Skventy-Tiuku Annual Eeport 1161 



at both ends. Commission men and buyers Lave continued to 

 solicit consigimients and shipments under the encouragement of 

 high quotations and sometimes of definite prices, but when the 

 goods are received and disposed of thej make such returns as 

 their charity prompts or their avarice permits. Milk companies 

 have failed owing producers up to $90,000 for milk deliveries, 

 and after going through the stereotyped processes of receivership, 

 bought up many of the old creameries and shipping stations and 

 continued the business free from the burden of their indebtedness, 

 while paying the producer only a small fraction of the original 

 obligation. 



The markets and hotels in villages and cities throughout the 

 state testify to the enterprise and organization of California and 

 Oregon fruit growers by the display of the products of these states 

 on their markets and tables. Many of these are located in agri- 

 cultural sections where better and fresher flavored products of our 

 Xew York orchards and gardens are decaying for want of a cus- 

 tomer. 



Shipments of farm products have continued to go from inland 

 j)oints hundrede of miles past local markets to city terminals and 

 are re-shijiped again over the same roads back to the local centres. 

 During ilie shipping season last fall carloads of peaches in west- 

 ern Xew York rotted on the ground, or perished in transit because 

 transportation companies either neglected to furnish the cars to 

 load the fruit when ready for shipment, or delayed the car in 

 transit until the fruit was damaged. Growers complain that 

 fruits and vegetables have perished on their hands because they 

 could not sell them in the New York markets for a price sufficient 

 to pay for the packages and transportation. Yet in every case 

 where definite information has been available, the city consumer 

 has bt'cn obliged to pay at retail the highest price commanded for 

 these products in seasons of scanty production. 



Still we have made some progress. This committee has received 

 (luring tlie year 555 complaints from shippers, and accounts have 

 l)cen collected for them to the amount of $10,902.51. This in- 

 cludes complaints for damaged and lost goods against railroad 

 and express companies for excessive freights, and excessive and 

 duplicate express charges. Two thousand three hundred and 



