Arizona republican., 1915-02-13
|RA|LROADERS
TALK ARIZONA
CITRUS FRUIT
Loss and Damage to Fruit
Shipments Too Great,
Committee Seeks Answer
to PuzzIe-Rcd-Ball Dis
CUlSSlOn

Coming right down TO Arizona, the
Loss and Damage committee of the
Santa Fee coast lines system, which
IS now converting here, took up the
highly important subject of citrus
fruit deliveries yesterday The
morning session was opened with
Chairman |. l.. Hibbard presiding,
and then the committee drifted
through a number of current topics
into the feature subject of the bet
ter handling of citrus and deciduous
fruit shipments
In part. the chairman said: This
is one of the commodities originated
in California and one which the
country in and around PhocniX is
properly packed a good carving
commodity, but our reports of dam
age in the past year has been great
~ in excess of what they should be
considering the efforts that have
been put forth To move the cars
through to eastern markets on time.
and the consequent losses u heavy
drain on the revenue. 1t is neces-
sary therefore. that the subject be
given careful study by every ON
ploye engaged in the task of trans
porting the business. During the
progress of the present shipping sea-
son we have sent oui representa-
tives into the fields to study the
picking, packing, loading and ship
ping conditions, familiarizing them
selves with all the details. that the
information necessary to care for
the fruit when il comes to us may
be disseminated among those inter.
ested. Shippers have shown such
a cordial spirit Of cooperation that
there is no doubt our exception re-
ports are going to be reduced to a
| minimum and the fruit delivered
| on the Atlantic seaboard in prime
condition. The rains the past week
have retarded the picking of fruit
but it is expected there will be a
heavy tonnage move before the sea
son is over and in view of the fast
| time made in previous years, doubt
less the major proportion will ira
vel Santa f'e All the Way
After the citrus fruit question was
disposed Of at the morning session
General Manager w. A. Drake open
| ed the proceedings in the afternoon
| by bringing up the subject of "EX-
pedltins the Movement of High Glass
or what is commonly known on the
| Santa Fee as Red Ball Freight. 1t is
| q well known fact to the patrons
| of this line that they can secure
! advice in a few moments as to the
location of any carload or freight
| they may have in transit. This has
been made possible by the install
ation in the office of S. NJ Salt
marsh, car accountant in Los An
geles, of a Red Ball Board" Every
| train that starts out of Chicago car
| ries a certain distinguishing symbol
number, and the numbers of the
| cars in the train telcgraphcd to the
| Red Ball Board, and this procedure
| IS followed by each agent at every
| freight division point until the train
| reaches its destination on the Pa =
cific coast. Every car for Arizona
and California is Red Ballcd" and
| tiNNh tiiiH iiiti'ilti Stl VICE W MIN
insures its reaching destination with
in its scheduled time An inquiry
| to Mr.. Saltmarsh concerning the To-
! cation of any certain car will bring
the desired information at once.
In commenting on the need for fur
tier Improving the service as To
| time Mr.. Drake said: I'VE have
had our Red Ball system in effect
| some years now and it is possible
the rough edges need trimming pos
sibly the detail has grown to ella
borate and we could profitably cur
| tail some of the incidentals by go
| ing into the subject analytically. We
| have before us at all times the ne
cessity of moving our business OF
time il we are going to keep ouI
present patrons and secure more
hence we want to give them the best
| service II is possible to develop; there
is no more important subject before
us. while it is true our business
has always been on the increase
it is up to every man in the trans
ortation game to keep his shoulder
to the wheel and see that every
ear we handle moves promptly ant
properly
The afternoon session adjourned
while the committee was considering
the individual payments of eacl
commodity for the past year TIL,
member expect to finish their ses-
sion tomorrow.
! concert was given for the dc
legation in the Hotel Adams las
night and a tour around the city
and vicinity will be today's feature.
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