Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-29
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CALIFORNIA FRUIT.
Its Use in the Eastern States as Viewed
by Dealers There.

lDmala Bee.
o. W. Butts has been III the city for
several weeks, looking after the shipments
of California fruits, and representing the
interests of Mr.. Reed, of Sacramento, one
of the largest fruit-growers and dealers III
the State. He has been here every season
for several years, and, being thoroughly
conyersant With all the details of the
market, has been watching the change
with more care and interest than the
average man. do you know he asked
the Bee man, that there has been won
derful increase in the demand for California
fruit in the past few years? There are few
who are not in the business who realize
anything about it. Take grapes, for in
stance. l remember that when California
grapes were first shipped into Chicago,
they didn't want any such green
things as them to eat. They could
hardly be sold, and many ship
ments did not realize first cost. The
people had to learn to eat them, and it is a
funny thing that when one gets III the
habit of eating California fruit they hardly
want any other kind There's peculiar
flavor, which, when one gets a liking for,
there cannot anything else take the place
of. Just the same way with bananas.
Why, a few years ago if dealer hung up a
bunch of them folks would look at them,
and sort of wonder at them, but they would
not buy them. Now there is hardly gro
Gerry store in any little country place but
what keeps them during the season. The
first shipments of pears were almost as bad
failure. Folks would look at them, and
say they were nice, but the trouble was
they wouldn't buy them. Gradually they
got to buying q few and taking them home,
and now there is no trouble TO sell. Peo-
pie have acquired the habit of eating fruit,
especially California fruit, and the trade
has increased beyond the idea or the belief
of most people.
California fruit will soon crowd out
most of the other fruit in this part of the
country. The shipping facilities are fast
getting so that California can supply this
market, and the East and South will not
ship out here. Now it costs about 500 a
car to get the fruit through, and as there
are about 400 boxes in car, box which
can be bought in California at 81 10 costs
here about So so, but the railway facilities
and rates are growing better all the time.
and the trade Will grow in proportion.
Even now there is an immense trade. For
instance one firm in Ottumwa handled
thirteen cars of California fruit this season.
That is just a sample ofwhat is being done
all over. The California folks realize what
the future IS 10 be, and are all jumping INTO
raising fruit. Mr.. Reed has 700 acres, and
ships over fifty cars in a season. He has
put out 10000 peach trees and in three
years from now will be shipping a carload
a day
Council Bluffs is bound to be the great
distributing point for all this California
fruit. | am thoroughly satisfied of that
Ii has the best facilities for it. There is no
sense in shipping the fruit East and then
shipping it back, for it can Just as well
come here, and from here can be sent in
all directions, especially into Iowa, Mime
sofa and Missouri. There is little doubt
but that in another year arrangements will
be made by which there will be regular
fruit trains run from California here, these
trains to run as fast as the passenger trains
and perhaps follow right behind them
This will cut down the time from seven
days to four and half, and it is expected
that the rates will be reduced so that the
consumer can get his fruit at IS cents box
less. If this can be done nothing can COM
pete with California fruit, and Council
Bluffs will be the great point for distribu-
ton. There are in Iowa alone twenty-five
good distributing points where California
fruit is being handled, and these can all be
supplied from this city. Mark my word
and see what a change another year will
bring"