The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1906-01-05
kTE WAR
|HASSTOPPED
|da Pineapple Growers Will
be favored Hereafter.
|LROAD WINS FIGHT
1.-Two Years OF Labor florida Fast
hst Railway wins Important Fight
for Pineapple Growers.

following circular letter addressed
shippers of the Florida East Coast
by explains itself, and shows that
|ilroad company has had the inter-
the pineapple growers of the
Coast at heart in the matter of
pban freight tariff, our growers
glad to learn that the rate dis
ation has ceased, and the Cuban
rs will not be the favored shippers
pring.
pch has been said during the past
] months concerning the rates ON
piles from Cuba carried over the
B lines, and We desire To place be
be patrons of this company the
which brought about the situation
hat has been accomplished for
mmon good.
l9O3, the attention Of this COM
Eas directed to the rates that had
but on pincapplcs shipped from
ports to the Western markets,
amship lines from Cuban ports,
BE- the Cuban grower, after pay
y, to deliver his pineapples to
estern markets at something like
five cents per crate cheaper than
Prage charge paid by the Florida
from points on the Florida East
Railroad The rates via this com
Tere as low as the fruit could be
without involving loss, This
py Immediately called Il meeting
he lines Interested, including the
hip lines running from Havana,
the conference which followed,
Tered to advance their rates, al
not sufficiently to give the Flor
|wer adequate protection. This
not being satisfactory to this
By, because it did not sufficiently
the Florida producers, it inaug-
other measures looking to their
ion. In September, 1904, an
difference was called, and it was
reed by the transportation lines
nee the rates from Havana, in
the duty, so rs to give the
grower an equal chance with
ban grower. The day before the
les were to go into effect, this
n was notified that the steam
the ports would not adopt them
result was to place the Florida
at the same disadvantage that
the previous year.
k company could not reduce its
pineappleS from Florida points
meeting 50 great Il loss that
create Il deficit between its re-
nd expenditures; on y one course
u for the protection Of the
grower, and that was to try and
h. rates from Havana to about
cent Of the rates fixed by the
Up lines and compel them to
e great mass Of the Cuban pine
i a dead loss, while we carried
did also at Il loss, but without
materially our revenues from
In addition, this company
other measures looking to the
protection of the Florida pro-
During the winter of l9O1-O5
continued, and this company
connections sunk a considerable
money entirely in the interests
Florida producer. If this com
lld have reduced its rates from
points to the western markets
mourning a deficit between its
and expenditures. it would
|eerfully done SO, as its entire
been to develop the fruit and
|e industries on the Florida East
Hallway, and to carry the pro-
the Florida grower at as low a
it possibly could without incur
1t must be remembered that
ut from Florida, on the line of
consists entirely Of fruits and
es, and that to pay the current
Of the road and meet its fixed
the rates charged for freight
pend, up to certain point, on
int of business offered. Furth-
1t must be remembered that