Imperial Valley press., 1924-11-01
Time Ripe Now
For Project Is
Chambers View
Confined from page y

being introduced by c.. C. Jenkins.
farm bureau manager. lie said, as
representative of the producers of
Imperial Valley, he urged them to
take up the matter OF discrimiRa-
tory freight rate, and they were
only asking the carriers 10 give I'm
perial Valley tshe same advantages
other parts had TO get their pro-
Iduce to eastern markets.
As attorney called in by :he let
tucc growers to fight their case be
fore the Interstate Commerce Com
mission, Walter Ii. Sprague, of Los
Angeles, gave some details as to his
experience with valley problems,
waich started Il years ago. lie
outlined the circumstances under
which he was called in ito present
ihelr case to the Interstate Com
merce' Commission when they had
the fight year ago and won. G.. c.
Dearborn, the chairman of the Ma
tional Perishable Freight Protective
ASSOCIATION, sa: > that the ri
were eliminated and they would set
about to establish new ones.
Almost a Death Blow
"Wc won said Sprague, "and
new rates have been promulgated,
and it is only just lately they have
been announced for the purpose OF
getting them in when your first lei
tuce would be about perfect, so
that not to be possible to fight the
matter in time. They are trying to
eliminate dry car shipments, and
state tina: if you wish to ship by
top icing you must take the stand
ard refrigerator, with 20 per cent
extra for using the TO picing meth
od. =
As far rs Imperial Valley is con-
cerned it is almost Il death blow 20
the lettuce industry, Sprague declar-
ed, for with the adjustment of
rates secured the farmers were en-
abled to secure profit.
''I am told this rate will
tako away the only profit you
have been able to make in the I
last three or four years said
the attorney, ''and + believe
when these rates are considered
by the Interstate Commerce
Commission there will be set
blanket charge on car load lots.
I know from what I have seen II
you will b; in a serious plight
with regard to the lettuce in
dustry unless you make united
efforts to bring the case before
the commission. The carriers
wish to get tie revenue they
lost when the growers have dis
covered cheaper waySQf put
ting their produce in the mar
ket, they Immediately put for-
ward amendments G and II to |
get that profit back
Q. C. Webster. president of the
Imperial County Farm Bureau, told |
of the bureau and business men |
getting together, when finance !
was appointed to 20 in !
to this matter, and the business !
section of the community had agreed !
to help fight the ease before the
commission. 1t took money 10 go -,
into these things, and they were |
now on Il campaign to raise funds. j
Every One Must Help
''The merchants recognize it is .
a necessary battle for all of us to .
make, - said w. \. Tondro, of III .
Centre, "and they expect, every
one to do their bit in helping in !
this fight
+. w. Cuff, of Brawley, said it +
was Imperial Valley that put, .yup {.
the fight last year but now They
bad some company with Los Ange- (
les. He and his partner made III !
profit just what they had saved in
The refrigeration charge. he declar-
ed. and if heavier charges are
brought into effect it will put them I
out of business all together.
Expressions of regret was ex-
pressed at the absence of Charles +
Z. Scott, the president, by Chair {
nan Tom TOrthington, who said I
Mr.. Scott was advised by his doctor /
o remain at home. The chairman,
llso announced tha. the dinner to /
which the gathering had sat down
iad been prepared by Mrs. Hill and