The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-07-18
CONSIDERING COMPLAINTS
Members Of Railroad Communion Met
Marion County Shippers Today

Menbers Of Railroad COmmissiOn Met
Marion County Shippers Today
The railroad commission met this
in the court house to consider
rates on cantaloupes and the attend
ing crops. Messrs. Hudson Burr, New
ton Bitch and Dunn. Mr.. Burr. the
chairman, made a general statement
OF what the commission was attempt
ing to do, to reduce express rates in
the state and that On packages. The
express company demurred and at
tempted to enjoin the commission. but
Judge Sheppard OF Pensacola denied
the Injunction and said the state in
these matters was not be interfered
with. II made it will be from 20 to %
per cent lower rates on express mat
ter in the state than it has been.
Those present at the meeting were
Messrs. ]. II. Brinson. Alfred Aver,
Col Martin, Ocala; Allen Stevens, John
and Walter Luffman. Spar: S. c. Mayo,
Reddick; Charley Horner, Martin; Mr..
Wood, Evinston: Sidney Halle, Of the
Seaboard, Ocala: Tom E. Pasteur.
Ocala; Capt. Raysor, Lowell, J. W.
Colbert, Spar: Jim Thomas, Sparr: A.
3. Halse1l, Mr.. Cahoon, Mr.. Arnold.
Oak; Mr.. Carlton, Pine: L. S. Light,
Reddick. H. W. Long, Martel. Dr.. Bas-
kin, 3. B. KILLER. Dunnellon: F. S.
Rou, Lowell: Mr.. Eminisor, Spar; Lee
and Jim Howell, Anthony: Mr.. Talton,
secretary Of the Marion County Truck
Growers Association: Frank Turner
Bradley Pond.
The session began at 10 o'clock and
ended after IL and a plenty was said
that proved the canta1Oupe growers
were certainly in hole this season. Mr.
Light opened the ball and was loaded
to the belt with facts and fggers
showing the railroad companies In
Florida had Increased their profits and
also increased their rates where pos
sible. Light showed that commerce
allowed $50 crates of lettuce and eel
cry in car and 800 crates was the
maximum Of all other vegetables. Mr.
Light contended that the rates tt
Jacksonville showed six cents a crate
in car load lots and eight cents II
broken lots. A car of beans weighed
on an average $4,000 pounds and {
car of cantaloupes $4,000 pounds. HI
commended to charge 10 cents from
Ocala to Jacksonville per hundred
pounds and only 33 cents for the 90'
| miles difference was too great. Rat
| on car OF melons from Evinston t
Jacksonville was $13. Mr.. Light wa
| the statistician and demonstrated h
had the state commission faded to
| fragile when 1t went to rates, cost o
| roads. miles OF transportation an
profit and rate per mile. He sai'
| earnings Of all railroads in the stat
was 1880 per cent a mile except tn
| \. c. L.. which was 1860 a mile. TIL
| freight on crops OF vegetables In Flor
| ida in 1900 was three million: in 100
| over ten million. He said his neighbo
Fridy at Reddick shipped over 800
| crates this season and averaged 5
cents a crate. Light said Fridy'
truck cost him so cents a crate. Light
cost him 65 cents crate to depot.
&c. Mayo Of Reddick thought $50 crate
Of cantaloupes was enough in a cal
but when price Of season was low
was more profitable to ship 400 crate:
The refrigerator people paid 1925
car to load it. Mr.. Mayo had II acre
in cantaloupes. $50 in melons and s
in tomatoes. Latter paid nothing; to
wet, didn't ship good.
He thought it cost him s12 to load
car Of melons.
| Time Of delivery of car from five t
seven days. Although the railroad
said they could deliver in four, BIT
this did not hold good.
Col. J. NJ. Martin agreed with NJ
Light that 10 cents a crate was to
much between Ocala and JacksOnvill
Col. Martin said greatest number {
crates he put in a car was $40 an
Capt. Raysor said 562.
Mr.. Aver asked the different pc
mile in freight rates between Florid
and New York and California, Loui:
lana. Texas and Mississippi and Ne
York.
! Mr.. Burr said he recognized the IL
justice, but he had no power to col
rect All these facts were placed b.
fore the Interstate Commerce Con
, mission. but they ignored them. NJ
Aver said Notwithstanding the IL
crease in earnings the Seaboard r,
turned its assessment $4,000 less tn
year than last. but Mr. Aver wou
take it up with the comptroller. Ay,
had a funny story about experient
with a railroad superintendent on tt
, the desire for low rate on 1000 acre
of cabbage at Mcintosh. A low ra
: and money for grower and railroa
| III not people would quit growing cal
bage. Oh, said the superintendent,
you fellows don't grow it another crC
; of suckers will come along and do
II. B. Woods of Evinston said VIII;
r about ordering car for melons ar
3 then railroad company not furnishir
it. Mr.. Burr said lay melons down /
= the track and demand a bill Of ladfr
2 and II not forthcoming the railros
would be liable for damage if a su
| ficient time was given the compan
2 | Mr.. Woods said he was in the trucl
I ing business seven years and had mae
r | money each year, but cut out tom
| toes and cantaloupes, but believed
better rate could be made the grove
Frank Turner complained on pc;
t | shipments to New York Some barre
f We're returned at 1925 a barrel freig
t | and others at 81 a barrel What to d
t | Send papers to Interstate CONNER
Commission and they Will get diffe
ence.
t Lee Howell, Anthony, made kick
| minimum packages in car. He sa
. first half OF season cantaloupes we
through good and got fair prices, b
Z last half got soft and lost out T
larger the number Of crates the bett
Ithey carry in car. He has be,