PROCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 103 



TIME-SCHEDULE. 



In regard to the time occupied in the transportation and delivery of our fruit at 

 Eastern destinations, we reiterate all that we said in our memorial upon this subject for 

 the season just past, and earnestly pray that the time agreed upon last May between 

 the growers and the railroad companies— sz.r days to Chicago and similar points, and nine 

 days to New York and similar points — be put into full force for the coming season — 1902. 



While California has no equal as a fruit-producing country, yet its growers can not 

 successfully compete with the growers of other localities who are less favorably circum- 

 stanced, particularly those of Washington and Oregon, so long as private refrigerator 

 ^ car companies are permitted to control the marketing of its products as thej^ have done 

 in the past and will continue to do in the future if allowed to continue their present 

 extortionate rates for refrigeration from California as compared with the rates from 

 Oregon and Washington. 



This we hold to he unjust discrimination against our growers, and therefore an impedi- 

 ment to the progress of the State 



While refrigeration has for years past held green fruit shipments from California in 

 static quo, it has been the incentive for orchard planting in Oregon and Washington, where 

 the fruit area has increased several hundred per cent in the same period. 



In conclusion we will say that, as a matter of fact, charges for refrigeration should 

 be such as to cover cost only. Then rebates, the key to control, would be made impossible. 



Profit for transportation should be in the freight charges alone, as it is in the charges 

 for other commodities that are shipped in box cars. Then there would be a reasonable 

 profit made in fruit-growing in California, which would materially add to its 

 prosperity. 



MINIMUM CARLOAD WEIGHT. 



We wish to especially mention the fact that the growers fully appreciate the action 

 of the railroads in lowering the minimum carload weight from 26,000 to 2i,000 pounds. 

 There is no doubt that much good came from this action. 



The Fruit-Grrowers' Committee on Transportation most respectfully submit the fore- 

 going requests for relief, with the hope and prayer that you give them careful and 

 favorable consideration. 



Respectfullv yours, 



R. D. STEPHENS, Chairman. 

 A. H. NAFTZGER, Los Angeles. 

 A. N. JUDD, Watsonville. 

 ALEXANDER GORDON, Fresno. 



Sacramento, December 23, 1901. 



[For correspondence between Committee on Transportation and railroad managers, 

 see Appendix.] 



MR. STEPHENS. Now, Mr. Chairman, before I have anything to 

 say upon this I will state that Mr. William Sproule was extended an 

 invitation to be present here to-day in person, to give us the reasons 

 why the schedule-time promised was not carried out during the past 

 season. I now move that Mr. Sproule be allowed to address the 

 Convention at this time. 



Motion carried. 



