ONION SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION. 



103 



weather conditions, or when serious injurj^ would result to the freight from 

 loading or unloading under adverse conditions. 



The New England Demurrage Commission, with headquarters at Bos- 

 ton, was established in 1910. All the lines in New England are members 

 of it, and, while each line publishes and files its own demurrage tariff, 

 a demurrage commissioner has general oversight of all demurrage matters. 

 He is "to arbitrate all doubtful or disputed cases growing out of the appli- 

 cation of the demurrage rules which the shippers or the roads desire to 

 refer to him." As an impartial investigator and referee he attempts to 

 secure from the railroads their best possible service, and from shippers 

 co-operation by the prompt release of cars in order that commerce may be 

 facilitated and that efficiency of transportation may be increased. Cases 

 of demurrage charges against Connecticut Valley shippers are compara- 

 tively few. 



There are certain dealers, however, who use cars for storage purposes at 

 local shipping points. One dollar a day is not a heavy charge for keeping 

 onions protected from the weather and ready to rush to market at the most 

 opportune time. This is not a common practice, however, being limited 

 largely to buyers who have no storage of their own, and to the late autumn 

 in seasons when the market rules firm. 



Prices of Onions. 

 Supply and Demand. 



Statistics secured from the various transportation agencies for the 

 shipping seasons 1913-15 show that the primary markets for Connecticut 

 Valley onions are the principal cities of the New England and Middle 

 Atlantic States. A considerable number are also finding their way into 

 the markets of Canada and the South Atlantic States, and recently smaller 

 shipments have even been made to the Philippines, Cuba and Europe. 



The principal cities, with the number of cars of onions shipped to each 

 during the seasons of 1913-14 and 1914-15, were as follows: — 



City. 



Number of Cars, 

 1913-14. 



Number of Cars, 

 1914-15. 



Maine. 

 Auburn 



Bangor, 



Portland 



Rockland 



Total Maine markets, . 



New Hampshire. 

 Keene, . . . . . 



Manchester, 



Nashua, 



Total New Hampshire markets. 



5 



24 

 81 



2 

 147 



22 



14 



6 



66 



11 

 39 

 96 

 11 

 212 



12 

 34 

 11 



