The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1922-10-12
EMERGENCY
SPUD RATE
DIDNOGOOD
L. M. Smith Has Article
in Packer Regarding
Failure of o. S. L. to
Supply Cars.

OF interest to local potato grow
ers and those interested in the in
dustry that means so much to thi:
section is an article that appeared
in The Packer. a daily trade publ
cation for growers. shippers and
buyers OF vegetables and fruits
written by l.. M. Smith, well-known
Filler dealer.
of September 2S, and was published
in The Packer October z. 1t is as
follows:
To The Packer: We have the larg-
est crop of potatoes now ready to
move so far grown here. A short
time ago when the stock was imma-
ture and the shipments light. the O..
s. l.. r. r. Co. furnished us few
iced refrigerators for loading. AS
the stock became more mature and
the shipments began to increase with
cooler weather. dry refrigerators
were wanted. The o. S. l.. would not
furnish dry refrigerators but would
still furnish iced cars which cost on
an average about 500 more than dry
cars. The only reason we can see for
this distinction would be that the re-
frigerating season is about over in
this territory and there still remains
this ice in order to get refrigerator
cars. However. the trade will pay
more for mature stock in dry cars
than II cars are iced at this addition
al expense of $50.
They began furnishing boxcars for
shipping potatoes in lieu OF the lack
of refrigerators. Now anybody who
has ever seen a spud knows that a
boxcar was never intended for the
loading OF potatoes. II makes spud.
especially the Idaho kind. ashamed |
to be seen in a boxcar. The o. s. L. /
seems to be wise to this fact for they |
cause the shipper using boxcars for
potatoes to write across the face of
the billing "Boxcar ordered and fur
nished at shippers risk" when they
will furnish nothing else. However, /
they fail TO open their hearts and say I
to the shipper. LAS we are furnishing
you this inferior equipment we will
take our share of the burden and
make reasonable reduction In the
freight rate" No. they charge the
same freight as If they furnished re-
frigeratdrs and make the shipper
the goat, as usual.
shortage. together with shippers dis
liking to use boxcars has kept the
stock from moving during the emer-
gency rate period. which expires Oc-
tober /. 1t might be that the o. S. L.
intended IL should be thus. The facts
are that this emergency rate should
remain in force Indefinitely with still
further reductions in this long haul
territory where rates are excessive.
Take a short haul with say a zoe ,
rate. a 25 per cent increase only
means S cents Take our long haul
with say 81 and a 25 per cent in
,rease means rs cents. The long haul
erritory surely bears the burden.
The deal has reached the point :
where there are apples. onions and
POTATOES ready to load and nothing :
,ut iced refrigerators and boxcars o
valuable which are not suitable for =
oading Growers and shippers are :
Waiting and hoping for cars which
sill not arrive until hundreds Of z
.arloads OF the above have persisted o.
or want Of protection as there is !,
ot sufficient storage with growers
nd shippers TO care for SO per cent ID
{ the crop.
with high freight rates and low
,arkets our growers have produced "
40 crops at a loss and this. the ID
bird viii be more than many OF of
,em can stand. II would seem that OF
he interstate commerce commission. at
mr. public utilities commission and
he railroads would do something TO
I've the people relief from sach poor IN
,rvice and unreasonable rates. tn
/. Smith ice