FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. 127 



Potatoes from Michigan until recently, required from eight to nine days 

 to reach the Pittsburgh market; now they are getting through in four 

 to five days. 



It is only fair to say that the lack of refrigerator cars in particular 

 has not always been an unmitigated evil, as on several occasions, inability 

 to secure the full number of cars ordered has resvdted in a more even 

 distribution to the markets of the country, preventing gluts with attend- 

 ant destructive price reactions. The insufficient supply of refrigerators 

 in such cases has also, in its natural operations, forced shippers to weed 

 out their inferior stuff and ship only the better qualities, which has an 

 unquestionably stabilizing effect on the market. 



MISCELLANEOUS INCREASES IN TRANSPORTATION CHARGES. 



Increases in rates do not represent the only problem confronting the 

 perishable industry at the present moment. Refrigeration rates have 

 been increased in the various territories from 50 to 100 per cent, deten- 

 tion charges have been increased and the time limit on detention has 

 been shortened. Likewise, proposals are now being considered by the 

 carriers, some of which have been submitted to the Interstate Commerce 

 Commission by the carriers requesting permission to put them in force 

 involving — 



1st — Assessing rental charges for the use of refrigerator cars in 



addition to present costs. 

 2nd — Eliminating storage in transit privileges on box apples. 

 3rd — Increasing charges for ice supplied to refrigerator cars in all 



territories. 

 4th — Establishing charges for heating service through Southwestern 



gateway where no heater service is required in order to equalize 



the heater car charges in other territories where heater service 



is necessary. 

 5th — Increasing demurrage charges very greatly in all territories. 

 6th — Increasing heater charges particularly from Maine whose 



large potato crop must perforce move largely in heated cars 



of which there is a very insufficient supply. 



These and numerous other proposals that are pending are of the 

 greatest interest and importance to you and your industry. 



Our organization in common with many others is doing everything 

 within its power to secure fair treatment for perishable products, not 

 only in its own interest but in the interest of the producer and consumer. 

 During the calendar year of 1920, we handled nearly 36,000 carloads of 

 fruit and vegetables. The freight bills paid by us in our own behalf 

 and in behalf of our customers undoubtedly totalled nearly ten millions 

 of dollars. In the presence of the existing declining market, these 

 freight charges frequently represent for this brief though necessary 

 service, an amount greater than the total the producer receives for 

 planting, cultivating, producing, harvesting and shipping his crop, 

 requiring hard work, through a period of many months. 



In what I have said and in what I am about to say, I do not wish to be 

 misunderstood as unsympathetic or unappreciative of the problem that 

 has faced the carriers with respect to their necessity for increasing their 

 jneonie so that it would be possible to pay a reasonable return upon the 



