The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 29

PAGE FIVD Railroads Carry 16,000 Cars So minute are tobacco seeds that Life on earth began in the ocean, and man's blood contains the same mineral salts found in the sea. a thimbleful will furnish enough plants for an acre of ground. Of Fruit to East's Markets I California Leading Small Farms Community' SAN BERNARDINO DAILY SUN, ORANGE SHOW EDITION, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1936 Transportation Major Development of Fruit Industry The nation's appetite for orange tilca and breakfast grapefruit has lade the citrus industry the major contributor to the welfare of the railroads of the West and, consequently, an important factor in the development of "railroad cities" like JBan Bernardino. Benefits of raising oranges are Hot confined to the rancher, although hundreds of thousands of dollars find their way into trade channels in San Bernardino county alone through direct returns to the growers themselves. Every business man in San Bernardino county is dependent to ome extent on the "yellow gold" which falU from trees before the picker's clippers.

MOVE 16,000 CARS But so far as the railroads are concerned, the citrus industry is the "backbone" of their development. In San Bernardino county, more than 30 per cent of the entire freight haulage out of California is citrus. Over the state, the total jpuns nearly 25 per cent. San Bernardino county last year shipped approximately 16,000 cars of oranges, grapefruit and lemons, with the Santa Fe, Southern Pacific, Pacific Electric and Union Pa-Ciflo sharing in the business in the prder named. Not only is a portion of this rev- Skilled Workers Pack Orange (Continued from Page Four) Individual number of oranges which can be packed into a box.

These sizes are 100s, J26s, 150s, 176s, 200s, 8163, 252s, 288s, 344s and 392s. PAID BY BOX Packers, with the regular boxes in which the fruit is shipped, stand beside the bins, ready to wrap each orange individually and place it under the brand of the packing house. As rapidly as they fill a box, It is carried away and another brought up on an elevator from another part of tha packing house, where it is made. Ths number of boxes which the average packer can fill each day depends, of course, on the size of the fruit, and may vary from 45 to 100 boxes. The average is about 75, for which the packing house pays five cents a box.

On the smaller sizes, the packer gets 10 cents a box. This year, with medium sizes running almost altogether, the average box will be 200s or 220s, far above last year, when, with big sizes, the average box was only about 100s. AUTOMATIC CHECKER After the boxes leave the packers, they are taken to the nailing machine, where tops are put on. These machines, entirely automatic, nail the strip tops on the boxes with uncanny skill, seldom, if ever, damaging an orange. Because, in many instances, the Iruit is heaped above the level of the box, it is necessary for the top to be flexed in an arc from one end of the box to' the other.

This the machine does without cutting oranges which may be near the end pr without breaking the strips. Boxes are taken from this machine and loaded directly into freight cars standing on Bidings next to the packing houses. A few hours later, the fruit is ready for market. One new development, worthy of Separate mention has contributed greatly to both the speed and accuracy of handling the fruit. This is an automatic checker a sort of 'glorified adding machine which tells exactly how many oranges are in ach run and divides them into Sizes.

Operated by electrical impulse, Ihe device consists of individual THE HAMMOND LUMBER CO. Is one of the oldest institutions in San Bernardino, with large invettmenU and with all merchandise under cover and well kept. Being ntw In the city, I want to become acquainted with all of you and I will gladly call at any time In answer to your request for building Information en materials and I will appreciate your calling at our office when convenient to do so. E. W.

MOORE R. G. SIEH and myself will be glad to serve you. Yours sincerely, Ed. L.

Schedln WW. BRISON, formerly of San who served as president of the first National Orange Show. enue, returned to railroad employes in the county, but in San Bernardino, Santa Fe shops workers benefit greatly through the necessity of reconditioning equipment used in hauling the oranges. Recognizing the importance of orange shipments, the Santa Fe has made detailed arrangements for Required to Crop of Valley tallys in each bin. As the fruit rolls from the sizer and Into the bin, it trips this counter, registering on a master machine.

When each lot of fruit has been run through the "siz-ers," the head grader signals the packing house foreman. Simply by pushing levers on the master ma chine, he can get the amount of fruit in an individual run stamped on the grower's card an infallible record assuring accuracy both for the rancher and the packing house. In addition, it saves the waste of time of checking each bin when a run was completed and estimating the amount of fruit, as was necessary before. handling the fruit to eastern markets. Citrus schedules are observed as carefully as passenger schedules, although they naturally are con' siderabiy slower.

