The Washington herald., 1921-06-04
PROMISE FEDERAL
SUPPORT TO SHIP
COAST FRUIT EAST
Pacific Growers Associa-
tion to Get Aid from
(. U. S. Ship Board.
TO DEVELOP MARKET
FOR FOREIGN TRADE
Declare High Railroad Rates
Are Strangling Industry of
Far West States.

shippers Of high tonnage and per-
ishabie commodities from the Pa
ciic coast have obtained the prom
ise of the United States shipping
board. through r. NJ. Semmes, dis
trict representative In the west, for
the shipment of greater quantities
of Washington. Oregon and Caiifor-
mia fruits and produce to the east
ern seaboard.
The attitude Of the board, as out
lined by Mr.. semmes. is to. place
refrigeration in shipping board ves-
sells, IL the shippers can assure the
board that the business viii be a
profitable one. Members Of the COM
bined Pacific Coast Producers asso-
citation. which formed this week to
promote canal shipments of fruits
and vegetables. assured Mr.. Semmes
that all refrigerated space provided
would be filled on eastern voyages.
Arranging for Fair Rate.
Oh the
are negotiating with intercoastal
steamship companies for a rate of
not to exceed 80 cents a box from
Pacific TO Atlantic ports. c. s.
whitcomb. president of the associ-
ation.- of Los Angeles. said he ex-
poets that a fair rate will be OBJ
tained. Tentative steps have been
taken to supplement the associa-
tion's prime object. to get move
ment of fruit by water, by consfd-
Grafton of an export trading cor
poration under terms of the webb
act to extend markets for western
fruits In foreign countries.
c. /. Lewis. of Salem. Greg. is
handling preliminary details. Fruit
growers today told Seattle business
men fruit industry is being strsn-
gled by high rail rates, and that
railroads have refused to give emer-
gency rates. as was done with the
lumber industry. because growers
had not taken advantage Of COM
petitive water routes and forced
reduction.
Guarantee 10000 Tons Of Fruit.
Port oficiais on the coast were
notified they can expect 1000 car
loads OF applies for transshipment
this season. and steamship compan-
les were pledges an additional
1000 carloads of California fruits.
One cold storage house in Seattle,
where rail meets sail. can house
10000 tons OF apples and there are
additional cooling spaces in other
public and private warehouses, ex-
elusive of fish freezing sections
where 1000. 600 pounds are frozen.
In addition to electing Mr.. Whit
comb president, ]. H. Wade. of
wenatchee. was elected president of
the deciduous branch and vice
president of the association at the
meeting in Seattle today. c. De-
we're Fairchild. OF Yakima. will be
secretary and the direc-
tors at large will be II. F. Davidson
of Hoodriver, Greg, and c. I. Lewis,
of Salem.
To Form Other Bureaus
The California bodies interested
in the association will elect similar
officers. and there will be bureaus
in each of the fruit producing Sec
tions. with Mr.. whitcomb the d.
senting the producers in the nego-
tiations with the steamship COM
panies on the coast for Refrigerator
space and rates are II. NJ. Gilbert
of Yakima: c. Devere Fairehild. OF
Yakima, and J. Curtis Robinson
traffic manager of the northwestern
fruit exchange: steamship compan-
les represented are Atlantic Gulf
Pacific Steamship company, the Pa
cific Steamship company, and the
United American lines.
r. NJ. Semmes. district representa-
tive of the United States shipping
board on The coast. said the. board
was willing to install Refrigerator
space IL II is shown that II is prom
table. Members of the association
promptly replied that all refriger.
ated space would be loaded to ca
pacity the year round. and explain
ed that on the. return voyage from
the east coast the refrlgeratec
space could be used for general
cargo with exclusion of excessively