereas the present time
all these cars are pressed into service The railroad
officials say thai the present month has the
largest business in the history OF the road.
representative Of the Delaware, Lackawanna
and Western Railroad Company said that his road
was having no difficulty In moving the perfshable
freight offered ~ I'm Western New-fork The Lack
awanna traverses the HammOn6sport grape dis
trict, IN this State. and also the Ohio grape
gon and although its traffic in grapes is extensive
the companyS facilities ample 10 meet the
demand arrangements were made In anticipa-
ton OF H. AS for the cabbage crop, II was added,
the Lackawanna was using stock cars in moving
part Of II.
The Erie II was said at the Office Of the general
manager Of that road, was moving the normal
OF grapes and cabbages from Western
New-York. There was always pressing demand
al this season, all the shippers being anxious TO
forward their product al about the same time. but
there did not exist a condition which could be
called car famine The Erie like the Lacka-
wanna, utiiZes stock cars cleaned and lined for
the purpose, for the transportation OF cabbages.
As for grapes having 10 be put in cold storage IL
was said, some OF the growers were accustomed
10 store their grapes in the expectation Of getting
higher prices later IN the season, their action hav
ing no relation the question OF the available
supply OF for moving the yield TO market.