Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-06
FINE ESTABLISHMENT.
Increasing Demands of the Fruit Trade
Heavy Shipments East.

The firn OF NJ. T. Brewer & &c. have re-
moved from their former location at the cor
ner Of Second and j stTests into their new
and elegant quarters, consisting OF the main
and basement floors of the Arcade Hotel
p-oparty. on Second, betweenJ and K streets.
Tba firm have lease Of the Arcade property
for a term of ten years. The portion of tbs
buiIdinr above the first floor will be subleased
by them for residences or hotel purposes. The
main floor and basement have been entirely
remodsIsi under special supervision of the
fr7s to suit their wants ard for the utmost
convenience il carrying on their large bust
ness rs commission dealers IL ali kinds Of
fruits. prodncs aud seeds They now have
one Of the finest establishments to be found,
and IS claimed TO be the best upon the coast.
/ Those who knew the old Arcade as guests or
| By frequeutiug it would hardly fnd point in
is lower interior by which 20 make the faint
! eat recognition. All partitions have been
| removed, and the building greatly enlarged
I by extension from the rear.
The main floor now has frontage upon
Second street Of ffty-fve feet, all in one store
room, and running back to the alley, depth
Of one hundred aud sixty feet, with sixteen
| feet ceiling. This storeroom is divided into
| two sections by large arch OF about twenty
the 'front.' which makes unique separation
Of the immense room into front general
storeroom, and rear packing room, while
they are still really all in one. In the center
/ Of the front portion is situated the otlce,
which is fine piece Of workmanship and
sort Of palace by itself. 1t is eleven by forty
feet in size, and inclosed TO a hight OF about
| four feet with red and light-colored woods,
finished in oil and varnisb, and from thence
/ - IL. amt q
| glass held by light sashes highly finished, and
| making the whole present handsome and at.
tractive appearance. The office Is divided
| into three compartments, which are richly
furnished with new furniture and appliances.
| The front apartment is occupied as the gen.
eral office and also has desk furnished with
| stationery, etc., for the use OF customers. The
middle portion is occupied by the oookkeep-
| srs. In this part also stands an immense new
safe This stands upon a solid foundation OF
masonry, built up from the ground and ince-
pendent Of the building, SO that in case the
! building is burned this will remain in its po-
| sition undisturbed. It is well-known fact
! that the damage TO the contents of safes in
case of large fires is generally from their being
buried in smolderirg debris in cellars, some
times for days before thsy can be got out, and
during which time the contents are destroyed
or damaged, as was largely true at the
chicago lre- l. c rear dpatStIleI VI Tie OttlCS
is fitted up in an elegant manner fer private
room, with Brussels carpet, fine furniture,
marble wash and dressing stand, with hot
and cold water, fine gilt and enameled chan
deiier, ETC. The glass inciosing this part Of
the office is ground, to q hight of about eight
feet, thus making this apartment entirely
private.
On the left-hand side of the main store
room is small room psrtiticued off and
n TnTshe6 10 ha T1sad for shouting M.
ples Of the dried and canned fruits carried by
them III stock. Adjoining this is a coat and
hat room, and next to this an elevator for
carving goods to and from the floor below
The riqht-hand side Of the room is occupied
as the canned fruit and seed department and
over the rear portion is platform, eight feet
above the floor, suspended by iron rods from
the ceiling, and upon which is stored, q
plaza of safety from rats and mice, their
choicest varieties of seeds and nuts. This is
reached by step-ladder, which is removed
when net in use, and thus rendering the loft
absolutely vermin-proof. The seed depart.
ment is arranged in long rows of neatly
labeled drawers with fancy handles, much III
the style OF well-furnishsd drug store.
The resr portion of the main floor back Of
the arch is occupied by their stock of green
fruit, where il is disposed of or repscked for
shipment. The handling Of fruit or goods
trucks or cars, with wheels faced with rubber,
rendering them entirely noiseless, and by the
use of which fifty tons or more of merchan-
disc can be carried over the floor in single
day without being heard in the office.
Going to the lower or basement floor, this
is found also entirely reconstructed and
arranged in the best and most convenient
manner possible for packing purposes. The
entire space is thrown into one room covering
the area Of the building; and also extending
under the sidewalk to the cub, thereby
utilizing every inch of space, and making the
lower floor So by Us feet in extent, In
addition to glass footlights through the front
walk, and light from the rear, this room is
thoroughly lighted by use of forty gas jets.
The basement story is made absolutely dry,
as well as verrnin proof, by layer four inches
thick Of concrete under the floor. Running
the whole length of this floor are two small
car trucks, one near each side, for facilitating
and handling goods, which, from these, are
hoisted to the main floor by the elevator. A
small furnace is located in the basement for
heating the Offices above, which is done by
steam, and also for furnishing hot water for
the Offices and any necessary purposes about
the store.
The main place for receiving and de-
ivering fruit goods for both floors is
at the rear, upon the alley, thus relieving
the froat of the establishment from being
blockaded with teams. Heretofore this firm
has, during the summer, occupied from one 20
three stcrerooms for packing, in addition to
their main establishment. In their new
quarters, with the basement specially fitted
for packing purposes, they viii be enabled to
carry on their full business under the one
roof.
! It is confidently expected that the i'm
portance of Sacramento fruit-shipping
| center will continue TO constantly increase,
as it has done for several years past, and that
the fruit and produce commission msr-
chants Of the city will all find necessity
for extending their establishments by
reason of their commanding position for the
great distant market-the Eastern cities and
States. Some idea of the Importance which
the business of green-fruit shipping has
reached in this city may be obtained from the
fact that during the heaviest shipping months
of the past season the firm of M. I. Brewer
& Co. alone employed about 400 men, used
about $500 worth of boxes per day, and sent
as high as so tons of green fruit daily to the
Eastern States. And still the business in
California of supplying fruits to the Eastern
market is regarded as but in its infancy.
FRUIT-GRowERs' CONFERENCE.-The Con-
vention of fruit-growers and others associa-
ted with this industry will commence in this
city at the Assembly Chamber this morning
at 10 o'clock. Among. the delegates already
arrived are : Prof C. H. Dwinelle, President
of the State Horticultural Board DR.. S. T.
Chapins, OF San JOSEF; W. B. West, of Stock
ton A. S. White, of San Bernardino coun-
ty, members of said Board, and j. H.
Wheeler, Secretary also S. Mckinley, Mr..
Fiske. of Stockton E. r. Therber, L. w.
Buck, G. P. Plaisted, Of Yacayille; E. 7.
Earle, of San Francisco; j. w. Violet, of
lone w. J. Wilson. of Newcastle Hern-
don Barrett, of Lincoln and R. W. William
son, OF Penryn. The principal number of
! delegates viii arrive this forenoon upon the
various trains. Those already in the city
held an informal meeting last evening at the
Office Of NJ. T. Brewer Co., and considered
the prc gyauIne arranged for the Convention.
Ths proceedings to-day viii be-frst, orsan;-
zatiOn and appointment Of committees, " ~hieh
will probably occupy the forenoon. In the
afternoon the subjecs of insect pests will be
discussed. In the evening an exhibition for
delegates and the public of insects Injurious