Los Angeles herald., 1910-03-26
LEEDS THWARTS
l.C. c. PROBERS
CIRCUMVENTS ATTEMPTS TO
GET AT RATE FACTS
RAILROADS. POSITION IN GROW
ERs' FIGHT DEFENDED
Second Day of Hearing Is Consumed
Largely in Taking of Testimony
on Pre=Icing Costs and
Charges

center of the boxes, hence is in danger
of deterioration. 1t also has been
brought out that the railroad pre-cool-
ing plant reduces the temperature only
to As degrees, which. experts say, is not
low enough.
1t is these preceding plants estab-
lished in Southern California by the
citrus fruit growers, of which W per
cent are represented III the preScht
hearing. that the Southern Pacific and
Santa Fe railroads are really attempt
ing TO nut out of business. Testimony
has shown that where the growers pre-
cool their own fruit to temperature
of 80 degrees, which the railroads, IL IS
said. will not do--the fruit can go
through to Chicago with one icing.
This means that the railroads Will lose
a large sum of money which they now
reap annually from their numerous re-
icing stations. When the car is pre-
cooled to 80 degrees, one icing Of SIX
tons carries the car through safely, and
the fruit reaches Chicago at the tenn
perature at which it is shipped, for SIX
tons of ice is then enough TO MAINTAIN
the original temperature.
The ice costs the shippers Of Los An
geles but S2.25 a ton, although A. +.
McGinnis, owner of q large number OF
etc, along the line of the Santa Fe
road, testified yesterday that ice could
not be manufactured for that price in
Los Angeles. Nevertheless, this is what
the shippers now pay for ice here Al
this price it costs them but $3.50 to ice
a car, filling the bunkers with six tons
of ice for the entire trip to Chicago.
Looks Good to Roads
Tbis makes the total refrigeration
expense S32.70, against $62.50 charged
by the railroads, so it can readily be
seen why the railroads are opposing
the cooperative plan of the growers
for the erection and operation of their
own preceding plants.
Formerly the cost of refrigeration
was much higher than now, under the
preceding arrangement. and the pres
ent hearing before the interstate COM
merce commission represents a dis
perate struggle of the railroads TO
keep the price up to the old standard.
They will not recognize the adYan-
tages of the preceding arrangement,
and arbitrarily charge the shippers for
the refrigeration of each car, whether
the shipper or the grower performs the
service.
The railroads are attempting TO
prove, of course, that re-icing is neces-
sary, whether the car is preceded or
not; but they base their contentious on
the preceding of cars to a tempera-
ture Of % degrees. They are attempt
ing to prove also that the rate of s1.15
on lemons, which they admit is a com
promise between the relief rate and the
81 25 rate imposed later is insufficient
and was granted only through cor
poration philanthropy" to save the
lemon growers from ruin and upbuild
the industry, while at the same time
it was understood, they claim, that
the $1.25 rate would be restored.
OF course it is believed the railroads
are willing to pre-cool to any tempera-
ture desired and give satisfactory SER
vice, provided they can take the bust
ness away from the growers and dc
ali of the preceding, at the present
price, in their own plants.
Shippers Fair
If shippers are allowed to construct
and maintain their own preceding
plants and pre-oool and pre-iee their
own fruit, without paying the extra
$50 to the railroads for this privilege
they will do so, they say, and previde
the money for the construction OF
numerous modern and adequate plants