Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-25
WEST SET TO MOVE
LARGE FRUIT CROP
Neither Roads Nor Shippers
; Taking Chances on Short.
!: age of Cars.
By j. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
NEW YORK, June 25.--Neither
the railroads nor the shippers CT the
West are taking chances on a possible
car shortage this season. A plan has
been worked out in California where
by central administrative body in
San Francisco will allocate all re-
frfCef,ator cars to the fruit growing
districts of California from August
1 until the end of the shipping season.
Representatives will be stationed In
eight principal shipping centers
throughout the state to appralse the
needs of the growers and to help reg
uldte movements for return of empty
cars The heavy grape movement last
year caused a shortage which spelled
loss to somee grape growers, and
shipments this season probably will
ba well in excess Of those OF 1925.
Improving Equipment.
The movement last year totaled
1850 trainloads of perishable fruits
and vegetables, and would have been
larger if cars had been available at
the peak Of the movement late In
September. Hundreds Of new orchards
and vineyards have come into bear
ing this year, and the railroads have
heen increasing and improving their
The Pacific Fruit Express. jointly
operated by the Union Pacific and
Southern Pacific roads, has added
5,041 refrigerator cars to the 33,32S
II had in service in 1928. The Santa
Fee which had 1850 "reefers" in
service last year. has added another
thousand. The number of cars in use
when the grapes are ripe If placed
on sidings. would fill 1900 miles of
track
Ice supplies we're adequate last year
and ice plants have been put in the
hest of condition The Santa Fe has
added a S900.000 plant in Arizona.
The first formal trial Of car refrig
Grafton by means of silica gel, rein
ing agent developed by the Dawson
Chemical Co. will be held at Balti
more Saturday.
Independent Of Ice.
Refrigerat6r cars utilizing this
agent. which is used for dehydration
of air. will he built by the Safety Car
Heating and Lighting Co. 1t is
claimed that cars using this method
Of refrigeration are independent of
icing plants
Notwithstanding the prohibition
laws. it was the grapes. chiefly Of the
wine variety. which caused the rail.
roads trouble. y total Of Elisa car
loads of grapes were carried from
California last season and there is a
tendency among growers to hold back
shipments since later shipments in
the past have brought the better re-
turns. AS a result last Fall the move
ment reached 500 carloads a day.
During the peak periods it is essen
tial for shippers Of perishables to find
the least cOngeSted markets and move
their crops promptly to those con
there is little likelihood that the
refrigerators shipped through the
Panama Canal will be able to relieve
the rail carriers of any appreciate
portion of the crops Ship cargoes
could not be diverted to other destina
lions en- route.
Value of Crops. nv
The fruit crops of California last
year were valued at S2f6, 000, 900 and
Indications are that this figure will
be exceeded this year. The vineyards
accounted for s40.136,0 900, of which
S2o.9l0.0 900 came from wine grapes,
50 .450 900 from raisin grapes and $72,-
776. 900 from the table varieties
Equally careful plans are being
made by the carriers to handle the
perishables of Georgia. the Ozark re-
gion, Michigan and the other fruit
producing sections. In the East
North Central States fruits have suf
fered somewhat from frosts. but the
quality is expected to be excellent.
Fruit canneries in California are
already operating on full time and
fruit is coming on we'll in the Pacific
Northwest.