The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-05-12
Great ReiOicingAmOng Michigan
Fruit Growers.
Michigan Central Breaks From
Armour Refrigerator Line.
10 ICE CARS AT COST.
Likely That Charges VIII Not
Exceed $3.50 Per Ton.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
in Railroad Circles.

Chicago, May 12.-Michigan fruit
growers, shippers, commission merchants
and retail dealers are jubilant The
Michigan Central railroad, through its
attorney. A. D. Shaw, has formally an
nounced to the interstate commerce
commission that it would not renew its
contract with the Armour car line, but
would haul Michigan fruit henceforth
in its own refrigerator cars, and charge
only $3.50 per ton for the ice actually
used in refrigeration.
The Michigan Central railroad in
tends to comply fully and freely with
the suggestions of the interstate COM
merce commission and meet the wishes
of its patrons declared Attorney Shaw.
We propose to furnish refrigeration for
the actual cost Of the ice placed in the
cars and as near as we can estimate it
$3.50 per ton is the cost. We feel that
our action should relieve US from be-
ing defendants in this proceeding be-
fore the commission We believe that
If all the railroads followed our example
there would be no cause for complaint
by those interested in the transportation
Of Michigan fruit
Commissioner Clements, acting chair
man, ruled that the Michigan Central
had complied with the order Of the COM
mission to reduce its rates for refrig-
GRAFTON, and therefore the complaint
against it would be dismissed
The Pere Marquette railroad. which is
bound by contract to use Armour re-
frigerator cars exclusively until next
November, appealed in vain to the COM
mission to also drop the case against
it. The Armour Car line joined in the
appeal.
The two companies jointly offered to
reduce refrigeration charges on AIichi
gan fruit from 10 to 80 per cent. Such
reductions, Attorney Plummer for the
commission men declared were ridicu-
( lous, in view of the fact that since the
/ advent of the Armour exclusive con-
tracts the icing charges had been ad-
vanced between 300 and 400 per cent
The commission ordered the case
J against the Pere Marquette road and
the Armour company to proceed. Ship
peTs and commission men offered in evil
dence freight bills showing that the
Armour charges for icing cars were
greatly in excess of the charges of the
American Refrigerator company, Operat-
/ ing on the Gould lines Additional tes-
timony showed the Armour charges
were many times greater than the cost
Of the service.
/ Confronted with the action of the
/ Michigan Central. the attorney for the
l Pere Marquette declared that his COM
pany would have to get along the best
way it could during the present season.
/ and subsequently to follow the lead Of
/ the Michigan Central and the Grand
! Rapids and Indiana in providing its
own refrigerator cars. In this event the
/ Armour Car lines viii, it is said, be
driven entirely out of the Michigan
I fruit belt.
s'I do not see" declared a prominent
/ commission merchant. how the Armour
4 Car lines can do business in the Michi-
gan fruit belt after the close of 1905.
! With all the railroad companies using
their own cars and furnishing icing to
/ the fruit growers at actual cost where
/ is the margin left for the Armour Car
/ lines2 may be mistaken, but it seems
to me that their policy is q short-sight-
/ ed one. Had the Armour people not
been so greedy they might still have a
gold mine in the Michigan fruit trade. -