The Greeley tribune., 1904-11-24
GREELEY PRODUCE DEALERS
ASK 1T OF RAILROADS
Hope by Lower Freight Rate to
Create Market for Spuds
in Country East of
Mississippi

we'll as in this section Is just rdls-
ing hob with the producer, and as a
last effort the members of the United
Produce company of this city have
asked for reduction Of freight
charges on the Greeley potatoes
destined for points beyond the Mis-
sissippi river.
The present rate on potatoes from
Colorado common points to the Mis-
sissippi is 40 cents per hundred.
This the growers do not want changed
on potatoes routed within their pres
ent territory: what they want is
reduction of 10 cents between Den
yer and the Mississippi river on
freight destined to go beyond there,
so that Colorado can extend her
territory on potato sales into ken.
tucky. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio. Ten
nessee. PENNSYLVANIA and even into
New York.
In their appeal to the railroads
the growers point out that there is
an overproduction in the state this
wear of at least 5000 cars more than
the demand of their present territory,
which includes Kansas, Nebraska,
Texas and Colorado-hence the neceS-
sity fol- invading new markets. Farm
ers are selling their crop now at 30
cents per hundred, sacked, and if he
threatened drop of 10 cents comes,
they say it will hardly pay them for
their work. To ship east of the
Mississippi and pay 4o-cent proper
tional rate, they argue, would be i'm
possible.
For instance, although they could
get 81 per hundred for their potatoes
in New YORK, it would cost IS cents
to send them there, leaving only 25
cents, which is set down as the cost
of production. To ship to Pittsburg
and sell at the present market they
could net 21a cents profit on hum
dred pounds; to Philadelphia the
loss would be cents; to Indianap-
oils the net profit would be 6E
cents: to Buffalo 2A cents; to Gin
cinnati, cents. and to Louisville a
loss of cents.
Colorado potatoes, like the Rocky
Ford melons, IRE now famed the
world over and the growers believe
they would find ready sale in mar
kets they have never reached before.
The growers only ask that the re-
duced rates be continued in effect
for sixty days at the longest.
While all the roads would be glad
to help out the Colorado growers
some maintain that the rates once
lowered could never be restored.
Should the reduction be made it is
said the Wisconsin and other growers
would come in and demand a cut
and this would result in disturbing
the potato situation for the whole
United States. Unfortunately, in
other districts as in Colorado the
potato crop this year has been enor-
nous.
Last year it would have been much
different, as Colorado was the only
state with plenty Of spuds, and the
price never dropped below Is cents
per hundred.
However, in spite of the enormous
yield, Denver commission men are
holding the price up to 80 cents per
hundred.
Buying them at 35 cents with an
added II cents for freight, the profit
is large one, and this is another
source of complaint the farmers
have. They assert that they can
not break the Denver commission
mems combine. Even Colorado ap-
Piles are being sold cheaper in Chic
ago today than they are at home.
Fall Flowing for the Beet Worm
Prof. C. P. Gillette of the Agri-
cultural college at Fort Collins has
issued the following recommendation
to farmers for the destruction of the
web worm:
The web worm that did so much
injury to beets in several of the beet
growing districts in Colorado the past
season are spending the fall and win
Il A.,l. ,pl,