The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-08-28


this morning in the Marion County
Board of Trade rooms that this city
has seen in a long time. The at
tendance was not as large as was de-
sired, but made up in enthusiasm
what it lacked in numbers. There
were about 80 present during the
morning, including those who re-
manned for part of the session.
Among them the Star reporter OBJ
tanned the names of the following,
of growers: J. VI. Meffert, S. c.
Mayo, t. III. Johnson, Nathan Mayo,
III. w. Huffman, III. ID. Woods, A. p.
Stuckey r. A Tadeton, DIR. Weaver,
l.. S. Light, s. N billiard. c. B.
Strickland, Charlie Howell and Mr..
Griggs.
Representing the Southern Ex-
press Company w. K. Halle of Jack
sonville, superintendent, Mr. Cox,
route agent from the East Coast,
Mr. Grimes, route agent from Plant
City, G. T., Maughs. agent Ocala, and
one of the rate agents. Mr.. III. S.
KeaIhofer, of Jacksonville, traffic
manager of the Jacksonville board
of trade, and a number of shippers
and business men of Ocala.
Mr.. Meffert called the meeting to
order, and Mr. Rooney presided as
secretary.
The object of 1.-the meeting was
stated. That it>had been called by
| special committee of the board of
Itrade, to get the representatives of
+ the Southern Express Company and
til growers and shippers of the coun-
ty together to discuss ways and
means of shipping and marketing
their produce, to get the best re-
suits and eliminate the commission
man as near as possible, and either
! sell at the shipping points to brokers
or commission men for cash, of have
the express agents do on a large
scale what they have been doing in
small way for some time. that is,
to take the produce, when shipped
direct to their agents and go out in
the cities and market it to the best
advantage and make prompt and
honest returns to the growers.
The discussions entered into at
different times during the morning
session by the different growers and
express men were quite interesting
The secretary read the account OF
sales of dozens and dozens of ship
ments consigned to northern houses
both local and carload shipments
painful number of them sold fol
costs or a few dollars over, and many
went for less than cost, and some
few made fairly good returns. but
they were very few. The general be-
lief among the shippers was that
they were being Systematically rob
bed by the commission men. They
stated that there were some honest
ones who made fair returns of the
sales just as they were made, but
many of them in their belief were
robbers and thieves. So many large
shipments Iots-of beans
catalogues, tomatoes, cabbage, etc.
netted the grower a paltry few dol
y lars, may be loss, and the commits
L sion men asked for the deficit. Theil
4 excuses were many. overstocked mar
ket first, delay in transit second, bad
condition following delay of course
specked fruit, too large or too small
too ripe of too green, arrived on Sat
urday afternoon. etc.-wilHng II
make an affidavit of the CORRECTNESS
of the report to the poor grower
and on the face of many of then
u they were frauds and swindles.
Now the growers want to perfec
such an organization as will enabl
them, through the cooperation of tn
express companies, to force the com
mission men if they want their stuff
to come here with the cash and bu,
it.
Mr.. Rooney read a fine articl
from Texas agricultural journal
stating how the Wells Fargo Fix
press Co. was taking the situation il
hand and handling and disposing o
the produce of the shippers with tn
most gratifying results. The grow
ers of Florida want the Souther1
Express Co. to put into effect such
plan, on a large and systematic scale
and believe it will be to their mu
tual benefit Mr. Meffert had
great sheaf of returns from loca
shipments made to agents of the ex
Ipress company in all places of an
importance in the state The return
seemed honest and the results fail
' considering the glutted condition O
} the cantaloupe market. in general an