The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-06-16
SHIPPERS AWAIT
new TARIFFS
RAIL LINES MAKE FREIGHT DROP
IndefniteneSS Exists About Storage in
Transit Privileges Under New Rates
Box Rate s Cents Less

a. w Stone states tha. local shippers
are awaiting with interest the official
tariffs of railroad companies showing
0-reddction in freights on apples. MIR.
Stone says that so far as he is con-
cerned he is unable to make any state
ment as to whether the rail lines have
increased the charge on storage in
transit privilege five cents per box.
"The assertion has been made, he
says, that such is the case, hut as
denials have been made, and as we
haven't received an official copy Of the
new tariff, we cannot tell Just what
the intent of the rail lines was. We
will certainly protest before the Inter-
state Commerce Commission any in
crease in the storage in transit charge.
An effort was made last fall by the
rail lines to take this privilege away
from US, and the shippers went to
Washington and secured an absogation
of the order"
The new apple rate will be rs cents
per box, about eight cents less than
the old rate. The following discussion
Of the rate decrease appeared in the
recent issue of the Packer:
The pressure which has been brought
Coast shippers, the recent decision of
the United States Labor Board with
regards to a reduction in operating
costs for carriers to be effective July
/. together with the proposal of Cali
fornla interests to move a great deal
of their tonnage by water were the
three principal immediate causes which
brought about the announcement of
reduction at this time.
That portion of Chairman Countiss'
wire reading "also rate of $l.50 per
100 pounds on apples, without storage
in transit privilege" needs some ex-
planation as the wording of the wire
would indicate that where the reduced
rate on apples from Northwestern
points was to apply the storage in
transit privilege would be denied. In
telephone conversation with one of
the men here early in the week, Mr..
Countiss said that. the wording of the
wire was intended to mean that the
rate would not include the storage in
transit privilege charge; in other
words the storage in transit privilege
charge will be assessed in addition to
the $l.50 rate, as has been the custom
in the past to assess such charge in
addition to the public tariff covering
freight charges. The present box ap-
pie rate to Chicago is Sl.66h per 100
pounds so the reduction effective Sep
tember amounts to 10 per cent.
In talking to some of the local traffic
men this week many OF them expressed
their confidence in an early announce
ment of reductions on other commodi-
ties. Some of them think that by
Monday an announcement may be
made as to what the rate will be on
citrus and deciduous fruits. Some
authorities expect the rate on Califor.
MIA lemons to points east of Denver to
and including Atlantic Seaboard points
to be 81. so per cwt. as against the
present rate of $l.92. 1t is also con-
sidered likely that a similar reduction.
to that anticipated on California citrus
fruits, will be made to apply on perish
ables from other producing sections in
the United States. In view of the
fact that the Pacific Coast deciduous
movement will be under way shortly,
operators are anticipating further
announcement of reduction with a
great deal of interest.
The following was a dispatch to the
Packer from New York City:
There was considerable disappoint-
ment in the trade Wednesday when the
news was received on the street that
The Trans-contnental Freight Bureau
headquarters at Chicago had issued
the announcement of only about 10 per
cent reduction in the freight rate on
Pacific Coast vegetables and melons and
very small reduction on box apples.
The coast to coast rate on cantaloupes,
which is the great important commodity
Just at the moment. This means a red
uction of $77 % per car on a 20, ,0O0-pound
minimum That is figuring an average
Of 336 crates to the car :
CantalOupe men, as well as vegetable
men, fully expected the reduction to
amount TO the advance that was made
last July when through a general sweep
in a change in freight rates the rate
went up 50 l-3 per cent. The rate prior
to that was adval,c ,ced to S2.OS15.
The rate on apples is to be 81 80 per
cwt. without the storage in transit priv
ilaqe With the storage in transit priv
lage, it is to be SLIGO per cwt. This
means only a reduction of &c per cwt.,
as the4ate is 81 66f.
The deciduous fruit men, as well as
citrus men, heard nothing OF any interest
10 them, as those commodities are not
included in the reduction.
awe exrect TO hear something within
a few days." said Kenneth Day, of
Sgobel & Day. owe sincerely hope II
we do, however, that il viii he worth
while. There is one thing ge .afr while
there viii be a little saving in The trans
portatiou oi box apples, there is not
much at me reduced rate Of 6kc a boz.
We have to use TIE storage iu transit
privilege. That f. certainty