Evening journal., 1905-05-27
BERRY INDUSTRY
IN NEW SOUTH
]. A. Brown, Of Chadbourn,
N. c., Tells Of Its De
velopment
REFRIGERATION is NECESSARY
by william woIn smith.

Washington -. -, May -i'--il iile ut-
velopment of the New south j. A.
Brown, of Chadbourn, North Carolina.
has played conspicuous part Recogniz-
ing The tremendous possibilities in the
Culture OF berries and small fruits. he is
primarily responsible FOR tile colony
around Chadbourn which furnishes the
greater part of the strawberry shipments
from the eastern part of North Carolina.
TO assist IN The development of This
region bank has been founded of which
Mr. Brown 10 tho President. and he Is at
once the prime mover ia securing immi-
grants, locating them ana advancing
them the funds requisite to establishing
them as successful berry growers.
A thousand fertile and fruitful berry
farms surrounding Chadbourn testify TO
the soundnoss of the policy pursued, and
tho personnel Of tho colony, being COM
posed Of New Englanders, men from
Michigan. Illinois and other middle West
ern States, many of them coleee gradu-
ates, bcspeaks the quality Of tho grow
crs.
1t was Mr.. Browns estimate Of the
losses recently incurred by the berry
growers of North Carolina that attracted
so much attention and was quoted before
the Senate committee on Interstate Con-
morce as a point against the private car
lines.
ARMOUR PAID THE LOSSES
II want to sot the public right" said
MIR. BroWn, who Is here attending tho
Southern Industrial Parliament Il have
been quoted as saying that the loss to the
berry growers Of North Carolina this sea-
son would amount to SGoOO0O and that the
whole loss was 70 be laid at-the door o.
tho Armour car lines, That. IS not truei
the estimate ineludes ap losses Of every
character, due to bad weather rain, in-
sufficient car service, ana delay IN getting
the fruit TO market AT least S2o0,0OO OF the
loss was due to bad weather.
''rhe Armour car fines did something
no one else ever did, they came forward
voluntarily and offered to pay for the
damages incurred because of their in
ability to supply cars. I called in twenty
leading growers and asked them 20 esti-
mate the value OF the berries lost: they
made their estimates separately and
secretly From them [ struck an aver
age, two dollars per crate. and on that
estimate the Armour lines are paying us
for the losses for which they stand re-
sponsible. / do not doubt the railroads
will do Likewise.
II am no friend of the Armour lines. All
we want is good service and for that we
are willing to pay their rates, and
must say that for the past two years un-
tl this season, their service has been as
nearly perfect as possible"
When asked how the Armour lines OBJ
tanned their exclusive contract, Mr. Brown
stated that he was the chairman Of the
committee Of growers who received and
examined the bids Of the various re-
frigorator car lines for the business. He
said: Finding the bid of the Armour
lines to be the lowest we turned it over
to the railroad company with the remark
that If acceptable TO it, it was acceptable
to u.s."
How do the rates al present compare
with the rates under competition he
was asked.
REFRIGERATION is NEEDFUL.
1--WE started out with tho freight and
refrigeration rates at Sl.9S a crate" re-
piled Mr. Brown almost as much as the
berries bring now in the New York mar
het. It was reduced TO about a dollar per
crate and now it is so cents; the refrig
Grafton charge being 22lk cents for a crate
Of 80 quarts. or approximately two-thirds
OF a cent per quart
do you think Il pays7' was asked.
"why. Of course, It pays; without re-
frigsraton we could not sell our berries
at an"
"But are not the Armour charges exces-
sive as has been alleged so many timesy
"son." genialy responded Mr.. Brown,
they Will never charge us too much, for
when the rates get excessive, we go out
Of business and they don't get the freight.
AS long as they are reasonable we ship
and they profit. They are not in business
for their health any more than we are.
why should they over-charge us ana kill
of the businessf'
Colonel Brown IS optimistic regarding
the future of the berry growing district
of Eastern North Carolina, and is now
on his way TO New York TO further inter-
est capital IN an industry which within
few years has been built up from MOTH
ing TO two thousand cars year.