Evening star., 1934-05-14
FRE|GHTS RAISED
FOR VEGETABLES
Interstate Commerce Com
mission Authorizes Higher
Southwest Rates.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
Increases in freight rates on vege-
tables from the Southwest were au-
thorized today by the Interstate Com
merce Commission, which at the same
time Cancelled even higher rates pro-
posed by the railroads.
The increases in some instances
amounted to as much as IS per cent.
The commission also placed some
rates from the Southwest on the same
basis as those from Southern territory
excluding Florida.
Cabbage Rate Fixed.
Trr rate on cabbage was fixed at
80 per cent of the Southwestern first
class rate with a minimum car load OF
"a 1000 pounds, as compared with 32o
per cent from the Southeast.
Texas tomatoes were placed on the
same basis as the Southeast with a
rate of 425 per cent of firSt-class on
minimums of 10000 pounds.
Spinach was placed in the same
rate level as tomatoes but the mini
mum loading was fixed at 1880
pounds On this vegetable Texas COM
peteS principally with Virginia.
Lettuce escarole and romaine were
fixed at IS per cent of first-claSS with
car load minimums of 10000 pounds
for lettuce and 1880 pounds for es-
carole and romaine. This is the same
rate level fixed for the Southeast.
The rate on onions from Texas Is
fixed at 35 per cent minimum. $4,000
pounds. The commission pointed out
in connection with this vegetable that
Texas onions are principally OF the
Bermuda variety and are quite differ
ent from the so-called strong or dry
onions produced in the North. result
ing in heavier loading owing to the
considerable moisture content.
Fixed at 40 Per Cent.
Beets. carrots, turnips and ruta-
bagas with tops green corn, cucum-
bers and eggplant were fixed at 40 per
cent of first-class with minimum
loading of 10000 pounds for the first
four and $4,000 pounds for the re-
mainder. Heretofore the Southwest
ern rate has been 38 per cent with
minimum of 10000 pounds. The new
rate level is identical with the South
east. For beets. carrots, turnipS and
rutabagas without tops the rate level
was raised to 35 per cent with
minimum Of 24.000 pounds as COM
pared with the old rate of 80 per cent.
String beans were raised from 38
per cent of first class, with a mini
mum of 10000 pounds per car, to As
per cent with a minimum of 10000.
This also is the same rate as the
Southeast. In addition the commits
sion in this instance ordered that lima
beans and peas be grouped with string
beans.
The present rate on cantaloupes is
80 per cent of first-class with a mini
mum of 10000 pounds, which the
commission found to be too low and
ordered an increase to IS per cent.
Future Revision Seen.
Stating that the record offered no
basis for proper determination of
rates on a large number of other
vegetables, the commission said it
would not at this time undertake to
determine reasonable rates. but told
the railroads they should revise these
rates and file them for the commits
sion's consideration.
In the same decision the commits
sion decided rates on vegetables pro-
duced in the Mississippi Valley
should be revised in relation to the
Southwest, pointing out that the same
percentages of first-class rates should
apply on string beans and peas. to-
matoes and carrots, beets and turnips
with tops.