99. REPORT OF THE PANAMA RAILROAD COMPANY.

Boots and shoes are purchased under the same plan as dry goods
and notions and cover a full line of shoes for women and children
and both work and dress shoes for men.

Hardware is purchased under the plan last described, the stock
including a full fine of cutlery, china ware, glassware, furniture, and
generally a full line of household equipment.

GOODS REQUIRING REFRIGERATION.

Fresh meats and poultry, vegetables, milk, butter, eggs, etc.—A con-
tract for fresh meats is made annually on a‘basis of a percentage above
or below a basing price, determined from the bona fide sale of live
animals in the Chicago stock yards, as reported in the 5 o’clock edition
of the Drover’s Journal of Chicago. For all meats, except veal, the
basing price is computed from the sales on Monday, and for veal from
the sales on Tuesday, these two days being the respective market days.

Our specifications contemplate the delivery of only the highest class
of meat under the grades specified, and considering the great distance
shipped and the problem of keeping fresh meat in this climate, the
results obtained are remarkable, our losses from spoilage of fresh
meats not exceeding 20 pounds per year, and is delivered to the con-
sumer in as palatable condition as it would be were it purchased from
a meat market in the United States.

_ The great success we have obtained in the handling of fresh meats
and other cold-storage products is largely due to the present improved
cold-storage arrangement for storing and distributing on the Isthmus
of Panama and to additional cold-storage facilities on the steamships
Panama and Colon, which enable us to handle the bulk of our fresh
meats on these two ships; shipments being so arranged that the goods
do not arrive in greater quantities than we are able to properly handle,
as was the case before these additional facilities were provided.

_ The assortment of fresh meats and poultry carried in stock, consist-
ing of beef, pork, mutton, lamb, veal, venison in season, poultry, game
in season, etc., is of as high a quality as would be found in any market.

Other goods requiring transportation and storage in refrigeration
are purchased on cable requisitions placed about 10 days in advance
of the sailing of the vessel, thus giving an opportunity to ship from
either the New York or New Orleans market, wherever the prices
may be more favorable.

Statement appearing hereafter in this report gives an outline of
the variety and quantities of vegetables imported during the year.
in addition to vegetables, fresh creamery butter, fresh milk, fresh
cream, fresh eggs, cheese, etc., are imported weekly. |

Six ships of the Panama Railroad Steamship Line are equipped
with cold-storage facilities. Four of these ships are scheduled so as
to provide for one arrival here every 6 days. Use is made of the
cold-storage space on the other two ships, although they arrive
irregularly. Ds ;

In addition to this cold-storage service, a ship equipped with
reirigeration space leaves New Orleans weekly, on which are trans-
ported goods not requiring a temperature lower than 40° F. This
service enables us to provide employees with such vegetables as may
be obtainable in the United States in season. | :