37 



broken. I feel perfectly Eatisfied that unless you get an air-tight package and one 

 that is secure it will bo a great detriment to the community. I have been appointed 

 lately as Protestant chaplain at the penitentiary, and there is an ingenious man 

 there — one of my .students — whom I told I was coming here, and asked him to see if 

 he could not invent some sort of package that would do for butter. I have here two 

 boxes that it would be worth while for any shipper to look at. They could be made 

 • of maple or some other suitable wood, and are perfectly air-tight. This box is made 

 without a single screw. He has made an estimate of the probable cost, and I do not 

 think it would exceed the cost of the ordinary package. It can be made in shooks 

 so as to fit, and if you cover the butter with a layer of paraiflne paper it will be per- 

 fectly air-tight. If we had as good a package as that for our apples I am satisfied 

 that it would be a great blessing and benefit to the country. 



The President. — Considering all the facts that have been brought forward this 

 evening, it appears to me we may reduce the requirements of the shipper to the 

 following terms : First, there should be special freight trains provided that will give 

 rapid transit and gather the cars from various stations along the route, and when the 

 train reaches proper dimensions it will go straight through. In the next place, these 

 cars should be provided with buffers. In the next place, lower rates, and then modifi- 

 cations in the bills of lading. It strikes me these are all the points we can appreciate 

 and reach a common understanding about. It also strikes me that it would be quite 

 proper to have a committee, or any other body, appointed to take this matter in 

 hand and make such representations in the name of this convention to the transporta- 

 tion companies as may be necessary for the satisfaction of the shippers in these 

 respects. It is desirable that something should come out of this discussion. We do 

 hot want to leave it where it began. I take leave to move a committee on transporta- 

 tion, to report to-morrow. That committee will consist of Messrs. A. McD. Allan, 

 E. W. Shepherd, jr., A. M. Smith and C. E H. Starr. 



The Convention then adjourned until the following morning. 



Thursday, 20th February. 

 Morning Session. 



The Convention assembled at 10 a.m. 



The President. — We have received since last session a letter from the Grand 

 Trunk Eailway Company, from the traffic manager, with reference to the points 

 that were raised. I will ask the Secretary to read that letter for the information 

 of the meeting, and then, I think, we may refer it to the Committee on Transporta- 

 tion for action. 



The Secretary read the letter, as follows : — 



"Grand Trunk Eailway Company of Canada. 

 "' Traffic Manager's Office. 



" Montreal, February, lYth, 1890. 



"Dear Sir, — At a recent conference with Messrs. Penhaliow and Shepherd, 

 reference was made to the meeting of fruit growers proposed to be held at the City 

 Hall, Ottawa, on 19th inst., and two following days. 



" You are no doubt aware that as regards the more delicate and perishable des- 

 criptions of fruit we are able, in connection with the Canadian Express Company, to 

 give as satisfactory despatch as practicable by passenger trains. To accommodate 

 the frait growers we have also organized fruit specials,, to commence running so 

 soon as the apple, &c., season sets in. These specials can be increased in number as 

 the traffic requires and the necessary ariangements made to prevent delay in transit. 

 We purpose this year to continue and, if needs be, extend the system, and I hope 

 that the requirements of the case may thus be satisfactorily met. 



" There are considerations connected with the gathering and packing of fruit 

 affecting its condition on arrival at destination with which the fruit growers can 



