PRdCEEDINGS OF TWENTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS' CONVENTION. 191 



) -3 ' Answer of Robert Graham to R. D. Stephens. - 



' r.; ^ Sacramento, Cal., November 21, 1901. 



K. D. Stephens, Esq., 



Chairman Cal. F. G. Transportation Committee, 



Sacramento, Cal.: 



Dear Sir: Your esteemed favor of November 20th received, and in reply beg leave 

 to state that the tariff in effect during 1901 for refrigeration charges on green fruit from 

 California will, as far as I know, be the same for the season of 1902, the rates being as 

 low as it is possible to make them considering cost of ice, etc. 



In this connection I beg leave to remind you of the enormous reduction which has 

 been made since the inception of the Fruit-Growers' Express in 1895, the rates now being 

 little more than one half, to some points, what they were then; the old rate to New 

 York being $175; present rate, $100; old rate to Boston, $200; present rate, $105. 



I note that the meeting of the Fruit-Growers' Convention takes place on December 

 3d in San Francisco, and feel sure that congratulations will be in order for the excellent 

 season the fruit-growers of California have just experienced. 



I beg leave to ask that you will tender to the members of the Convention the thanks 

 of the Armour Car Lines for their patronage, and the best wishes of the company I 

 represent for their future welfare. 



Very respectfully yours, 



ROBT. GRAHAM, 



Manager. ' 



Letter of C. B. Dewees to R. D. Stephens. ; . > 



Continental Fruit Express, 

 Operating C. F. X. Ventilator-Refrigerator Cars, 



Sacramento, Cal., November 23, 1901. 



Mr. R. D. Stephens, 



Chairman Calif. F. G. Transportation Committee, .. 



Sacramento, Cal.: 



Dear Sir: I have your valued favor of the 20th inst. in regard to the probable rates 

 that will be charged for refrigeration during the season 1902. 



It is not probable that there will be a further reduction in our charges for refrigeration 

 next season. As you are aware, a material reduction has been made in refrigeration 

 charges this season as compared with previous years, and it is not likely that a further 

 reduction can be made in the present reduced rates, bearing in mind all conditions now 

 prevailing. 



Yours very truly, 



(Signed:) C.B.DEWEES, 

 Manager. 



R. D. Stephens's Reply to Mr. Graham. 



Sacramento, Cal., November 27, 1901. 



Mr. Robert Graham, 



Mgr. F. G. E. Ref. Car Line, 



Sacramento, Cal.: 



Dear Sir: I shall have to ask pardon for delaying answer to yours of the 21st instant,, 

 and plead in mitigation that I was absent from the city when it arrived. 



1 will say in reply that your statement that "the enormous reduction" that has 

 been made in refrigeration charges, etc., has no more bearing on the present and 

 the future than the reductions that have been made in freight rates for green fruit in 

 times past, when it cost $1,000 per car for a ten-ton minimum weight car, then reduced 

 to $800, and then to $600, and again and again, until the present rate of $360 for a 24,000 



