Imperial Valley press., 1923-10-23

eS Tor ieTIuCe tttfS ana Il thorough
perusal viii clear up many trouble
somc points for the casual reader
Editor Open Forum:
For the, Information of those not
familiar "ith the question of dry
car loading of lettuce which is to
be discussed at length at tomor-
row 5 mass meeting, the following
will briefly explain the methods en-
ployed in shipping lettuce to the
various markets.
There have been three methods in
vogue during past wears:
First. Standard Refrigeration.
This means that the ice bunkers in
each end of the car are filled to
capacity just prior to loading or. i'm
mediately after loading. The car
then as re-iced to the full capacity
of the bunkers at all regular icing
stations. The regular icing stations
between FL Centre and Chicago are
Yuma. Tucson, FL Paso, nalhart,
Topeka and SIvas. The bunkers of
the gar are examined at each point
and if they are not full, addition
al ice is put in At each point. The
amount of ice used en- route varies,
due to weather conditions. For this
class of service the transportation
companies assess $50 per car or ON
Il basis of standard loading of 500
crates to the ear il costs % Is
cents per crate.
Second. Initial or One Icing Only:
This means that the bunkers of the
ear are filled to capacity prior to
loading or after loading and no lee
placed therein after leaving the
valley. For this service the trans
portation charge is based ON the
cost of the ice placed i'll the car
hunkers figured at $3.50 per tom and
an additional charge of 20 per cent
of the standard refrigeration charge.
Using Chicago as basis point it
would MEAN 20 per cent of $4,000
or $500, to which add tire cost of
approximately tl,000 pounds of Zee
al $3.50 per ton-s$3575 or a total
cost per ear of $3.50 or l6 A. cents
per crate.
In addition to this cost must zbe
added the cost of six to eight
blocks of ice placed inside car on
the top of the load. This cost is
assumed by the shipper.
Third Dry Car pL6ading: This
method of loading is the placing OF
from 20 to - blocks of ice broken
up in small chunks over the entire
top Of the crates after they are
loaded in the ear. The cost of the
ice, together with cost of breaking
up and putting it ON top of the
load. will average approximately
$500 per car or s cents per craze.
This method Of loading is the result
of experiments conducted during
past three wears to determine if the
cost of transportation could be re-
duced and permit the lettuce to ar-
rive in good condition. The success
of the experiments during 1922 made
it quite clear that owing to the eX-
8 LItluo tOlu WtdtHtI curing obituary
and February it was not only pos
sible to ship lettuce under dry car
loading but the stock arrived in bet
ter condition than under standard
i refrigeration. The meItagr of tile
ice with resulting moisture produced
/ kept the lettuce fresh.
Shipper Pays Expense
This expense is ASSUMED by the
shipper-thc carriers furnishing no
service. This service is what the
transportation companies wish to
deny us and if denied, force. Us to
use the more expensive methods. A
very heavy movement resulted last
season under dry car loading and if
permitted this year will mean IL
saying Of considerable money to I'm
perial Valley. Taking rs a basis,