Folks: I hope to add more compilations such as this one in the future. Many of the Frisco Employee Magazines of the era provide a good deal of documentation and insight into the shipment of agricultural products. I have included some photos cut from the original articles.
Chris, Nice article. I have heard of strawberries heading north on the SLSF but did not know if they were expedited as head end traffic on passenger trains or in regular freight trains. Now I know. Any chance you could update this later through the 1940s and 1950s? Ship IT on the Frisco! Rick
Here is an aricle from the newsletter of the National Railway Historical Society in Springdale, AR that discusses rail shipment of strawberries.For a number of years ,Springdale was the largest shipping point for strawberries on the Frisco System. The September 2001 issue of this newsletter contained a long article on strawberry shipments from Northwest Arkansas. The data from 1931 on reflected a sharp decline in strawberry shipments by the Frisco. While working on a research project at Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, the Editor came across newspaper articles in the Springdale News that put the decline in rail shipments in a new light. The villain in the rail shipments of strawberries is the truck. An article in the June 17, 1932 issue of the Springdale News mentioned that the total strawberry crop from Springdale was 210 carloads worth an estimated $210,000 to area growers. However, only 71 carloads went out by rail while trucks handled the equivalent of 139 carloads. The strawber-ries shipped by rail were sales made by the Springdale strawberry growers association. The strawberries that went out by truck were sales made by individual growers. An earlier Springdale News article of June 17, 1932 stated that trucks also hauled strawberries that were over ripe or ungraded. The railroad also operated berry cars for a fixed period. This meant that some early and late shipments often went to markets by truck. The Frisco responded to the truck competi-tion by cutting rates in 1933. As seen from the following Springdale News article of April 6, 1933 it was a case of too little in the opinion of Springdale strawberry pro-ducers. “Frisco Cuts Rates on Strawberries “ “Fifty Per Cent Reduction Will Not Bene-fit Growers Here It is Said” At a meeting of the Monett Horticultural Association held Saturday at the Hugh Rouw Company office, C.J. Kunz, Frisco agent, assured the association that the Frisco would make a reduction of 50 per cent in the charges of shipping strawberries within a radius of 300 miles from Monett. This distance covers the truck territory it was stated. This reduction will mean a great savings to the berry associations. On a car lot ship-ment to Kansas City, it will save approxi-mately $50 and on a car lot shipment to Omaha, Neb. It will save approximately $70. (Monett Mo. Times) “ ” Local growers express the opinion that this reduction will not be of any benefit in this section. The 300-mile limit would reach only Kansas City, Wichita and Oklahoma City and these markets can be reached more quickly by trucks. A truck load of berries can leave Springdale one evening and be in Kansas City for the early market next morn-ing. Shipped by train, at the same hour, they would not reach Kansas City until the next afternoon, too late for that day’s market. The same applies to other markets within the 300-mile area.”
Rick and Tom- I'm not sure why I'm just now getting around to replying to this. My guess is that I got all cuaght up in basketball and simply forgot to follow up. Rick, I'd love to get my hands on data for the 1940s and 1950s. While the Springfield library collection only has FEM's through 1930s, I need to investigate whether either the Univ. of Missouri library or State Historical Society of Missouri might have employee magazine issues from this era. Otherwise, I hope someone else can fill in any gaps similar to what Tom has provided up. Best Regards,
I love articles like this. I work in the produce shipping industry. I don't know a lot about the industies past. But I am always interested. All I know is that things used to require a lot more physical labor, then it does now. I have been told a few bad stories of how tighly packed the 100 lbs of potatoes used to get, while riding in the box cars. Joel
Great article I had no idea that many strawberrys were grown here in Missouri. I enjoyed reading the article however it left me with a question. Where were the cars of shortcake, whipped cream and/or ice cream?????? Just my .02 worth Have a great day Darren
