Evening journal., 1905-11-03
GEORGIAS BIG
PEACH INDUSTRY
Railroad Official Files an I'm
portant Paper on This
Subject
WHEN fHE GROWTH WAS STARTED
BY william wolf smith.

Washington, ID. c.. Nov. 2-sExclusive
contract" Is now the word most heard
in connection with the operation of re-
frigerator car lines formerly it was "re-
bates and Determinations" but several
years OF patient investigation have failed
10 reveal a case where rebates We're
given by these lines or that discrimina-
tions existed. and as the Ensins law
strictly prohibits these "in any form
whatever attention was turned to eek
4 elusive contracts and each time the ex-
istence OF these contracts is mentioned
either before Congressional committees or
Z the Interstate Commerce Commission it
isl heralded 10 the world as a new discov-
ery. Contracts of this character have
been in existence for many years and
copies OF them have been available to
the general public for six or seven years
to the knowledge OF your correspondent:
consequently the idea that there IS any
thing secret about them is amusing.
However the public is properly disposed
10 regard with suspicion any exclusive
contract as being in restraint Of trade
and this applies with as much force 20
such contracts between the railroads and
Ithe refrigerator car lines as between rail-
roads and the Pullman Company. one
cannot ride in a Pullman car and pay
The heavy charges incidental thereto with
.out feeling that If there wns competition
tn this business much lower rates would
prevail There is a difference, however In
hat while many Of US ride in Punmans
ind are therefore dualiaed to speak. only
= few know anything about the refrigor-
million Inhabitants Of the United states
considerably less than half Of one per
eent. have anything to do with the case
ls growers, shippers transporters. BUYERS
Or sellers, or in brief. in any wav ex-
tept as consumers; and as every one
knows they don't count, being only good
Nor settling the bills. Consequently the
remainder Of us must form our opinion
ither from the testimony Of those who
really know something Of the matter
rom actual personal experience, such as
he statements of the growers. shippers
nd railroad men, before competent tribu-
als
i Because Of this a paper which Is to be
Fled with the Interstate Commerce Com
mission by W. A. Winburn. Second Vice
PRESIDENT Of the Georgia Central Railroad
Of timely interest and Importance as
lucieating the mysteries Of the so-called
fsecret' exclusive contract. Mr.. Win
rurn takes up the history Of the peach
Industry in Georgia from its inception
befo' the wah" and brings it down to
ate in an exhaustive chronological re-
lew carefully prepared after consider
lble patient research As the officials di-
fectly in charge OF this service on a
pad originating the largest shipments OF
beaches in the United States-amounting
inc year to five thousand carloads ship
ed within weeks Mr.. winburn IS en-
tiled to speak 'as one having knowledge"
ind his statements to be received with
sspect.
Mr.. winburn begins with the meeting
OF a few jealous amateur pomologists"
1857 who organized the "Pomological
tooiety Of Georgia" They held one or two
ieetings but at that time King Cotton
revented the serious consideration Of
i De growing Of peaches. The last meeting
ttr the society was held at Athens on
lly 81 and it was not until long after
Ne war in fact IN 1876 when the Georgia
ate Horticultural Society was organized
nat the fruit growers again took up the
4,lhject IN n practical manner. This or
Imitation has grown until. today It
ands the peer Of any similar organiza-
on on this continent"
GAS far back as 1877. however. efforts
ere made TO secure foreign markets for
fruits and in that year Mr.. Samuel
Rumph. the pioneer peach grower and
terwards probably the largest ia the
al ate. sold IN New York. Georgia peaches
ten dollars a bushel or about sixteen
}nts for each peach. Although this fig
NJ Z looks excessively high in view Of the
"a that through the refrigerator car
rvice Georgia peaches are now laid
wn IN New York markets at about four
iars a bushol. It was largely exceeded
+, 1881 when a shipment brought So per
Aia,i
Occasionally on attempt was made tc