The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-02-03
FARMERS TO
BATTLE new
Rail Rates
California Fruit Raisers to
Ship Product by Water to
Eastern Markets


ers and shippers Of the Pacific
coast fruit centcrs have declared war
ON the railroads. They have fiatly
refused 60 pay the increased freight
rates recently granted by the United
states Interstate commerce commits.
sion. and will. in the future. ship
their products 10 the Eastern sea-
board by water until the railroads
meet their demands.
This act Is last ditch defense
FORCED To RESORT
TO WATER SHIPMENT
Faccd by 50 per cent increase In
freight rates which makes impossible
the shipment Of their products TO
Eastern markets and sale OF them
Al a price equal to that asked by
Eastern growers. Western farmers
have been forced TO resort TO water
shipment TO market their crops.
A burden OF moro than sso. ooe 600
In Increased rates has made the
Western farmer either dispose OF hts
product below cost OF production or
allow Il 10 rot In the fields.
To overcome this handicap. Caitfor'
mia farmers. to the number OF 10000.
representing practically every farm.
erss Equalization In conjunction with
the various shippers organixa tons
have formed the California Produc-
err and shippers Transportation
association thru which they Will
wage their fight for reduced rates.
They viii use the large tonnage
controlled by the association as a
weapon to force down rates. Last
year more than 800. 900 tons OF fruit
and vegetables were shipped from
California alone. The estimated rail-
rad freight cost for this tonnage
Was esT.oco. 900. With the Increased
rates now in fore. II is estimated
that Il win cost s7.ooc.ooo to ship
the same Tonnage
FARMERS REFUSE TO PAY
~. - 80 MORE
This the farmers refuse 10 pay.
Already agreements have been enter.
"a into with steamship companies TO
handle all the tonnage which can be
diverted TO them Not having at
their disposal any previous rates for
commerce OF this nature. the asso-
cation and the steamship companies
have arrived at an arbitrary freight
rate. considerably lower than that
Demanded by the railroads.
shipping by water the farmers %
California estimate they can save
more than $1,000. 900 in the first
year. and considerably more as water
rates are further lowered.
Negotiations are now under way
oetwcen the association and the Unit.
"a States shipping board whereby
The California farmers may be en-.
ohled to charter some OF the refrtg.
efztor ships built by the board OBJ
3ectton is made. however. 10 the fact
that shipping board ships are valued
"a . construction cost OF $3.50 a ton
and chartered on that basis. while
M actual cost OF construction Is
much less
The farmers are advocating that
ne Increased cost Of construction
for the shipping board ships be
charged 10 the cost OF running the
VAR and that the ships be made
available at a cost commensurate
with that Of privately owned ships.
HARTMAN LINE
MAKES AGREEMENT
The first steamship company 70
make an agreement with the farm,
err - the United American Steam
ship company, the Hartman line.
which has agreed to put refrigerator
facilities on number Of big cargo
1rrighters- Weekly sallIngs OF these
ships bearing California farmers
fEuit. grain. rice. cotton and canned
goods win soon be started. according
70 the announcement from the office
~ the California state market com.
mission. under the direction OF which
the new cooperative organization has
been formed
AZ much as IS cents A hundred
weight in freight charges is being
saved under the new arrangement,
and II IL expected that this saving
win be materially increased as the
new experiment progresses and new
rates are adopted.