The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-03-05
FREIGHT RATES
TOBEL0WERED
Interstate Commerce Commission
Will Order Reduction at Once
BENEFIT ALL GROWERS
Pineapples, Citrus Fruits and Vegetables
will Get Material Reduction In Rates
Mixed Car Loads to be Allowed

That the efforts which have been put
forth by the Florida Fruit and Vege-
table Shippers Protective Association
to secure a reasonable reduction in
rates of fruits and vegetables shipped
from Florida to Eastern markets are
likely to be realized, was evident at
the hearing which was held in Jackson
vile Wednesday by Commissioner
Prouty, of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, says the Jacksonville Fruit
and Produce News.
The hearing was ordered as the re-
suit of a petition which the Protective
Association had filed before the Inter-
state Commission, and it brought
number of prominent growers from
various points in the state to Jackson
vile. The Association was ably repre-
sented by VIM. A. Glasgow, Jr., of
Philadelphia, the interests of the trans
portation companies being looked after
by Sidney F. Andrews, of Nashville.
James Menzies, General Freight Agent
of the Atlantic Coast Line, and Mr..
Capps, General Freight Agent of the
Seaboard Air Line were both present
as witnesses for their respective rail-
roads.
Among those who testified for the
Fruit and Vegetable Shippers Protec-
tive Association were J. C. Chase, of
Chase & Co., Jacksonville; A. R. Rule,
Florida representative of Crutchfield &
Voolfolk; D. R. Warner, ]. L. String.
fellow, C. A. Colclough and C. S. Rob-
ertson, all prominent growers of Gaines
Vile; H. H. Chappell, of Sanford; NC.
Hardee, of DANA, and several others
all of whom gave interesting testimony
as to the disastrous effects which the
present rates are entailing on the fruit
and vegetable growers of Florida.
Mr. Chase brought out in his testi-
mony that the present charges made it
almost prohibitory for shippers to make
up carload lots at Jacksonville from
small shipments brought here for that
purpose. He said that it would be a
great advantage to the shippers when
cleaning up the crop if they could
make up carload lots here and put
them through at carload rates without
having to pay the excessive charges
alleged to be made for shunting the
cars.
Mr.. Chase also forcibly brought out
the advantages to the shipper if they
were permitted to combine in carload
lots both citrus fruits and pineapples,
as we'll as vegetables in their season.
at carload rates, which the Transport
tation companies now do not grant.
Mr.. Stringfellow declared that the
rates on cabbage was so high as to
make it improbable, under ordinary
to grow them. He told
of large acreage of cabbage that last
year was left to rot in the fields be-
cause the first carloads shipped did
not bring returns enough to pay for
cutting and shipping. He said that
the cabbage crop this year would have
been a dead loss had it not been for
the freeze that reduced the crop at
Mobile and other points.
The testimony from the others called
was substantially along the same lines
and Commissioner Prouty appeared
to be much impressed with the reason
ableness Of their contention. The rep
of the railroad agreed that
the rates on cabbage were too high and
there is no doubt they will be lowered
so that Florida shippers may stand an
equal chance at least at the markets
with Mobile and other cabbage districts.
Commissioner Prouty declared that
he would recommend as reasonable that
the Jacksonville rates on pineapples and
oranges now in effect should be reduced.
He also stated that If the transporta-
ton companies did not put into effect
the rates on vegetables as recommend
ed by the Interstate Commission, the
Commission would itself do 80, and
would pass on the question as to what
should be the minimum carload to 60
forward under these rates. The trans,
fcnntinued IN noOa o.