Year: 1869

For the Midlletoun Transcript


To the Peach Growers of Delaware and


Eastern Shore of Maryland, who depend


on Railroads Means to get their Fruit


to Market.


Experience, several years ago, proved that we
could not successfully compete in the Philadel-
phia market with the growers who lived near and
shipped by water, and could land their peaches
either on the Philadelphia or Camden side of the
river to be reshipped TO New York, whilst we
who shipped by railroad had to pay carriage from
the depot, Broad and Prime to the Delaware
front OF the city, to find market and that mar
ket controlled by combination of New York
hucksters, who gave preference to those who de-
lvered by water, for the reason that boats could
land their peaches at Camden. Then comes the
tug; we shippers by railroad must either turn the
whole position of the Philadelphia peach trade
and break down this New York monopoly, who
located themselves in Philadelphia during the
peach season, to control the market, buy peaches
and ship them by the c. & A. Road and Steamboat
to New York, or cut down our trees. Now come
TO the main reason for writing these few lines,
and they are intended for peach growers who ship
by railroad. Will not every honest man of you
admit that if you had to depend solely upon the
delivery of your peaches at Broad & Prime and
the Philadelphia market that there now would
not be one-twentieth of the number of peach trees
growing along the railroad? and are you not
honest enough to admit that few of us by the
untiring use of our brains and money changed
the destination of the railroad peach trade from
Broad Prime, Philadelphia, TO Jersey City and
New York? thus by flank movement, gdined
one day Oper the old route 10 Neoc York. left the old
Philadelphia monopoly, and the shippers by wa
ter in CONSERVATION, and foreUer in our rear.
Now as said before this movement cost strain
on our brains and pocket but it will add millions
OF wealth to this peninsula, as it is beyond all
doubt the most valuable spot in the United States
to grow peaches. Weare more certain of a crop
and can get our peaches to market sooner and in
good order, plump aud sound, to be further ship
ped north and east of New York if required No
spot in Virginia or North Carolina can begin to
approach this section as peach growing district:
for they more often in those States miss crop
than we do, and when they do have crop they
cannot get their fruit to market in good order
for they have to seek the same market that
we do-New Iork-as distributing point, and
whilst we have two of the ablest railroad compa-
MES in the United States considering their length
TO furnish good cars and carry our peaches to
market in good order, without re-handling, where
they command the highest price, both for retail
in New York or to ship further norh the North
Carolina and Virginia peaches, having to be
shipped both by rail and water, causing re-hand-
ling and long delay, therefore ARRIVING in New
York in bad order, must be sold for whatever
they VIII bring, as they will not, like ours bear
further shipment


saw some time back great blowing of trum-
pets in the papers, stating that a certain suppo-
sed sharp set of men had bought land in North
Carolina, one hundred and twenty miles south
OF Portsmouth, Virginia. and were setting out
one hundred thousand peach trees, and that these
sharp men, had first made contracts with the
portsmouth Rail Road, and the line of steamers
from Portsmouth to New York, to carry peaches
when grown for twenty-five cents per crate of
two baskets, Now this to the uninitated looks
grand on paper, and if they were potatoes instead
OF peaches, they might be in our way, but every
Peach Grower, knows that peaches are the most
perishable of all fruit grown. Now let us an
ayze this great North Carolina peach project
Start Monday morning, pick peaches on Monday,
maui them and get them in the cars by sunset.
Then North Carolina or Virginia Railroad, if
they have the cars will do well to get the peaches
one hundred and twenty miles to Portsmouth by
tuesday morning. then say for re-shipment, four
TO SIX hours or noon, or nine O'Clock on Tuesday
morning, then the vessel must have good wealth
er, (Which is not always the case) to arrive on
wednesday evening in New York, and the
peaches are unloaded and offered for sale on
Thursday morning. Now ] ask any sensible
peach grower what peaches would be WORTH
picked on Monday, re-handled and re-shipped two
or three times, and sold on Thursday morning;
they would not pay freight would not accept
the one hundred thousand trees and be compelled
to pick the peaches and ship them to New York
on this contract of twenty-five cents per crate if
given to me- Gentlemen, this peninsula along the
railroads. holds in her grip the peach growing
monopoly of the best markets in the United
States. We had one entire failure last year, the
first ever known. This year from present appear
ances bids fair to make up all loss, the crop now
is nearly safe, and at least from two TO two and
a half millions of dollars will find its way into
the peach growers pockets before the first day
OF October, then why do you peach growers, who
ship by railroad on this peninsula, longer delay
to join our Association, and help perfect this
great peach growing and peach shipping interest,
as you are aware there was formed nearly two
years ago, the Peninsula Peach Growers Asso-
citation, admission fee, two dollars, and one dol
lar per year. This money is intended to pay the
expenses of the Association, in furthering the
interests of the peach growers, and as your in
terests have been attended to as well as those
members of the Association, therefore it is ex-
pected that you will have the manliness to come
to the meeting at Dover on Tuesday the 9Th inst.
and join, and contribute your quota to keep up
this organization, who have and still continue to
protect your interest.


SAMUEL TOWNSEND.
TOWNSEND, May eth. 1863.