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that we do not gei the same favourable rates as those localities -which have com- 

 jietition receive. I ship a considerable quantity to the seaboard. After I ship my 

 freight I get back from the men who receive it the way-bills. People to the north 

 and south of me whei'e they have competition, pay 95 cents per barrel, while we pay 

 $1.05. That is 10 cents a barrel difference on a lot shipment of barrels. Whenever 

 I ship apples to Montreal I advised the steamship companies and my apples were 

 transported more rapidly than if I had not done so. I ship all my apples by the 

 Donaldson line, and I made an arrangement that the apples were to be shipped in 

 the front or the rear of the vessel. 1 am perfectly aware that the apples packed in 

 the centre of the vessel, unless on the upper deck, will spoil. I have crossed with 

 fruit and with cattle,, and I am satisfied that unless apples are away from the boiler 

 you cannot adopt any means to have them perfectly safe. All the apples I shipped 

 arrived in perfect order, and if all those who ship apples will adopt the system of 

 notifying the steamship companies their apples will be forwarded without being 

 kept by the railways. I think the localities which have no competition should have 

 the same means'of getting as cheap rates as those which have competition. 



Mr. GrEDD, representing'the Donaldson, Temperley & Thomson Lines, said : This 

 is the first time that I have had the pleasure of addressing a meeting of this kind. I 

 was much pleased at hearing the last speaker mention one of the lines I represent in 

 such a favourable way. As regards the rates which he spoke about, I may say that 

 ocean rates from Montreal during the whole of the fall of the year are fixed weekly 

 by the agents of the several lines meeting together, and this rate, in the case of apples, 

 was m^de early last September, I think it was at a minimum rate of 35 cents. This 

 was maintained during the whole season, notwithstanding that the rates on other 

 cargoes pointed to an increase. We recognized the fact, amongst the whole of us, that 

 to try and increase the shipment of apples to the old country it was necessary that 

 we should have a regular rate, I can assure the gentlemen present that the rate 

 from Montreal to the othei- side is the same for all shippers. There is no discrimina- 

 tion between any of the lines, as far as I know. There is a point or two that has been 

 brought up by the discussion this evening, and I may mention the packing. Last fall 

 we had a number of barrels of apples come to Montreal, and they were mostly chime 

 hoops, and it is not possible for either the railways or the steamship companies to do 

 justice to the shippers in these. They should see that the barrels are properly 

 headed and the heads sufficiently strong that they won't break, because I have known 

 a number where it was impossible to handle such barrels without knocking out the 

 heads. The handling in Montreal is the same by all lines. We all take equally great 

 care to see them properly handled while in our custody and to see that they are 

 properly handled by our separate stevedores. There has been something said regard- 

 ing ventilation on board steamers. This has been an important factor, and we have 

 considered it as fully as the Beaver Line, as has been stated by Mr. Allan. They pro- 

 vided for ventilation in the lower holds, by which not only flour but butter and cheese 

 are kept as cool as it is possible with the outside air. I don't say we keep ice chambers 

 but we do try to keep the holds of the vessels as pure as the outside air. Eegarding 

 the shipment of cattle, they have an impression that cattle and the cargo always o-o 

 together. Only a few ships out of the port of Montreal donot carry cattle. Of the steamers 

 sailing out of the port of Montreal the only ones that don't carry cattle are the mail 

 boats. The other boats all carry cattle, and we make it a point to keep the caro-oes 

 separate from the cattle. Invariably the steamer going out has cattle on one or^two 

 decks, and the cargo is placed below, as Mr. Thorns tried to explain to you the oar- 

 lock deck. It is perfectly water-tight and air-tight, and no efliuvia nor any of the 

 dung from between decks can reach the apples. With regard to the complaint about 

 delays with the railway companies, the shipper, in notifying the railway company 

 should take care to have the numbers and the initials of the cars givino- us the route 

 by which they are shipped. If the shippers do this they will find that'^the agents at 

 Montreal are always ready to see that their freight receives proper dispatch But 

 this very important item is very often left undone. Sometimes it requires repeated 

 telegrams to tell the initials of the corporation owning the cars, so that we c&ii trace 



