The Princeton union., 1918-03-07
A FEW CARS ARRIVE
Potato Buyers Afforded Slight Relief
and Are Enabled to Ship About
IS Carloads of Stock.

MdNy OOuCIeTH UTOWcTS CdHCel VI.
ders and Are Rebuying Seed at
Prevailing Market Prices.
To a small extent the car shortage
at this point has. been relieved rs
carloads of potatoes, largely seed
stock, having left Princeton this week.
Two-thirds of the cars received here
were, however, of the box variety,
which means a heavy expense to the
shippers for linings-a car lining at
the present high cost of lumber costs
over $50. Refrigerator cars are still
scarce, but shippers expect them in
larger number within short time.
In consequence of warehousemen be-
ing unable from car shortage to fill
their contracts at the time specified,
many southern growers have Cancelled
their orders and are rebuying seed at
lower prices than those contracted for
early in the season. This, of course,
means loss to the warehousemen of
the difference in the contract price and
that now prevailing-brought about
by car shortage. Notwithstanding the
cancellation of many orders, however,
there is an indication that the ware
houses, which now contain approx
mately rs cars of seed stock, will be
cleared within week or ten days.
The quantity Of eating stock on hand
is exceptionally small for this time of
the year. r..
Receipts at the warehouses this
week have averaged from rs to 100
loads a day-mostly seed. This is
about third of what should be COM
ing in at this time of year taking into
consideration the large crop Of last
year. It is estimated that from 80 to
40 per cent Of this crop still remains
in the hands of the growers.
The prices being paid are precisely
the same as last week. (See market
report on another page.)
In view of the fact that there are
approximately $500 carloads of pota-
toes awaiting shipment at various
points on four Minnesota railroads, an
urgent appeal has been forwarded by
Judge McGee to Director General Nc
Adoo to rush cars from the east to
transport this stock. A response to
this appeal is daily expected.
In some quarters farmers are
blamed for not disposing Of their po-
tatoes last fall when higher prices
prevailed. The supply of potatoes in
the fall was equal to the demand at
fair prices. Had the farmers attempt
ed to dispose of all their crop last
fall the market would have been con-
gested and they would have been
obliged to sell at prices the dealers saw
fit to offer.
Undoubtedly there is surplus of
potatoes in the country but we still
believe that that surplus is exaggerat-
ed, and that if shipping facilities are
provided fair prices can be obtained
An interview given by o. w. Tong,
manager Of the Northern Potato Traf-
fic association, which appeared in the
Minneapolis Tribune of last evening,
is to the effect that it is too late to
ship potatoes south for seed, that the
market for eating stock is already
supplied, that no one wants to buy po-
tatoes right now and that it is ridicu-
lous to talk about sending $500 cars
to Minnesota.
Mr.. Tong's views were indorsed by
w. H. Ferrell with this qualification,
however, Gears can be used in smaller
quantities than contemplated by those
who want to get $500 started this way
at once"
We must confess that we cannot
quite understand what Mr.. Tong and
Mr.. Ferrell mean. Seed potatoes
ought to have been shipped south be-
fore now, but we cannot believe that
there will be no further demand for
eating stock. In other years eating
potatoes have been disposed of as late
as the latter part Of May. Anyway,
we can see no sense in saying that
cars are not needed, and every car that
reaches Princeton will be utilized to
it's fullest capacity for the next eight
or ten weeks.
The talk indulged in by Messrs.
Tong and Ferrell will not help matters
any. They take an altogether too
pessimistic view Of the situation. They
talk as if they had a crouch against
the farmers.