Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-08-19
RAILROADS NOT ovERpA1D FOR SER

d
prise extensively quoted an editorial on the
railway rate question from the Albany Herald,
which was called forth by letter received by
that paper from President Winburn of the Cen
trail of Georgia. Other papers commented on the
same statements and Mr.. Winburn. makes
general statement in behalf of the railroads
which appears to US as fair and should be widely
read for the benefit of shippers, growers and the
railroads in general In writing The Savannah
Press Mr.. Winburn says:
Some answer should be made when news
paper of the wide circulation of The Savannah
Press says edtorally, OF the ten million dollars
realized by the sale of Georgia fruit this summer,
the railroads probably got three-quarters of it.
Even though the editorial, High Railroad Rates
in your issue Of August made this statement
in the form of quotation from one of the papers
of the state, it should be answered
"The statement was so far from correct that
the answer should be informative rather than
controversial AS matter of fact the railroads,
for furnishing transportation and refrigeration,
received only about 80 per cent of the selling
price of the peach crop.
81 shall not weary you with figures, but it is
necessary to few to illustrate my statement
Ordinarily, 60 per cent Of the crop is marketed
in the East and about 40 per cent in the West
The transportation charges from Fort Valley to
New York would fairly illustrate the proportion
of the crop moving East and the transportation
charges from Fort Valley to Chicago, the por-
ton moving West
ut cost for refrigeration and freight charges
fro, all to
and 1904 per car from Fort Valley to Chicago.
Taking the crop at $500 cars, Gas matter of
fact there was slightly more than 10000
cars), it has been estimated they were
sold for $l0675850. OF this amount the rail-
roads received approximately $3,l75,850. and
the fruit growers $7,500OO0. OF course, the fruit
growers had the expense of cultivation ertiliz-
and the labor of picking and packing besides
overhead charges, but neither was the $3,175,S50
net to the railroads.
Peaches are not handled in box cars as ord-
nary freight but require special refrigerator
cars These are in the Georgia fruit service only
about eight weeks. and as they are not suitable
for ordinary freight they are deployed over the
whole United States to handle perishabes during
the remaining forty-four weeks of the year;
peaches ripen, from the four corners of the coun-
try at great expense.
"At least half of the cars taking peaches to
the market are returned to Georgia for second
loading. They come back empty because it is
impossible to find loads in the Northern markets
for points in the peach belt.
"ro refrigerate the 1921 peach crop, required
Approximately $4,000 tons of ice, and many add
ditonal employees to ice and re-ce the cars The
orchards are served by special side-tracks, ex-
tending from the main line, and switch engines
must always be at hand for immediate service
10 maintain the fast schedules, which the grow
ers require, other freight trains and even passen-
ger trains, must be sidetracked and subordinated
The Central OF Georgia hallway gives to
Georgia fruit growers good service as is en-
Joyed by any class of freight in the United States
and they appreciate it. One of the largest fruit
growers in the South in public address in New
York said:
There has been splendid work on the part
OF the transportation lines. doubt il any rail
road in the country has done more conscientious
work than the Central of Georgia. If it were not
Tor TINS splendid work to the Georgia peach in
dustry by the railroads, the business would be
absolutely worthless. We are some 100 miles
from New York, and yet the peach train rolls out
at O'Clock at night, and has arrived at the New
YORK terminal on schedule time year in and wear
out Tor the past twenty three years
Fruit growers recognize that efficient service
IS OF more Importance than rates when perisha
BILE crops are to be moved The Central of Geor
gia IS interested in the fruit crop, not because of
its proportion of the revenue from freight CHARGES
but because it benefits from the general nrosner-
ity that follows the marketing of money crop
With these facts before you, l think YOU will
agree that the railroads, to saw the least are not