The San Francisco call., 1904-03-08

known as the refrigeration charge,
which amounts to $50 per car from Cal
ifornia to Chicago, and $115 per car if
the shipment goes east Of Chicago. This
refrigeration charge is for icing and
caring for shipment of fruit while on
its long journey to the East The fruit
shippers have been trying for years to
get these private car line owners to re-
duce the refrigeration charge, but they
have steadily refused 70 make any re-
duction, saying the charge was as low
as they could handle the business.
In icing transcontinental shipments
for other packers, which shipments
consist of beef and other meats going
from Chicago to the Pacific Coast,
Armour and Swift charge competitors
in the packing business $15 per car for
the service, which is SIS less than the
fruit shipper pays for the same service
MONOPOLY is INTRENCHED.
But it is asked, why don't the fruit
shippers build a car line of their own?"
The reason is given that it would re-
quire all the car shops which are equip
ped for building refrigerators two or
three years to turn out a sufficient
number Of cars in addition to their
other business to handle the fruit busi-
ness from the coast
IF a fruit grower should make the
mistake of placing an order for a num-
Der of refrigerators he would be re-
fused the use of the private line cars
and after he succeeded in getting his
equipment he would still be short of
icing facilities along the lines of rail-
ence with the Western roads the pack
ers would see to it that his cars were
delayed in transit and that no icing
stations were established" says the
gentleman.
The Western railroads are not anx-
ious to enter into a fight against the
private line owners because they are
getting their regular rate of freight
out of the shipments and if Swift and
Armour pulled off their equipment the
railroads would be without anything
TO haul the fruit in and consequently
would be out their freight for a couple
Of years while-t they were getting equip
ment built to handle it"
Two years ago the Atchison gave it
out that contracts with the private car
lines would not be renewed by that
road, but when the matter was laid
before the Atchison officials in the
proper manner by the representatives
Of the private lines the management
soon retracted the statement and the
contract was again renewed by the
Atchison with the contingent privilege
of a renewal for two years longer when
the contract ran out, provided the pri-
vate car lines wished such renewal.
The income from these private car
lines may be estimated in a rough way
when it is stated that Armour owns
at present about $4,000 cars and Swift
about S000 The Cudahy Packing Com
pany in South Omaha has about 1000
1t requires about thirty days for one
of these cars to make the round trip
from California to Chicago. This year
it is estimated there will be 10000 cars
Of oranges shipped from California to
the East. all of which will go in Swift
and Armour cars, with possibly a few
exceptions. This is of oranges alone
and does not include several thousand
cars Of other fruits, which probably
will bring the total up to over $4,000
cars. Every orange or plum eaten in
the East pays tribute to these two
packers.
But it is said that this great graft
of modern business is about to enter
upon a decline. 1t has been called to
the attention of Messrs. Hartman, Hill
and Morgan by their faithful lieuten-
ant. Midgley, and it is believed they
have decided they need the money and
will devise ways and means to get 1t,
or portion of il at least