The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-06-12
IS euLL-FRoa FISH OR ANIMALf

IL q frog chicken, fish, oyster or
en- animal: That question is puzzling
the general freight agents Of various
railroad lines in territories west of
the Mississippi river.
The whole trouble was caused by
distinct headings under which frogs or
frog skins can be shipped. At present
frog skins are being handled by all
roads as double first-class," which,
according to the frog raisers, is too
much freight, so in order to get a
cheaper rate, frogs and frog skins must
be dispatched under some distinct
heading, such as fish, cattle or chick
ems
For the past several years the frog
Industry has been growing in the
south and southwest Thousands Of
pounds Of frog skins are handled each
year from these frog slaughter hcdses
and sent east, where they are manu-
featured into ladies' purses and other
delicate articles Factories where these
articles are made have often complain
ed 10 railroads that too much freight
receipts were charged against. them,
and they wanted some information as
to why the goods were always billed
as double first-class," Gays the Mem
phis Appeal.
Local freight representative Of
many of the roads took the matter up
with higher officials and were informed
that frog skins would have to be ship
ped as double drst-elass,n just so
long as there was no special heading
for them to be figured under.
Then the trouble went back to the
frog raiser Down in the southern
part OF Arkansas and northern part
OF Mississippi there are millions Of
bull rogs raised and shipped to north
ern and eastern markets. Hundreds
of them como to Memphis, where they
are sold at good prices by leading
restaurant keepers.
1t is claimed there has been no in
crease in prices by the raisers. It has
been caused by the exceedingly high
freight and express charges on small
sack of frogs the local dealers would
have to pay. To aid in offsetting this,
both dealers and producers have got
ten to gether and asked that a special
heading be created or frogs and frog
skins.
These matters will in all PROBABILITY
not bother the lines east of the Miss
issippi, because the Southeastern
Freight Associations lines do not
penetrate much frog country. But it
Is different with the freight agents
governing the southwestern lines, for
they hit the very heart of the great
frog markets in the country down at
Crowley, La, North Louisiana, South
Arkansas and Texas.
At several points in northern Louis
lana frog dealers have regular frog
slaughter houses, where millions are
killed; skinned and packed on ice, then
shipped to the north and east.
Where there is no slaughter house
the frogs are shipped by express alive,
and this is just where the dealers and
producers claim they have kick COM
ing. ~
4he. matter was brought before the
last meeting of the Southwestern
Freight Association, but to determine
whether a frog was an oyster, fish,
animal or something else seemed more
than the general freight agents could
settle, so it was left to their superior
officers, for final decision, which is
expected to.be heard at the next meet
ing df the association some time in
March.
One of the largest frog ponds in the
south is located near Clarksdale, Miss.
This was established few years ago
by a northern man. who came to Miss
issippi and bought a small plantation.
He went out frogging one night and
caught so many that he sent some of
them to Memphis to be sold. They
brought handsome prices and dealers
wired for more. He saw an oppor-
tunity to get into new business, and
at once took over an old swamp and
made,it into a model frog pond. 1t is
said that his frogs are the largest and
best in the country, because he takes
particular pride in feeding them good
clean grub"