Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-05-01
Is Moving From the Eastern
States to the Western
States
FREIGHT RATES a FACTOR
A Shortage in Packed Tomatoes is
Threatened, However, Despite tho
Great Growth Of the Industry, and
the Building Of New Plants in tho
West.

distributes thruout the world millions
of cans of vegetables and fruits. has
broken away from strong eastern
Capitalization and settled IN the states
easily accessible to Chicago Within
the last five years a new complexion
and, to keep up with the industrial
evolution. eastern packers have been
forced to move westward or see their
trade go into other hands. The Chit
eago Journal declares that Chicago
has come to the fore as the
distributing point of the country. ana
says that the great grocery jobbing
concerns In that city. which do mis-
lions of dollars worth of business
year find that from Is to 33 per cent
of their trade is In canned goods.
Vests Vegetable Business immense.
Continuing relative to the situation
the Journal says Especially In the
production of canned peas, corn. aud
tomatoes has there been a big change
in the standing Of the states. New
York. Maryland. New Jersey, Dela-
ware and other eastern states have
seen their business decrease and come
to Indiana. Wisconsin, Ohio. Illinois.
Iowa, Nebraska, and other western
states. Indiana especially has come
to the front in recent years With
Wisconsin, Indiana has taken n great
portion OF the canned pea production
from Maryland and New York
Indiana, Illinois. and Iowa now lead
the list In the production of canned
corn, but In the production of canned
tomatoes Indiana, among the western
states, has had most notable rise.
Maryland, Delaware and New Jer-
sey are losing their tomato output and
Indiana Is gaining almost in proper
ton. altho Ohio is sharing the benefit.
Illinois prairie land has been found
poor for the production of tomatoes In
commercial quantities. but the cleared
forest land of Indiana has proved es-
pecially fitted to their culture Conse-
quently tomato canning plants have
grown up like mushrooms In the In
diana belt.
Land and Freight Rates Reason.
New York and other eastern men
interested in the industry have made
searching inquiry into the conditions
which are bringing to the west what
promises to develop in u few years into
one of its richest assets. First of all,
they have discovered that rich west
ern land is more suited to the produce
ton of tomatoes than worn lands of
eastern states, which require great ex-
pendture for fertilizer. Added to this.
western farmers have been educated
to the point where they are willing to
give up part of their large field crops
for the more careful growing of to-
matoes, which bring greater returns.
Then, too, freight rates have had
their effect. For long time eastern
Gamers labored under strained condi-
tons The center of demand for their
goods kept going gradually westward.
necessitating the payment of long haul
tariffs. Factories are now readjusting
themselves to conditions of population
and avoid high freight rates by aban-
doning eastern plants and rebuilding IN
western locations.
Build New Plants in the West.
Several hundred new plants have
grown UP in the west in the last few
wears. During the packing season OF
1905 alone eight factories In Delaware.
ninety-five in Maryland, and several
more in New York, which operated IN
1904. closed their doors and d1d no
hacking. When the next season Tor
packing begins in the latter part OF
August or September, 1T is thought
nv western packers that several more
eastern plants will have located IN the
west
according to figures compiled by
New York experts, the taste or Amer
lean people for the acetic quailtles "
the tomato has increased to proportions
never measured for It, Indeed, the ap-
netite Of the country for the juicy, ~"
Vegetable has grown so large that there
Is doubt if the supply now In the mar
lot will hold out until new pack Is
made late in the summer.
Exnlain Shortage in Tomatoes.
"During 1902, 1903 and 1904 there was
nm average annual pack of 23l,9l3,12s
cans Of tomatoes, but during 1905, be-
cause Of bad weather conditions and
sbnrtape If the crop, the pack was only
144 600 900 cans, or 100000 cans De-
low the average.
eastern experts who are appreiieii-
siye about the supply have estlmated
from the consumption in the last three
wears that the average American FAM
i,v uses fifteen cans Of tomatoes year.
This wear the falling off of the supply
has reduced the possible apporuon-
ment to nine and one half cans ram
lily. -
Between the seasons 1901 and 1902
there was a somewhat similar short
age when the price of the vegetable
vent up and jobbers were forced to
nav $3.50 a dozen. This degree OIL
stringency has not been reached yet
this year, however, for the price at
present is only s1.15 to $1.3O dozen
cans. AS the season gets older repe-
tition of the rise in prices which oc-
Cured in 1902 is likely.
Buys Tomatoes for Soldiers.
During the Spanish American war
the national government learned thru
the medical men in the army service
the peculiar medicinal qualities of the |
tomato which caused soldiers to prefer !
it over other canned vegetables. Since |
that time the commissary department |
has been supplying larger quantities
than ever before to army posts, and the |
has become one of the |
largest purchasers in the market. Sew |
eral car loads are distributed to sol |
diers near Chicago monthly.
Following is f11e s howing D !