210 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



the last. You will appreciate the fact that it is too early yet in the season 

 for any more reliable statistics. If I can be of any further use to you, do 

 not fail to let me hear from you. 



Yours, respectfully, 



H. A. FAIRBANK. 



Office of C. W. Reed, Orchardist and Nurseryman, ) 



Sacramento, August 4, 1886. ) 



General N. P. Chipman: 



Dear Sir: Your favor of the nineteenth instant duly received. I send 

 you some clips which may give you some information, which please return: 

 Freights were at first $1,200 per car, passenger time, and $900 freight; 

 afterward, $900 and $700; then $800 and $500; and last year reduced to 

 $600 and $400, to Chicago; and this year trains of fifteen cars, $300. The 

 service of the railroad has not grown with the business of shipping fruit, 

 and this has been the worst year shippers have ever had. What is needed 

 is passenger time trains of ten cars each, and fruit cars to do the business 

 with instead of common box freight or cattle cars, which is what the bulk 

 of the fruit has been shipped in since large shipments have been made. 



I believe there were shipped 1,145 or 1,165 cars of deciduous fruit last 

 year, and about 2,500 cars of oranges. I go East in a few days, and I 

 think you will have to apply to the railroad for such data as you will 

 require. 



Respectfully yours, 



C. W. REED. 



Southern Pacific Company (Pacific System), ~1 

 Office General Freight Agent, 



San Francisco, August 30, 1886. ) 



Gen. M. P. Chipman, Red Bluff, California: 



Dear Sir: Your favor of the twenty-first instant was received during 

 my absence. 



Assuming that you have the figures furnished by this company last year 

 to the Hon. M. M. Estee, I hand you herewith statement showing the ship- 

 ments to eastern markets, for the whole of the year 1885 and first seven 

 months of 1886, of fruit (canned, dried, and green), nuts, raisins, hops, 

 vegetables, wine, brandy, barley, and wheat; also showing separately from 

 green fruit the shipments of oranges. 



By the expression " average rate line " is meant the average rate paid on 

 the articles in question from California through points to eastern cities. For 

 instance, some fruit was hauled by passenger trains at $600, and some by 

 freight trains at $300 per car; nuts are shipped in carloads and smaller 

 quantities, taking different rates; the average rate is found by dividing the 

 gross earnings by the weight. 



There have been shipped from the opening of the green fruit season, 

 exclusive of oranges, five hundred and twenty-three cars. Of these one 

 hundred and twenty-two went through by passenger train at the rate of 

 $600 per car to Chicago, with proportionate rate to St. Louis and Missouri 

 River points. 



Three hundred and thirty-two went forward in twenty -two fast fruit trains. 

 These trains were all started from Sacramento; they were distributed east 

 of Missouri River, to all principal western cities. 



