Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-12
Railroads, 1t Is Said, Will Buy
the Private Car Lines Owned
by the Packers
TO ENTER TRADE
Determination of the Roads to Build
Their Own Cars and Enter Refrig-
Grating Business Leads Packer to
Negotiate for Sale Of Private Lines

Chicago, May IL - Negotiations aie
said to be in progress in the east
which may result in the purchase by
the railroads of all the equipment OF
the Armour Car Lines If this is done
a stock company will be organized ana
the cars will be owned and operated
by this company for the use and ben
eft of the railroads which are menu
bers of the company.
The plan has not progressed to the
point of an offer to the Armour peo-
pie, but it is understood that suffice
lent capital already has been pledged
to carry thru the deal provided the
Armour people will agree to sale.
Owing to the developments of the
last few days, during which the Ar
mour people have lost their grip on
the fruit trade of Michigan and owing
to the fact that all of the Vanderbilt.
lines, the Pennsylvania, the Grand
Rapids and Indiana, the Pere Mar
quette, the Santa Fe and other roads
either have built, are building or have
announced their intention OF building
their own cars, 1t Is rumored that the
Armour people would entertain prop
osition to SELL
A statement Of interest in this gem
eral connection was made yesterday
by George b. Robbins, president of the
Armour lines He said:
notwithstanding our exclusive con-
tract with the Pere Marquette railroad,
IL the railroad company and the inter-
state commerce commission want to
take the responsibility of opposing the
80 per cent of the shippers who are
favorable to the car line service, and
will meet the criticism that will fol-
low the withdrawal of>that service, we
stand ready to cancel the contract"
More Publicity Due.
Publicity regarding the Armour car
line methods will be continued thru
a summons issued by the senate COM
mittee requesting the officers of the
car lines to appear and testify and also
by renewal today of the investiga-
ton by the interstate commerce COM
mission into the operation of private
cars In general.
Commission men of Boston are here
to testify that thru negligence OF the
Armour Car Lines and the railroads
the berry growers Of the south, espec-
tally North Carolina, haye lost more
than 100000 this season. Unable to
get cars the shippers We're compelled
to use ordinary cars. and carload after
carload of strawberries have been
dumped on their arrival in Jersey City.
Evidence Is All In.
Io, fho icc RpichaH
taking evidence in the Michigan fruit
case and set the arguments'for Wash
ing June /. Among the witnesses was
A. Patriarch, who stated that his
company, the Pere Marquette, had
duction proposed by the Armour peo-
pie. On a reduction of 81 q car the
Pere Marquette was to pay the Armour
people $3.50, and on a reduction Of $40
it was to rebate So.
e. G. Davies asked the witness If 1t
was not fact that the Pere Mar
quette had not added to its fruit car
rying equipment In seven years;
whether 1t was not fact that their
so-called ventilator cars were not old
lime cars with holes in them, and
whether it was not a fact that it was
impossible to load more than 5000
pounds into their cars owing to their
poor condition.
Mr.. Patriarch said he did not think
matters were quite SO bad as that.
Charges Far Lower.
r. P Ober Of the Northern Pacific
stated that refrigeration from the
northwest Pacific coast points to ST.
Paul In Northern Pacific cars was $25
a car and that when they used Ar
mour cars they paid Armour $40 adj
ditional and three quarters Of cent
mileage, empty and loaded. On that
basis Armour cars earned $3.50, as
against Sc a month for Northern Pa
cific.
From Los Angeles to Chicago, dis
lance of about 1890 miles, he stated
the rates for icing We're $107 in an
Armour car, as against $50 in Nor
thern Pacific car from Seattle to Chi
cago, distance of about $500 miles.
1t cost the Northern Pacific from $1.10
to $1.50 per ton for ice delivered in