The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-11-20
URGES FARMERS TO COMBINE
Scranton Produce Merchant Tells
About Apple Waste In Wayne
Loss in Freight Rates,

Considerable space was given in
Mondays Tribune-Republican of the
Apple Waste in Wayne County,
which we think will be read with in
terest by our readers. 1t is given
herewith in part:
Wayne county, located in the heart
of the richest apple growing region in
the country, according to United
States agricultural reports, has rec
ord apple crop this Fall, and no
market for the yield, because of the
alleged failure of the farmers there
to organize for common business ad-
vantages. The crop, it is said, Is
large enough to supply Scranton, and
another city OF its size, with apples
for the Winter, but few Wayne coun-
ty apples will be sold here on ac-
count of the absence of produce ex-
change to place Wayne's crop on the
| market.
A Lackawanna avenue wholesaler
| declared yesterday that he in COM
mon with other avenue produce deal
ers, is now buying his apples from
the orchards of New York state and
| the Cumberland valley, because
| wayne county apple growers are
blind to their best interests. This
wholesaler declared that he visited
Wayne county farms and offered to
buy outright the crop of farmer af-
ter farmer at fifty cents a bushel,
and pick and barrel the apples at his
own cost, but the farmers declined
to sell for only one reason. Farm
er Bill Jones" refused to sell because
he seemed to think that his neigh
Dor, Smith," would get fifty-five
cents for his bushel, and he would
not have it said that his apples were
not as good and as valuable as his
neighbor's.
Where the consumer will feel the
effect of the Wayne situation was
also pointed out by this merchant
The freight tariff on apples shipped
into this city from the Cumberland
valley, from the towns of Winchester
| and Chambersburg, is something like
fifteen cents hundred weight The
tariff on apples from Honesdale to
Scranton is eight cents the hundred
weight. This is a difference of seven
cents in the hundred pounds, and
somebody must pay the seven cents
difference. The payee will likely be
the city housekeeper.
The cost to the consumer is only
one factor in the alleged bad busi-
ness methods of not only the Wayne
county farmer, but farmers in this
and all other counties in this part of
the state. During the month of Oc-
tober there were nine carloads of
apples shipped into Scranton from
the Cumberland valley and from New
York state by one road alone.
There" said the wholesaler, were
nine carloads of produce that might
just as well have come from Homes
dale, and besides we would probably
have better apple to sell at less
cost to the consumer.
Where the neighboring farmers
are careless to their own interests,
the wholesaler claimed, is that they
fail to see the advantage to be gain
ed by working in common for the
interest of all. Unlike other farm
ing communities the farmers of
Wayne county and of Lackawanna
have never organized a produce eX-
change. Such a house is necessary,
it was pointed out, if the farmer
expects to get his crops placed on
the market. A produce exchange
and a live secretary or manager in
charge, would ascertain the extent of
the crop of each farm and then
whether it be apples, cabbage or po-
tatoes. Such an exchange has been
maintained in Virginia and is
known as the Eastern Shore Pro-
duce Exchange 1t is at only, Vir-
ginia. Ninety per cent. of the farm
ers are members, and all their crops
are sold through the exchange. 1t
has succeeded to degree that ad-
mits of a secretary at $4,000 a year
salary.
While Wayne county apple grow
ers have been cited specifically, the
same criticism was directed against
the Lackawanna county farm own
ers, and, in fact, all other counties
in this region. Scranton is market
for produce from all parts of the
country, except right here at home,
it was pointed out. Onions that are
sold in the city are shipped here all
the way from Texas; more onions
come from New Jersey. Onions are
delivered to Scranton wholesalers in
quantity of twenty-five carloads the
month. That was the quantity re-
ceiVed in this city from Texas and
New Jersey in October and this ship
ment arrived by only one of the sew
eral railroads.
Potatoes that might be shipped
into the city from the surrounding
country are received now from New
York state. During the month of
October there were 1928 carloads of
potatoes received by Lackawanna
avenue wholesalers. The railroad
that shipped those 1913 cars received
something like ten cents a hundred
weight for all DOtatOeS carried from
the country around Windsor, N. Y.
There was not a carload of potatoes
shipped from the country towns
north of Scranton or from Wayne
county, although the freight rate on
potatoes from Honesdale to Scran-
ton was said to be about five cents,
according to the T.-R. informant
The difference between the shipping
cost from Honesdale and Windsor,
N. Y, must be met by the consumer,
and for PVprV 100 weight Of DOta