The Delta independent., 1912-06-14
PLANS FOR HANDLING
RECORD FRUIT CROPS
CAREFUL ESTIMATES MADE.
Large Forces Put to Work Trimming
This Week-Railroad and Fruit
Growers to Co-Opsrate and
Former Promises Cars.

One of the very important ques-
tions for consideration just now
since a recordlbreaking fruit crop
IS positively assured for this county
and for other sections of the West
ern Slope as well, is the means for
getting this crop into Eastern and
Southern markets. 1t will surely be
a test of the railroad facilities in
this section, and the Rio GraIde and
Midland roads being fully apprised
of this fact are already advancing
in the matter of plans TO meet the
test.
conference between representa-
tives of the various fruit growers
associations and traffic officials of
he above mentioned roads, was
held in Denver a few days since
when it was decided that the roads
and growers would cooperate in
marketing the crop. The product
from this county alone has been es-
timated by conservative men at from
5000 TO 5000 cars. and that OF
Mesa county at $500 cars.
To arrive at more definite esti-
mate of the crop to be handled and
cars needed, however. the fruit men
N attendance upon the recent con
ference in Denver and the traffir rep
resentatiyes came over to this sec
lion this week and made a complete
canvass, which will put them in a
much better position to prepare 70
the task confronting them. The
roads feel fully confident that they
can handle the situation successfully
and this will surely prove cheer
ful news to all our growers, for
much uneasiness has been felt am
eng them regarding the car situa-
tiol.
Many residents OF this section will
doubtless wonder what part the Mid
land road. which has its terminal
At Grand Junction, can play in the
moving of crops here, but If they
only stop to consider for a moment,
the Midland furnishes another cap
able assistant carrier for all pro
ducts of the Western Slope and that
IL has always taken an active part
in relieving congested conditions
1t simply gives us two lines of road
out of the greatest fruit growing
belt in the world, and into those
points where several lines can take
up the long haul and get our pro
duct into all markets of the Union.
In the past it has been the Gus
tom for growers to route shipments
to market at their own discretion.
The eastern trunk line which haul
ed empty refrigerator cars TO Den
yer and delivered them to the local
lines for fruit shipments, suffered
by not receiving a just proportion
Of the eastern business. This will
be remedied.
For every empty car received in
Denver the trunk lines will receive
ohe loaded car. The responsibility
for carrying out this agreement
rests with the Colorado lines and
through the understanding with the
growers the roads will be empower
ed to direct the routing so that each
eastern carrier will be assured of its
share of the business.
While the first estimates of the
production of this cowlty We're con
sidered a little high by the less en-
thusiastic ones, as the days go by
and the crop advances to maturity,
everything seems to indicate that
they were If anything, too low. The
great 1911 crop will seem trivial. 1t
is stated that the county will har-
vest more peaches alone this year
than it harvested last year in all
of fruit.
Large forces of men are being
set to work thinning the orchards
in order that the trees will be able
to hold up under their burden. and
II is said by .orchardists who are ar
to ship men in to work. that
there will be plenty OF work at good
wages for all the men and women in
the county or who are apt to come.
until after the apple crop is harvest
ed next fall.
A. ID. Morgan of Hotchkiss. who