Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-12-13

lied affairs of the farmer on the Eastern
Shore and has accomplished results OF
which the most sanguine never dreamed
A charter was secured from the Vir
ginia Legislature in January of 1900
and by the Goth of June in that year
when the crop of Irish potatoes was
ready to be marketed, II local organiza
tions had been completed and were in
working shape.
A general outline of the plan is as
follows: The farmers and those inter.
ested in the movement at one or more
shipping points are grouped together
under what are known as local organ
iZations. These respective organlza-
tions elect their local board of directors,
a local agent and local inspector, and
at the same time one of their directors
is designated as a member of the general
board of directors is thus composed of
as many directors as there are local or.
CARNATIONS, which now number 2S.
They cover 40 shipping points, these be-
ing nearly all the railroad stations and
bayside steamboat wharves.
The Eastern Shore is now well sup.
piled with transportation facilities. The
New York. Philadelphia and Norfolk
railroad runs directly through the cen
ter of the Peninsula and provides trans
portation for produce from the seaside
and immediate center and northern
part of Accomac. which now has no
steamboat line. Produce shipped by
this road usually goes directly to the
Eastern Boston, New York,
Providence and Philadelphia. The Bal
timore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Rail-
road Company runs line of steamers
from all the leading shipping points on
the bayside to Baltimore every day of
the week The produce for the West
ern markets-C Chicago. Cincinnati. Cleve.
land and st. Louis-is usually shipped
by this route, about "a hours being
gained thereby. All products shipped
by this route are consigned to the order
of the general manager and are shipped
out from Baltimore the next morning.
The general manager, Mr.. William A.
Burton, is the executive of the exchange
and he keeps in close touch with all
shipments. seeing that no market is
overstocked. As a result of this policy
the prices to farmers have steadily in
creased. aud they are now able to sell
their goods ut profit instead of at a
loss.
The general exchange is located at
Onley, which is a central point between
Cape Charles. on the south, the termi-
nus of the New York, Philadelphia and
Norfolk railroad. and New Church, on
the line between Virginia and Maryland
at the north. The general office is con-
nected by a special private telephone
system with all the local offices and
shipping points. so that the large bust
ness can be conducted with system and
proper dispatch.
The growers haul their products to
! the depots aud wharves. and after they
are properly inspected by the local in
spectors and branded according to their
merits they are then turned over to the
local agent. who makes a record of each
shippers goods and then makes his re-
port to the general office by manifest
sheets giving shippers name and quan.
tity of goods and the cars number in
which they are loaded The agent then
ships them on consignment or on orders
from consumers of jobbers. as he is di-
rected by the general office.
on the inspection system and proper
grading of goods handled by the ex.
change has largely hinged the success
of the movement This has been ap-
preciated by the trade as a great i'm.
provement over the old slipshod method
of packing.
The exchange has one or more selling
agents in the great distributing markets,
such as Baltimore, New York, Boston,
Philadelphia and Providence. who look
after the goods consigned to these mar
kets, and when sales are made report
the prices received for each shippers
products to the general office and mkae
returns for these consigned goods direct
to the growers The great idea, how
ever. of the movement is to sell the
goods on an .'f. o. b." basis-that is, on
orders sent direct to the exchange, the
goods being sold when delivered to rail
road or steamer-and by judicious dis
tribution prevent any market from be
coming oversupplied and thus break
prices. BY this system of packing and
the wide advertisement of its brand the
consignment of potatoes on commits
sion basis Is almost thing of the past
| Fully % per cent of the entire output
this year was sold free on board at ship
ping point.
The growth of the exchange has been
steady from its organization. The num-
ber of members is increasing and more
produce is put in its hands to sell. The
first year of its organization was a trial
year, and the profits and the cost of
| management and the profits and the