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Show ROADS PAY $15,000,000 ANNUALLY FOR DAMAGES 800,000 Cars of Perishables Handled Average Actual Loss Per Car Was $19. "Itallroads in 1922 bundled over 800,-000 800,-000 cars of perlsbubles f nil In mid vegetables veg-etables for which they usmimed an average aetiinl Ions and ibiiimt'e of Jlfl a cur or over $15,000,000," Nald Jess M. Jones, Kenenil agricultural ngent of tile .Seaboard Air Line railway, who addressed the sout lieastorri claim conference con-ference recently ut their annual dinner din-ner In Augusta, Gn. "The commodities which nhnw the heaviest losses In transit annually from the South are citrus fruits, poaches, watermelons, cantaloupes, strawberries, lettuce, celery and tomatoes," to-matoes," he said. "The reusons for these losses In transit nre of vital Importance to every ev-ery producer and shipper In the South. Much of the damage to these crops results re-sults from Improper packing, inadequate inade-quate containers, presence of dlsease-prod'jclng dlsease-prod'jclng organisms In the fruits and vegetables In the field before loading, which often results In damage to perishables per-ishables en route, delay and rough handling in transit. The producers, shippers and consumers know too little lit-tle of the contributing causes towards this damage which results In misunderstandings misun-derstandings between them. "Hundreds of thousands of dollars are paid annually in claims by railroads rail-roads to producers and shippers, most of which could be prevented by proper prop-er knowledge of causes. These claims place an added burden upon the grower, grow-er, shipper and carrier, because their profits are reduced also upon the consuming public in the way of higher cost of food." Mr. Jones is a member of the committee com-mittee of the American Railway Development De-velopment association which is working work-ing closely with the committee on freight claim prevention of the American Ameri-can Railway association to reduce these annual losses. "These things are essential to prevent pre-vent loss and damage on transportation transporta-tion of farm products to market; first, shipper who grows the best and loads properly; second, transportation agency that moves products carefully and quickly; and third, receiver who gets fair prices and who makes Just returns for the shipper," he declared. |