White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-12-24
Apple Shippers
FOresee Gain In
Export Business
FRUIT MEN ESTIMATE SAVING
AT S450,00 TO 100000
FOR SEASON

The new export rate on apples Of
$1.15 per hundred which went into
effect Tuesday has brought about an
optimistic attitude on the part Of west
ern fruit shippers, according to the
Yakima Herald. Trading in export ap-
pies has been tagging for months while
the outcome of the proposal for re-
duced rate hung in the balance
With the uncertainty removed the
shippers are communicating with their
European connections and have begun
to quote the fruit delivered in New
York instead of Seattle. Under the
present situation the tonnage repre-
sented by new business will be
moved eastward. The shippers expect
trading in export apples to increase
as result of the reduction in the
rate.
The saving was estimated by them to
be between Is and 20 cents box, and
with the movement for the remainder
of the season placed at 100000 boxes,
a saving of between $450,000 and $780,,
600 to the industry was forecast.
The wire announcing the new rate
was sent by R. G. Phillips, secretary
of the International Apple association.
The message said that the interstate
commerce commission had refused to
suspend the new rate.
The lower rate is being tried out as
an experiment and will be in effect
until December 81, 1882 If the rail-
roads get sufficient tonnage they will
probably continue the rate and if they
see chance to obtain further bust
ness by granting an additional re-
duction, they might lower the rate
further. If the reduction does not re-
suit in stable transcontinen ship
ments they may wipe it out at the
end of next year.
The ocean carriers operating from
Pacific Coast ports may also reduce
their freight charges to a parity with
the rail rate, and the Atlantic lines.
may lower their rate to obtain more
business.
It is said that trans Atlantic COM
panies have been in conference and
that action along the line Of institute
ing lower transportation charges might
be taken.
The prospects for lower costs by
transcontinent shipments indicate
that % cents box would be saved
if the fruit goes on a chartered boat
across the Atlantic, while with the
fruit carried on the regular steamships
charging 80 cents box the saving
would be 10 cents box, P. F. Clark,
northwest manager for the Big z
Warehouses, Inc, said.
The present cost from Yakima to
ports in the United Kingdom by way
of Seattle is $1.06, of which 80 cents
is for the ocean haul and 16 cents is
for the rail haul, strapping and wharf
age. Across the continent the trans
portation charge is STU cents, the
heater service cents, the Swapping
2h cents and the forwarding in New
York cent, making &c cents.
If the fruit is carried on chartered
boat the ocean freight will be II cents,
making the aggregate cost SO cents, and
the saving % cents. The rate on the
regular lines on the Atlantic is 80 cents
box, which would make the cost to
the United Kingdom Sc cents and the
saving 10 cents box.
If the Pacific coast-European con-
ference should reduce their rate to IS
cents, saving of 21k cents box still
could be made by the transcontinental
haul Clark said