— 80 — 



Mr. Buck: Let me correct a misunderstanding. The freight rate was 

 reduced from $600 to $500, with a special train. 



Mr. Weinstock: I would cover that by qualifying my statement that 

 fifteen cars had to be shipped in order to obtain this rate. The plan of 

 the fifteen-car train was found to be impracticable. It was not in the 

 interests of the grower and not in the interests of the transportation com- 

 pany. At the close of 1886 the fifteen-car train was abandoned and the 

 ten-car train substituted at an advance rate of $400 a car. The railroad 

 company at that time claimed that $400 per car from California to 

 Chicago was the lowest possible rate at which it could carry fruit, con- 

 sidering the volume of business that the growers at that time had to 

 offer. But the promise was made that in proportion as the value of 

 traffic would increase, so in proportion would the transportation com- 

 panies make concessions. My purpose in asking Mr. Curtis whether any 

 reduction had been made was simply to make it plain that that part of 

 the promise made by the transportation company has thus far not been 

 fulfilled. The volume of shipments has increased since 1886 fourfold. 

 The rates, unless I am misinformed, have not changed. And I want to 

 make it plain at this time, so as to establish the fact that the fruit 

 industry is entitled to some concessions on the part of the railroad 

 company. [Applause.] 



Mr. Smurr: In answer to Mr. Weinstock's assertion that the freight 

 rate has not been reduced, I would say that it has not been reduced re- 

 gardless of the fact that the volume has increased, is by reason of the fact 

 that prior to last year the expedited train service, or the fruit train 

 service, as called by Mr. Buck, was based on a fruit rate of one dollar 

 and a quarter per hundred pounds to Chicago on trains approximating 

 passenger time, with a guarantee of ten cars, and for the expedited fast 

 time a charge of $100 per car additional was made for a train of ten 

 cars. That is the class of service that your committee asked us to ren- 

 der, and that is a charge that we have made when we were running 

 expedited trains. Now, then, at the instance of Mr. Buck and his com- 

 mittee, consisting of Mr. Anderson and Mr. Hatch, last year, as I told 

 you this morning, we undertook to run a fast train service of ten cars, 

 as we understand it. As Mr. Buck understands it, it was to be regard- 

 less of the number of cars. And in order to do that we propose to 

 charge $1 25 per one hundred pounds, or, in other words, waived the 

 $100 per car charge. Now, I say that was a reduction in the rate. And 

 in the matter of time that has been touched on in this convention, here 

 is a copy of a circular that I would like to leave with you. Perhaps 

 your Transportation Committee may want to look it over and suggest 

 some changes. This was issued from the general freight office of this 

 company on June 19, 1894, about eight or nine days before the strike, 

 and was sent to its agents at the different fruit-shipping stations in Cali- 

 fornia. I say to the agents: 



San Francisco, June 18, 1894. 



To Agents at Fruit-Shipping Stations: 



Gentlemen : That you may fully understand the general plan of movement of decid- 

 uous fruits east bound current season, and acquaint shippers and others interested 

 therewith, the following is presented for your information : 



As soon as at least ten cars (ventilators) offer either twice or three times a week, or 

 daily, we will dispatch from Sacramento a train making the run to Chicago in 120 hours, 

 early morning delivery in Chicago, we, of course, reserving the right to fill said fast 

 ventilator fruit train out with other than refrigerator fruit to full carrying capacity. 



With respect to refrigerator service: Of the companies that re-ice at Truckee, their 

 cars will move forward from Sacramento in regular freight trains to Truckee, there to 



