TWENTY-NINTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



33 



The time the railroads agreed to make in fruit shipments in carload lots was, by the 

 Southern Pacific, to Ogden 60 hours ; by the Union Paeitic and its connections. 84 hours 

 to Chicago, of which 24 hours would be consumed from Council Bluffs to Chicago; a 

 total of 144 hours, or six days. East of Chicago the time would be about (30 hours ; the 

 trains would leave Chicago in the afternoon of the day of their arrival there, and 

 arrive in New York on or about 4:30 a. m., third morning, thus giving a nine days' serv- 

 ice to New York and like destinations. That such time can be made is evidenced by 

 what has been done in the past. Cars of fruit have been sold in New York on the 

 ninth day after their shipment from California, and 11 days was almost the maximum 

 time that cars were out before being sold in that market. And now it frequently hap- 

 pens that cars are out from 14 to 19 days before being sold in Xew York and like desti- 

 nations. 



California is a iconderfHl coiintry. It has no equal anywhere. The one thing that makes 

 it distinctivehj superior is its great and varied horticultural resources. 



To thoroughly develop the fruit interests of California, put it upon a paying basis 

 from a grower's standpoint and keep it there, it will be necessary to give its fresh-fruit 

 shipments a reasonably fast regular time schedule, such as can be depended upon to 

 deliver carloads at their respective destinations in the order they were shipped from 

 the State. 



Give to the fruit industry of California such a service and eliminate the private car lines, 

 the thing which is paramount to all other things that can be done, and you promote the inter- 

 ests not only of the fruit-growers, hut also o f the State. 



The adoption of a reasonably fast regular time schedule service in the transportation 

 of our fresh-fruit shipments is second only to the elimination of all private car lines 

 from the business. 



We hold it to be unjust to the fruit-growers of California to place their property sub- 

 ject to the control of any private car line by giving to that car line a monopoly of 

 carrying their products to market. 



Profit for fruit transportation should be all included in the freight charge alone. 



R. D. STEPHENS, Chairman, 

 ALEX. GORDON, 

 A. N. JUDD, 



Members of the Fruit-Growers' Transportation Committee. 



SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT. 



Statistics showing Result of Shipping and Selling 3,623 Carloads in Eastern 

 Markets in 1903. 



The basis from which the estimate of the cost of production is made, is taken from a 

 statement made by the Chamber of Commerce of Sacramento, California, in a pamphlet 

 entitled " Fruit-Growing is California's Greatest Industry. Sacramento County is the 

 very heart of its greatest production; possesses a climate unsurpassed for its equi- 

 librity." issued in 1903, for the purpose of inducing people to come to California and build 

 homes. In this statement the Chamber of Commerce says: "This tract (referring to 

 Tract No. 74 — 10 acres— at Orangevale, owned by Col. H. Weinstock) is taken as an 

 example simply because Col. Weinstock is a careful and methodical business man, keeps 

 an accurate account of all details connected with the cultivation of his tract, and the 

 figures chance to be available." The season referred to is 1901, since which time the 

 cost of living and everything else has materially advanced. 



In cost of production is included the cost of buying the land, improving it, planting 

 it, and properly caring for it until it comes into bearing ; then pruning, materials for 

 spraying, compounding same and labor for applying, fertilizer and applying, water for 

 irrigation and applying, plowing, cultivating, hoeing, picking, hauling, packing, crates, 

 baskets, paper, nails, delivery at cars, loading, increase in cost of labor since 1901, and 

 renewals, which means replanting and cost of again bringing to maturity, buying of 

 implements, breakage and repairing of same, etc., not including interest on the capital 

 invested. 



3 — r-GC 



