Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-05-14
me BANANA BUSINESS
No MONEY In 1t worth Msasseaing for the

No Money In 1t worth As.fieaing for the
Retailer.
"How many bananas are annually sold in
WheelngT asked REGISTER reporter Of
commission merchant who is also Q large
retailer, yesterday afternoon, Is be saun-
tered into the merchants place Of business
and yanked splendid specimen Of the fruit
from Its parent stem.
The dealer frowned at the act and then
said: WELL suppose about three thou
sand punches; and I'll take this opportunity
Of saying that they are about the greatest
nuisance that / ever came across in . bum
ness way" -
"How soY' asked the newsgstherer, as he
gathered in another specimen Of the yellow
fruit.
Simply because there Is little profit to
the trade in them at any time, aud as Q
general thing We come in for either an
actusTloss or else barely save ourselves"
"Well, it's the general impre ssion that
they are very profitable. Will you 60 into
particularsf
bananas" said the dealer Is he saw the
mortal remains Of third specimen tossed
| into the street, ARE nuisance to the entire
trade. Commission men and wholesalers
know this, but the retailer seldom does, for
the simple reason be never stops to look up
the alleged profit. If | could job them in .
general way, would't mind handling them
| in large lots but as have to retail to &C.
commodate my trade the little profit
l make as q commission man is lost in
selling in o small way. would be
| glad Of the chance to give some one $50
year to take the whole thing of my hands.
| The best terms can get, ontwenty-fve and
| fifty bunch lots, is $225 laid down in New
York. By the time / get them hung up in
the store, keep them week or ten day at
big risk Of ripening too fast, and finally get
them off by the bunch to my customers or
at retail, and count up, | am so little ahead
that it doesn't begin to pay for the trouble:
Then sometimes have streak Of bad
| luck, as last winter, when two lots in sue
cession spoiled on my hand and all the ba-
nanas will sell for the next six months
won't make me whole on that venture. You
see that lot there" said he, pointing to
about fifteen bunches swinging on long
cords from the ceiling, well, I've got to get
rid Of them iu about two days, or else you II
see a sign of Three bananas for Nickle,
up in my window have to laugh at q
customer OF mine," he went on. About
| twice a week he comes in for bunch, and
carries them of, foudly imagining, no doubt
that he is making money on them, when I'll
bet supper for two he averages Fifty cents
loss on every bunch be ever had in his store.
You see, he hangs bunch up in his store
at cost OF say 1925. There will be one
hundred and twenty-five bananas on it.
Well, he sell about fifty Of his one hundred
and twenty-five at nickle, gives away
about twenty-five, twenty-five more are
| stolen by customers, emphasis on the
stolen, but lost on the reporter and the
other twenty-five are eaten by himself and
family or spoil and are thrown away. He
is out q quarter, but he don't know it, and
the next thing he is after another bunch.
So il goes. But the people will have them,
and suppose we must must suffer
where do they come from?' asked the
reporter.
Generally from Aspinwall. The great
port OF entry is New York, and not Bald-
more, as is generally supposed. A few are
grown along the Louisiana coast, and un'
derstand planters are going into the bust
ness on large scale in lower Florida where
experiments have been making for several
years. The Louisiana bananas are poor
affairs, generally about the size Of your fin
ger, and without the rich favor Of the Cen.
trail American fruit. None OF them ever
get up this far. No; Baltimore imports
only for local and Washington City and
Richmond trade. The city has no regular
line Of boats to Aspinwall, like she has to
the Mediterranean"
A customer here called the commission
man away, and the reporter took another
banana and walk.