The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1910-08-19
WORRIES OF TRUCK SHIPPERS
Necessary to Life OF produce ou''''~
That Great Care Be Given aoooS
En- Route.

! In view Of recent aglldlloii oN
subject of transportation for carloau
shippers of perishable produce per
sonal observations may be OF interest,"
writes A. A. Allison, in Ranch ana
Range. In 1903 this county (Llme-
stone) was devastated by Doh "oinl'
and boil weeyils, and farmers were 50
demoralized that they doubted the Ell
ficacy of attempting cotton again
hence. in 1904, they decreased Tue
acreage in cotton, and planted cor
respondinEly increased acreage IN
sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes melons,
/ etc.
The season was fine for potatoes OF
both kinds. and the yield was heaVy'
and of superior quality.
Then the question of marketing
these crops became important Pota-
toes were In heavy demand through
out the north and east, and prices
were good. Several produce men IN
i this county bought a few cars OF
! Irish potatoes at prices that shouia
have allowed a profit. but the stun
was delayed In transit, cars OF stun
were side-tracked between strings Oh
] trains on each side, causing the PROD
uct to get overheated. the result be-
ing that not only had the market de-
clined, but bali of the goods were re-
ported ruined on arrival. In some
instances drafts were drawn by con-
/ signees to reimburse them for part OF
the freight On the whole, buyers
lost at least 25 per cent Of the pur-
chase price of the produce, besides
their trouble, and, therefore, refused
to buy these products any more ana
the farmer quit planting them.
Not only does perlshable stuff suf-
fer inattention at the hands of rail
roads. in delay, overheating, rains
and winds. but very many instances
can be found of gross misconduct on
the part of brokers to whom produce Is
consigned I shipped three cars of
under a bona fide sale In one
instance and In each instance |
lost money. No doubt the goods
were injured en- route, as they
arrived at destination late. but |
have always thought that proper In
terest was not given by consignees.
shipped a car of very fine sweet
potatoes to Des Moines. Ia, on
sale to produce firm there. Drew
draft to cover, and on its arrival
= .rtr IN valp0ca draft Q
the goods were ruined. | started for
Des Moines. was delayed en- route In
a wreck, got there after the potatoes
had been there for more than week,
/ and there had been a .reeze, took
charge OF the goods and found that
the consisnee had never examined
them, but had wired for release Of
draft for the purpose of getting the
potatoes given him. II | had sent
some one with the car. % per cent Of
the potatoes would have been mer.
charitable. even with the nine days
travel and delay en- route. He could
have gone to work to dispose Of them,
for the market there needed the
goods, and buyers have asked me to
ship them potatoes again AS 1t was,
sold Is per cent. of the potatoes that
had not persisted. at handsome prices
also learned that it means the sal.
walton of the produce shipper to go
with produce, watch it on it's way, and
be ready to sell 1t himself upon ar
rival
The question of including transpor.
tation of a man with each car OF pro-
duce, in the cost of freight, was
brought before the commission some
years ago 1t could be easily seen
that the railroads opposed 1t on the
sole ground that they did not want
the owner to have the evidence OF
delay against them that would result
from having man with the ship
ment: as also their overt negligence
Of the goods en- route. Attorneys for
the railroads would not admit this TO
be the reason for their antagonism
but claimed that the rate was not
enough to cover the extra cost. But
shippers would rather bear an extra
outlay Of freight. and be permitted to
care for the stuff in transit. Is not
the cost of transportation of stoekmen
included in the freight rateo Is no,
the cost of carriage of man with a
poultry car included In the rate of
freight? Then. raise the rate of
freight on produce to cover transpor.
tation of a man with potatoes, fruit.
etc. The rate is now high, but It Is
necessary to the life of the produce
business that great care be given to
goods while en- route, and the farmer
will abandon growing produce OF this
class If some arrangement Is not made
to care for same.