Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-03-03
Opening New Markets for
the Valley

Issuance this week by the state railroad commits
sion of an order placing in effect on March 5 a new
and very equitable rate on mixed cars Of vegetables
and mixed cars of citrus ruit and vegetables has
opened to the Lower Rio Grande a wonderful oppor-
tunity to expand its markets.
The order of the state railroad commission may be
attributed to no small degree to the cooperation OF
the Missouri Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads
with the growers and shippers OF the Valley. Real
izing that development of the mixed car business
would mean expansion for Valley markets and addi-
tiona1 tonnage to be moved, officials OF the railroads
serving the Valley, at the request Of Valley shippers,
took the initiative in securing the new rate on mixed
cars. They presented the proposed freight tariff
amendment to the Texas Tariff Bureau at Dallas, and
after receiving the recommendation of that body car
ried it to Southwestern Freight Bureau, where, not
without considerable difficulty, they secured the
agreement of all railroads operating In Southwest
territory.
The new rule will revolutionize the mixed car in
dustry, which in recent years has grown to vast pro-
portions in the Valley, mixed car shipments, practi-
cally all moving into small markets, exceeding 5000
cars last season. The new rule applies the regular
carload rate for each commodity on all commodities
carried in the mixed car, regardless Of whether such
mixture includes fruit and vegetables or vegetables
only. The carload minimum is fixed at 10000 pounds.
The former rate was fixed at the highest rate for any
commodity in the mixture.
For examples under the new rule the rate on a
car containing potatoes, cabbage and citrus fruit
would be a combination of the carload rate on those
commodities in proportion to the weight OF each COM
modify In the car. Under the present rule the rate
would be the carload rate for citrus fruit.
In the past five years, Notwithstanding the handi-
can of the rate, the mixed car business has increased
from less than 100 cars to 5000 and 5000 annually.
Hundreds of small makets, which formerly drew their
supplies from the larger centers, are now ordering IN
mixed cars. Such markets are unable to handle
straight carloads of any one commodity, but tney
have no difficulty in ~disposing of mixed carloads. Ii
these markets can be supplied with mixed cars carry
ing beets, carrots, cabbage, potatoes, citrus fruits ana
other Valley products, with each commodity placed
on that market at the regular carload rate, it Will I'M
mediately increase consumption and demand In mar
kets which heretofore have been unable to secure
supplies except in small quantities and at high prices.
Valley growers and shippers appreciate the broad
nolicies of the railroads serving the Valley as exen1-
plified by the cooperation in securing this new rate
on mixed cars. 1t indicates they are cognizant OF the
fact that development of the Valleys markets Will
bring greater prosperity to growers, shippers and car
riers. While their returns on the individual car VIII
be materially reduced, the great increase IN tonnage
that will follow development of new markets VIII
more than compensate that loss, and Will add 10 theH
total revenues instead of reducing them.