The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-08-23

possible to move our freight mucn
more promptly. That this was done
the record shows
The cutting out of the classification
OF trains OF perishab!es. at South
Rocky Mount. Clopton and Anacostia,
with said classification made only at
the Potomac Yards, at Alexandria, anu
Edgemore Yards. Wilmington. Del.
contributed greatly to this dispatch.
The long looked for completion Of
the double track from Richmond 10
Washington. the great Potomac Yards
at Alexandria, the extensive improve
ments at South Rocky Mount and Chad
bourn have all been consummated, and
with a general superintendent OF the
A. c. l. R R Co, now located at
Rocky Mount, | feel that the trans
poration problem has been solved
and good and efficient service will not
be so hard of accomplishment in the
future.
The express service as | saw il en-
route was good, but as our agents In
New York and Philadelphia report,
it was late deliveries to consignees. al
most daily They state that this is
chargeable, TO the Adams Express Co.
who failed 70 move this freight prompt
~ upon arrival and the receivers could
do nothing to have these deliveries
made in a reasonable time.
The shipment OF strawberries by eS-
press did not in any one day this sea-
son, exceed 1.500 crates for all points,
and the average per day was less than
525 crates. Hence the volume for any
one market was small throughout and
yet deliveries were no better than
in a season of heavy traffic.
The express service is as necessary 10
us as any other, but many improve
mentS will have to be made before 1t
will be of any benefit to our people.
The re-icing Of refrigerator cars Of
strawberries and vegetables, by those
in charge Of this work this season at
at South Rocky Mount, and which
came under my observation, was all
that we could ask. The facilities for
doing this work in the new yards al
South Rocky Mount are of the best,
and, although used for the first time
this season, proved a decided sue
cess.
The car supply was ample and was
carefully looked after by the general
superintendent Of transportation Of the
A. C. l.. r. R. Co, ably assisted by the
agent of the company, the Fruit Grow
ers Express.
The daily reports of our agents in
New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburg
showed that arrivals and deliveries
of refrigerator cars of strawberries
and vegetables were satisfactory, as
rule, and the vegetables and berries in
fair to excellent condition. The de-
mand was more than equal to the sup
ply, and prices far beyond the aver
age.
The strike of freight handlers on the
dock in New York on the Grand Trunk
R r, in Montreal, caused an embargo
to be declared on perishables for these
points for a few days and some New
York freigh was delivered at Jersey
City and one car for Montreal, divert
ed TO Pittsburg by the Pennsylvania
r. r
Relative to the value of our agents
in these markets, it has repeatedly
been brought to my attention by the
general agents and others Of the Penn
sylvania r. R. Co., that the placing OF
these agents by the association, on
their docks and in their produce yards
has done more to correct abuses and
adjust more real and fancied grievance,
than any other agency we could have
employed
The receivers in these markets
have advised me to the same effect.
Since 1897. when first became iden-
titled with the East Carolina Truck
and Fruit Growers Association, there
have been shipped from this territory
4,067 $50 crates of strawberries.
Without going into any estimate of the
value of this enormous output, to our
people, at this time l will simply point
to their vastly improved condition,
material and otherwise, and as there
has been NO organized agency at work
in this field for the protection and up
building of this industry, except the
East Carolina Truck and Fruit Grow
ers Association, it naturally follows
that this association deservedly merits
d large share of credit for the part 1t
has taken in protecting the interests
and furthering the welfare of our peO-
pie.
We have practically the only large
strawberry producing section between
Florida and Delaware. Charleston has
nothing comparatively in berries, ana
Norfolk does not seriously interfere
with us. In fact it has been demon