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

California fruit at tve cents per pound
OF course the market man will doubt the
ability of the young man to deliver him
choice California fruit at five cents per
pound. Just think of it, five cents per
pound And as for grapes? Well. he kept
a small lot in a silver-plated glass show
case, Just TO "show off," and occasionally
he did sell pound or so for wedding
party or other festive occasion. Well, as it
costs nothing to wait, he will do So He
is sure of one thing; if the supposed fruit
merchant asks him TO treat or to lend him
dollar-he will be sure that he is a dead
beat and only made up this California fruit
story as dodge. But the young man asks
for no treat. Nor does he ask for the loan
of dollar; but presently he notifies the
dealer that his fruit has arrived
it is delivered, and our friend the
dealer is delighted, and the young
fruit merchant receives his cash, which he
RENTS by draft. The fruit man sells his
new California fruit at ten cents pound /;
in short time it is all gone; he hunts up
our young friend and doubles his order.
Now as many times as this transaction is
done there is a clean $50 profit TO
our young fruit merchants in short time
rumors of the success of this new wrinkle
spread, and several other " partners " strike
ont to venture. Success is the invariable
result, and now what takes place? The
two partners swell TO a dozen, the dozen to
hundreds of dozens, until every nook and
corner of the United States has its supply
of partners" and they will, as a rule,
make good dividend on their labor and
small capital. They won't have near the
amount of rotten fruit because a quarter
car lot may be quickly picked, packed and
READY FOR THE CARS,
And there is no loss of time on this side
When the fruit arrives at its destination
the greater part will be eaten on the day OF
its arrival. 1t won't have a chance to rot
There won't be any more talk about irri-
gated or non-irrigated, or such like delu
sive talk as shipping quality This is
the only practicable solution TO the fruit
problem.
Gro-What IF corporation is formed
Will it not blot out the chances for the sue
cess of the plan for the subdivision of the
cars? Will it not prevent the small dealers
East, as proposed by your plan, from selling
their fruit? Would not the corporation be
able to undersell them?
Mer.-You need have no fear on that
score, for the corporation will be compelled
TO deal with jobbers who handle fruit in
quantity, whereas the hundreds of small
dealers sell direct to the retailers.
Gro.-But what will prevent the corpora.
ton from selling direct to the retailer?
Mer.-The periShabiluy of the fruit will
They, having large quantities, must sell a
| once; if they stop to sell in small quantities
| they will lose the trade of the jobbers
| they will, therefore, have but one choice
| they must either sell to the jobber or small
| dealer exclusively.
Gro.-What if they confine themselve:
tt the small dealer exclusively?
Mer.-I told you before they will have
| too large a stock on hand to bother with
| peddlers or market men; this process o
| selling takes too much time, and the fruit
cannot wait; it deteriorates every hour i
| is left unsold. Besides, the corporation
people will be obliged to hunt up at mo-
ments notice the market men and peddlers
they would, therefore, be obliged to offel
| lower prices. And as the corporation viii
| be uIder heavy expenses, it will not be ablt
to competed with the smaller distributor
who has the following advantages in hi;
favor First, lower expenses second, al
the facilities and advantages of the corpo
ration third, a well-established line O
| custom.
| Gro.-Now l am beginning to see some
little daylight. But see here, friend mer
| chant, won't the speculator step right il
| here and interfere by bearing" the mar
| ket, as you call it?
Mer.-No. You have effectually killed
| off the Spectator for the fruit is sold Il
| the actual retailer, and as there may b,
| thousands of sellers ii would be as possihl,
| to buy them up-these sellers-as it would
| be for the corporation director to buy W
| the spectators. You will have no more
of the spectators, for the source of hi.
| trade is gone, clean busted"
1 p,1t 7
| dealers? Won't they be likely to swindIt
me?
Mer.-Very likely, but you don't trus
them sell to them for net cash only.
| Gro.-But the large grower; how is b,
| going to sell his fruit He can surely no
sell the crop of 1000 acres to petty deal
ers.
Mer.-Well, in one sense he is as antag
onistic to your interest as the Spectator
| for, as l stated some time ago, his large
ranch enables him to put into execution
certain economical methods which will
not pay on smaller ranches, and thus ht
can produce at lower rate than can the
small grower. Hence, in the open marke
he can outsell you, but by the method
spoken of you place him at disadvantage
You, with your small crops (sold after The
manner spoken of can almost effectually
prevent him from selling at profit at all
! Gro.-But, is not this kind of talk
species of communism?
Mer.-No, friend, not bit of it; it is
state of affairs that should be eagerly
wished for by every good citizen of thi.
State for, as stated before, it will kill ths
| speculative system, and it will do away
with large estates.
Gro.-But, won't this plan bankrupt The
large growers?
Mer.--No. On the contrary for as soor
as small ranches become profitable. all or.
chard and vineyard lands will become Sc
valuable that they will make more none,
from the selling of their lands in small
tracts than they could ever hope to make
| by the present conditions, or even by The
| corporation plan.
| Gro.-But do you think the railroad
company will agree to divide up the car:
into quarter sections, and reduce rates t.
$500 car?
Mer.-They will beyond a doubt, if yor
| ask them, and the chances are they may dc
| so without your asking; self-interest will
prompt them to it. The President of The
railroad company has said ~ will bt
pleased to do all in my power to make the
| movement of the fruit-growers a success.
There can be no mistake there. Ask, first
| for the reduction to $500 per carload and
second, permission to ship in quarter car.
load lots. Third, that no concessions be
given to large shippers, no rebates, no dis.
counts, etc. Fourth, that some system be
devised to prevent spectators from "gob.
bling up the cars by engaging them il
advance.
The small grower or the large grower
can only suryive-both cannot; for in a
| few years when there will be ten peaches
where there is but one now; twenty pounds
OF grapes where there is but one now, you
will find that the large rancher will crush
you under his feet. He will sell to the nerth
to the south, to the east and to the west
Your little local trade will be even gobbled
up. Why? Because green fruit is not
properly speaking, merchandise, it will moi
wait even a few hours, it must be eaten OF
it will rot, and here we see
WISE PROVISION
OF nature, for it is not intended that green
fruit should be handled in bulk by any one
person or firm. 1t is especially business