The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-05-16
REFRIGERATOR
CAR SERVICE
PROSPECTS FOR GOOD PRICES
Special Attention to be Given Hood
River CrOp-Car Shortage for Per.
ishable Fruit Serious Question.

| The best possible car service for the
Transmission OF the present straw ber-
ry crop of Hood River has been assur-
ed.
+. p. Ober, general agent at st.
Paul, OF the Northern Pacific rsfrig-
orator Car line, and W. III. Olmsby,
travelling freight agent, we're in the
city one day last week to interview
the Davidson Fruit company, and the
Hood River Strawberry Growers un-
ion in reference to the probable out
put tor the year.
A conservative estimate of the
straw berry crop this year will place
the figures at $4,000 crates. 1t was
thought that the early frosts had done
some damage to the crop, but present
indications are that the crop has
suffered very slightly, and we are now
| past the danger point.
Mr.. Ober stated that kthe Northern
Pacific would place l50 new refriger-
atnr cars in commission, and that
Hood River would receive the benefit
OF them for moving this seasons crops
1he cars ale of new model, and
fitted with every appliance that will
conduce to the preservation OF the
fruit while in transit. We may expect
our berries 10 reach the eastern mar
ket in the very best condition posi-
bic. One OF the improved features of
the new cars is tnat they can be at
tacbed to the regular passenger trains
and not destroy any OF the oonneo-
tions that make these train safe. The
cars are also fitted with the regular
passenger trucks which obviates the
jaIring so common to the old line of
cars.
Mr.. Ober also stated that there
would be an assistant manager located
at Umatilla to look after the interests
of the company in transferring the
fiuit cars from the trunk line to the
Spokane division, ard that he would
also spend some of his time in Hood
River in order 20 secure the best pos
sible car facilities.
with the present prospect for
heavy berry crop, and the open mar
ket in the east and middle west, to-
gether with an efficient car service,
should insure the grower a good mar
gin for his fruit.
The car service is of the most vital
Importance in the han ding of u per-
ishaDle crop. Often our shippers are
handicapped in getting the fruit to
market on a speedy schedule, and in
consequence Of their late arrival there
is a dockage due to the deteriated
condition of the fruit. However, we
usually blame the shipper IL we 40 not
obtain the prices that we think we are
entitled too
The fruit growers In California are
ious difiiolties in solving the car dis
tribution question. A complaint has
been filed with the Interstate Com
merce commission against the South
ern Pacific Rail- load by the California
Fruit Growers association based on q
recent revision of that company's
rules concerning the distribution OF
cars for fruit shipments. Until about
two week ago the company's rules
provided that when more cars we're
demanded than could be Immediately
supplied, the distribution among diff
terent shippers should be in proper
tion to the number Of cars each was
prepared to load. But about April l5
this was changed, and new rule
adopted providing that cars should Ee
distributed In proportion to the
amount of fruit actually stored In
packing houses.
The complaint points out that 25,-
600 to 80, 900 cars of citrus fruitt are
shipped from the Southern part of
the state annually, and that it has
been the practice to pick fruit and
put it directly into the cars, many
shipments being made without using
the store houses at all. Shippers tre-
1uently have no extensive storage ia
cilities, and ali prefer not to use them
because their use involves delay
which has bad effect on so perisha-
bic an article as fruit. Yet under the
new rule the large shipper Is liable to
secure fewer cars than the small ship
per who is able to store his entire
output.
The imminence of this condition is
Indicated by the fact that the full
text of the complaint was telegraphed
to Washington, making about 1900
words, and that service was made ON
the Southern Pacific by wire. May 18th
was set as the date for hearing the
at Los Angeles.