Los Angeles herald., 1905-02-07
RAILWAY WAR HAS DESTROYED
CITRUS MARKET
HIGH RATES PROHIBIT SALES
California Shippers Say Their Or
anqes Are Practically Barred
From six States by Action
Of Carrying Lines


fruit growers and shipper say they
are made to suffer as a consequence.
BY the misunderstanding existing
between the Santa Fe and the Southern
Pacific on the one hand and the South
ern railway with smaller roads Of the
southeast on the other, ten states east
of the Mississippi and south of the
Ohio river have been practically closed
to California fruits.
1t is the consensus of opinion among
the larger orange shippers in Los An
geles that If the fruit business is
worth anything to the two great car
rying roads they should be willing to
come to some terms at once in order
that the now closed territory may be
reopened to California fruit
Need Territory
1--WE need that territory for our
fruit said prominent shipper yes
terday, and it is up to the Southern
Pacific and the Santa F'e roads to open
it up for us. I am of the opinion that
they are holding out for the demands
that they have made upon the South
ern railway and we citrus shippers
are paying the costs.
I'VE heard the side of the initial
lines story as given in The Herald
some time ago, but there are two
sides to this question and the initial
lines are as deep in the mire as the
southeastern railroads, upon whom
they have put the blame. We want
to see this dispute settled. Not only is
the citrus fruit trade suffering from
the refusal of these lines to accept
any freight on through rates, but the
sales on other products have been
cut off.
"At the present time, with the east
ern markets overloaded and severe
cold weather existing all through the
east, the opening of southern mar
ket would be of the greatest import
ance to citrus fruit growers"
Southern Officials Meet
T. C. Powell, freight traffic manager
of the Southern railroad, with H. b.
Spencer, general manager of the. st.
Louis and Louisville lines, are now in
California and several days ago vis-
tied Los Angeles. The Southern railway
forms practically a network through
out the southern territory and extends
from Washington and Norfolk on
the east to Memphis, Baton Rouge and
New Orleans on the west. Mr.. Pow
ell and Mr.. Spencer have said they are
here for pleasure. but there has, after
all, been business end to their west
ern trip. 1t is not believed, however,
that the war now on between the road
Mr. Powell represents and the South
ern Pacific and the Santa Fe is any
nearer settlement than it.was before
the holidays.
Mr.. Powell has had interviews with
the important fruit shippers of Los
Angeles who have importuned him to
bring about settlement of the dis
pute in order that California fruit can
be sent forward Immediately.
To one shipper with whom he dis
cussed the question for several hours
last Wednesday Mr.. Powell said:
Southern Road Ready =.
.'The Southern railroad is perfectly
willing to enter into negotiations with
the Southern Pacific and the Santa Fe
and make final arrangement of the
rates for through freight both to and
from the coast. The Southern Pacific
railway management declines. how
ever, to enter into any arrangements
for opening the territory to citrus
fruits unless at the same time final
settlement OF all other rates is taken
up"
'This railroad war cuts us of se-
verely from the southern states" said
one of the largest shippers yesterday
afternoon. 1--WE shall need that terri
tory for our fruit from this time on.
AS soon as kilograms announced to us
that the Florida product had been fro
zen / entered into telegraphic commu-
nication with the officials Of the
southern roads. Mr.. Powell was at
that time on his way out here A
talk with him convinces me that we
have only heard one side Of the story.
He seemed eager to see rate made for
oranges which would permit of ship
ments south"
Thomas Fl. Phillips. traffic manager
of the California Citrus union, said last
night
Shippers Suffer
''It is immaterial to the Citrus union
what these roads are lighting over
What we are anxious TO know is why
they do not come to some understand
ing by which we may get our fruit
into southern territory without paying
rate that at present destroys our
sales almost entirely.
II have talked with representatives
of both sides. and each has declared
that IL is willing to come to an agree
ment and give us what we want. The
question, so far as / know. Is in the
lcantinnad on PaEa Tza4