Imperial Valley press., 1923-06-14
ARIZONA ASKS |. V.
help IN FIGHTING
HIGH ICING RATES
Salt River Gro w erS
Urge Immediate
Action

lndl growers ANA Shippers OF ATl-
zona intend to make Il lively agita-
tion against the present discriminat-
ing refrigeration rates by the rail
road is shown by letter forward
ed to all the Chambers of Commerce
of the valley by ID. r. Johnson, rate
expert, Of Phoenix. lnasmuch as
local experts estimate an excess
charge to this community Of $780,
000 ror this year alone, the vital ma
ture of this question may be easily
seen. According to local growers,
Mr. johnson S estimate of 5000 to
10000 ears is too low, as 10000 is
nearer the total mark, and the eX-
cess cost on each ear s refrigeration
figures approximately $50.
BY way of showing the up-and-
coming spirit of our rcighbors on
the east, the Press is printing the fol
lowing letter to emphasize the ad,
vantages of cooperation between
the two sections for their mutual
benefit.
"'Thc Salt River Valley of Ari-
iona, Phoenix being representative
of the valley, thinks it Is dlscrimin-
atcd against in the shipment of
fresh trIuts and vegetables to all
POINTS east, that is from Texas to
Maine, especially on her shipments
of cantaloupcs. The refrigeration
charges on eantaloupes from the
Salt River Valley are $40 to $50
per car more than 1T is from the
points in the mann line in the eX
lleme western part of California,
and on the branch lines in the San
Juoqum Valley. This discrimina-
ton also apples on shipments OF
grapes, fresh fruits and vegetables
OF all kinds.
Asks Valley Cooperate
"This matter has been tGken up
with the Imperial farm bureau and
other interested parties in the I'M
perlal Valley, asking them to join
Arizona III Il complaint before the
Interstate Commerce Commission in
an endeavor to get an adjustment of
this matter.
''From information received by
the writer, there will be some eight
or ten thousand cars of caEtaloupes
moving out of the Imperial Valley
each year. f this be true, and you
pay from 500 to $50 per car more
than localities with which you COM
pete who have more favorable re-
trigeration charge than you, you
can readily see the handicap under
which your growers and shippers
are working.
In other words, if it is necessary
for the, Imperial Valley to pay from
100000 to $4,000 per year more
for refrigeration on then fresh
fruits and vegetables than it is for
points located in the San Joaquin
valley and more distant points, it
can readily be seen that, should this
be found q discrimination by the
Interstate Commerce Commission
and the railroads ordered to discon-
tinuc this discrimination, that your
growers and shippers would receive
this amount each year in addition to
the amount received from the com
mission men through whlcl these
goods are handled.
Urge Immediate Action
"The reason for writing this let
ter is that Arizona is very desirous
of immediately filing complaint
before the Interstate Commerce
Commission, and in 50 doing, it
would be very helpful, indeed, to
have California, that is, the Imperial
Valley, file one at the same time,
both helping each other. In so do
ing, it would lessen the cost of pre-.
senting the case, and would be a
mutual bolster to them.
'The initial cost of this. case
would not be, for California S part
over 1900. If You ship out each
year 10000 cars OF cantaloupes that
would be only - cents per car for
the initial cost. In my judgement,
it is surely worth this amount to
present this ease before thc Inter
state Commerce Commission. My
idea for writing this letter to you
is for the different chambers of
commerce in the Imperial Valley to
agitate this matter and take some
definite action at the very earliest
date, so that we may proceed be
fore the 1928 crop is all shipped. y