Citrus and other perishables take precedence in rout ing over ail other forms of freight, G. E. Harrison, division freight and passenger agent of the road, explained. Pickup trains, which visit packing houses throughout the county, and other parts of Southern Cali fornia, bring the fruit to San Ber nardino during the day and night, where it is assembled into trains. The first "fruit block" leaves every morning at 7 a.

with other sections following as needed. Following their exacting schedule, the fruit trains reach Kansas City on the sixth morning out of San Bernardino, Chicago on the seventh and New York on the ninth. Dur ing the height of the navel and Valencia seasons, approximately 150 cars daily move eastward. CARS ARE ICED An Important unit in the Santa Fe's citrus shipping system is the pre-cooling plant located south of Rialto avenue on the west side of Lytle creek. There, at the growers' option, fruits may be cooled and iced; It is taken to the plant immediately upon pickup, and is subjected to the cooling for from four to eight hours.

The method used is to fill the car with air starting at a tempera ture of 24 degrees and gradually working upward. Ice is placed in compartments at the end and the car sealed to keep the fruit cool throughout its journey eastward, From about March 1, in an ordin ary year, to the end of the navei season, approximately 90 per cent of the cars shipped eastward are pre-cooled. Prior to that time, unless eastern weather is unusually warm, no such steps are taken Practically all a 1 i a are treated. It is necessary for the Santa Fe to keep a close check on weather conditions in the east to advise growers with regard to the need for pre-cooling. During mid-winter, however, the railroad must provide some means of keeping the fruit from freezing as it passes through districts with sub-zero temperature.

Heaters are set in bunkers in all refrigerator cars and are placed in use when the outside temperature reaches the danger point. See New Electric Ranges 4 At the Orange Show All visitors to the National Orange Show are invited to call at the booth of the Southern Sierras Company and see the new Westinghouse Electric Ranges, notable for their convenience and economy. They are among the greatest accomplishments In 50 years of electrical development. They express utterly new conceptions of style and beauty, which set new standards of convenience, and combine top speed with electrical economy. Never before has there been so much interest in the use of electrical appliances.

Bring yourself up-to-date let us explain the adaptability of this and other electric appliances designed for the modern home. See the New Electric Water Heaters and Refrigerators Demonstrated by Our Representatives THE SOUTHERN SIERRAS POWER COMPANY AP AIM THE PACIFIC ELECTRIC RAILWAY, with full confidence in the future of Southern California, the state and nation, offers congratulations to those who, in like confidence, are building and preparing for a prosperous future that is inevitable. TUfT NATIONAL ORANGE SHOW is perhaps, California's most allur ing attraction for those living, where at this time of the year only snow and barren fields are in evidence. And as they come to California to witness this mid-winter spectacle they are attracted to our land of sunshine, fruit and flowers and later return to make it their home. TOTHE ORANGE SHOW officials we offer our congratulations and best wishes for a successful exposition.

Pacific Electric Railway Motor Transit Stages 4 Capital Investment We Commend the fir 3 anaincome 15 Years to Pay 6 Interest FONTANA FARMS OFFERS A GENUINE OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE FINANCIAL SECURITY Twenty-five years of steady, consistent growth and progress under sponsorship of Fontana Farms Company, are behind every piece of land purchased and Fontana is not an experiment. Thera is no pioneering. For Individuals who are properly financed and willing to work, there is a comfortable living at Fontana. The experience, guidance and entire resources of Fontana Farms Company are behind you to help you succeed. FONTANA FARMS CO.

FONTANA, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA FONTANA FARMS COMPANY, FONTANA, CALIFORNIA Please send me your booklet. I have indicated the capital investment I desire to consider. Name rtns. a iinrtniiitliuaxill Address National Orange Show Its Officers and Directors and those who have sponsored and sustained it from year to year, for the Great Exposition that it is and the valuable national publicity it has brought to California's most Famous industry. We Recommend You Continue to Carry On CALIFORNIA FRUIT WRAPPING MILLS INC Paper Manufacturers POMONA CALIFORNIA it i.