Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1913-05-16
The Relation Of the Producer and the Railroad
IN Marketing Farm Produce
'n' Elliott of the Northern Pacific Railway, Paul Mimi

investigated the subject that storage
can be provided as cheaply III the
Northwest as IN the east III fact be-
cause OF the advantages OF cheaper
power, cheaper land and less taxes, 1t
Is confidently asserted that the cost
VIII be less. We have made some III
Vestgatlon oil cool storage, by which Is
meant storage without arunclal reIrlg-
Grafton, as distinguished from coIu
storage where artificial refrigeration Is
used We found that cool storage is III
actual use at some points III buildings
carefully planned ana constructed, ana
they appear to serve their purpose sat
lstactorlly, but 1t Is not claimed Tor
cool storage that II gives DIS good re-
suits as cola storage, The nte OF the
stored product is less and 1t Is not
auapted to early maturing apples, such
The reason that without artificial re-
1rlgeratlon The temperature can not be
lowered sufficiently III the early part
Oh The season, and again at the end OF
The winter The stored product must be
moved before the warm weather sets
III. From ali OF which 1t appears thai
...l
Out within these limitations provides
reasonably safe storage al a minimum
.. expense.
IL has been suggested that the rail-
road companies provide storage Tor
trult, but no good and sufficient rea-
son has ever been advanced III support
VI this proposition. The function OF
the railroad company is transportation
and transportation only, and 1t is bet
ter IN the long run for business gener-
ally that the railroads stick to the par
tlcular business for which they are or
gained as closely as possible. Storage
is an entirely different business, requir-
ing different experience from that OF
operating railroads, and there is no
more reason why railroads should pro-
vide storage for fruit than for any
other class of freight which they han
die, and all of them require more or
less storage in one form or another,
such as grain elevators, lumber yards,
coal yards and SO on.
There still remains for consideration
as part of distribution expense, the
wholesale dealer and the retail dealer,
and what l have to say in regard to
that branch of my general subject will
be very brief, principally for the reason
that l have not had the time to make
such investigation as would qualify me
to discuss it intelligently. | am sure
you will deal with this problem on the
live and let live principle, and take into
consideration the value of the service
rendered and the expenses and diff
culties connected Herewith, otherwise
you will create a powerful opposition
and influence working against your
product and promoting actively the
product of your competitor; remember
that while the general run of the east
ern product is decidedly inferior to the
west, that nevertheless they raise some
pretty good apples and are fast learn
ing from your experience how to make
them attractive looking to the con
sumner
| had intended to say something on
the subject of utilization of by-prod-
ucts, but | am not satisfied that the
information and knowledge | have of
the subject is sufficient to warrant me
III attempting to discuss ii, and as what
| might say might be misleading it is
more prudent to say nothing | fully
realize is Importance to the fruit grow
ers of the Northwest and regret my in
ability to contribute something of val
he on the subject on this occasion.
Conclusion.
In conclusion: Whenever we reach
the mint Of ouap rrod,,o+;o, OIL -