Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-14

With the corporation in question no such
thoughts need enter our minds. We know
the men, the directors were they not. are
they not our friends? Nay, it is but short
time ago when one of their number was
chosen to one of the most honorable posi-
tons in the gift of the representatives of
the people of this State. Was he not hailed
:" The f.leld of the people" The friend of
California y Apart from these considera-
tons, however, We need only await the re-
suit OF their contemplation on the effect
Their actions would have; let them attempt
10 bar the progress of this industry and
what would be the result? Their rails
would rust, their sleepers rot, their cars
would md permanent home on the
switch, spiders and iack-rabbits would
dwell IN their" shops" There would be no
dividends; they would be the enemies of
the people indeed, and the people would be
their enemies. New roads would be sought
after, and when found the arch-tyrants"
would be everthrown. On the other hand
energetic, and, perhaps, heroic action. in
| the direction of rendering valuable aid in
this, the opportune time, may result in
placing California on basis of permanent
prosperity that may be surpassed by no
State in the Union. When such actions
will be taken the corporation will have for
its friends the entire people of this State.
But before we have a right to express an
opinion | should like to hear from you as
to what was the past method of transporta-
ton. for l confess l paid no attention to the
details.
METHODS OF SHIPMENT.
Gro.-The plan was quite simple Those
desiring to ship fruit obtained a car for
$500, filled it with fruit and sent it East
Mer.-Well, what was the nature of the
trouble? Was the rate too high
| troy the rate was pYlti y too hi oh d.
but the chief trouble and difficulty is yet to
be stated. There are not perhaps over a
dozen ranches in California certainly not
in northern California; that are able to fill
a carload at Il time
i Mer.-1 on astonish me- Why, thought
there were ever so many fruit ranches and
!, vineyards that are from 80 to 200 acres in
extent. Can none of these raise a carload
of fruit?
Gro.-There are ever so many, and they
raise many carloads of fruit but they
could not fill carload at time, and in
order to make this matter clear to YOU, per-
NIT me to explain A vineyard, say of so
acres, combining itself to the raising of wine
grapes, could, without any extraordinary
effort, pick and load two or even more car
loads Pei day. This cannot be done on a
ranch where table fruit is put up for ship
ment, for every peach and every bunch Of
I grapes n1S " NC examined, sorted
and selected, and then carefully packed ;
whereas, wine grapes are merely cut from
the vine and =" dumped" into boxes, and
they are ready for the winery. The inev-
liable result of this slow process is that,
even with large force of hands, it would
require several days before the carload
could be got ready; the result would be
that, before the car would be fairly on the
way East, that portion of the carload picked
nr,I NAnlr.. 4 L
the chances are that the decomposition
going on in one part of the car would in a
short time communicate throughout, and
tend TO rot the entire carload, and as the
railroad company does not hold itself re-
sponsible for perishable goods, the risk is
too great for the grower to undertake
Mer.-lf what you tell me is true then
there was in reality no SYSTEM of transpor-
tation at all-neither good nor bad it was
simply prohibitory.
Gro.-4ou ara certainly correct.
Mer-I can ; ;::s.. - ne result. Several
speculative capitalists undoubtedly took
hold OF this matter, and bought up the
fruits from the various ranches and shipped
East, and of course the growers were com
pletely at their mercy
Gro.-Exactly SO. And more than that {:
they bought as little as possible in order to
keep the prices down in California.
Mer.-4es; and bringing such small
quantities East gave them firm hold on
fancy. prices there. Well ordinarily this
would be first-class tactics for shrewd bust
ness men. but when these tactics are played
against what | now believe to be the germ
OF the main industry of California, the
method is simply infamous, and deserves
the censure, not alone of the fruit-growers,
but of all the people.
Gro.-I have no doubt at all but that if
this method is pursued for any length of
time it would effectually
KILL THIS INDUSTRY.
But are these speculative capitalists to
blame? Suppose they had not entered the
field at all? We would have been even
worse Off, for they at least helped us to dis
pose of o portion of the crop, which, If
they had not done, would have helped to
| swell the loss.
Mer.-You are, beyond question, right.
| We are, then, necessarily to conclude that
the railroad Directors are solely respon-
sible for this damaging blow to this i'm
portant industry?
Groin measure, yes. But vet we
can scarcely attach much blame to them.
for, let US take yourself for an example.
When We began this conversation you did
not realize the importance and bearing of
| this industry. You even said that =" YOU
were not interested in the uit-growing in
| dustry, directly or indirectly. in any man.
ner whatsoever" You do not say so now.
Let us, therefore, have charity enough to
say that the railroad company did not fully
realize that they and all the people of Cali
| fornia were interested, directly and indi-
rectly, in this important industry. Bear in
mind that the rise, progress and almost
| phenomenal growth of this industry was
scarcely perceptible. In taking nap we
wake up and find what was before an in
| FAINT, half-grown giant. The nurserymen
will tell you that the giant is increasing in
vast proportions, so that in time he will be
great and mighty, and that, if fostered in
his growth, he will become potent factor
of peace and plenty, mighty agent of
| civilization. Now that the railroad company
has begun to realize the Importance of
| this industry, they will certainly do
it such even justice as to serve all in
] tereSts to the best advantage. OF this
| we are almost assured, for when mutual
loss and apprehension called the growers
| together in council one of the first men to
attend that meeting was Director of the
railroad company. He gave the growers to
understand that he realized the importance
of the industry, and said: II will be
| pleased to do all in my power to make the
movement of the fruit-growers success"
| [Goyernor Stanford before the Fruit row.
| ers Conventional
Mer.-Did Governor Stanford propose
plan?
Gro.-No; he said 81 came here to
learn, not to instruct" " / find by the dis
cussion that men are very much divided in
opinion. II is plain to me that if you are
all agreed upon your plan of action YOU
can find market for all the fruit of this
State" He also said: II have not that
confidence in present opinions have upon
the subject as TO entitle them to be put forth
in the form of a Dtdt,red plan for action"
Thus, you will observe, the railroad COM
pany, through its Director. has submitted
no pan, but wisely awaits the action of the
combined growers, with the intention, as
he said g. To do all in their NOV ~ 10 male