Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-10-02

u
| ing a sufficient and reiauneratiye market
for all our fruits is the one all-important,
to a large class of our people individually;
! and to the entire State collectively, by its
influence upon every interest and every en-
| ~terprise within our borders. The letter
was addressed 10 the Rural Press, and APP
pears in that journal:
CHICAGO, September IS, 1886.
Editors Press: The year 1885 was one
long to be remembered by the fruit-grow-
ers Of California. Such . combination of IN
favorable circumstances had never before
been known. First came a drought; then
a frost, seriously injuring the grape crop /;
then g~rasshoppers next followed q glutted
market, and lastly came very low prices.
Thus by the close of the fruit season the
growers were distressed and much dis
couraged. Each looked to his neighbor for
q remedy, and all hoped for some per-
manent method of relief. AT last it was
suggested that a State Convention of fruit
growers be held for the purpose of ex-
changing ideas and in order that some plan
might be evolved that would make a
repetition of the sad experience OF 1885
less probable.
At this convention, which was held
shortly after in San Francisco, many and
various causes were ascribed for the poor
results of 1885, and many and various
plans were offered as remedies. After much
discussion and deliberation, it was formally
decided that relief depended on the grow
ers forming a union, securing lower freight
rates and marketing their own fruits in the
East. 1t was agreed hat if all the Califor-
MIA fruit shipped East was placed and sent
through one channel, 1t could be evenly
distributed throughout all the States in the
East; that thus the fruit would be prevent
ed from coming into competition with it
self; and that the profits, which had for
merly gone to shippers or middle-men,
would be made by the grower himself.
This plan meeting with general favor, a
union was accordingly formed, bylaws
adopted, officers elected, an Eastern agent
appointed, and the railroad company inter-
viewed and reduced freight rates secured,
on the condition that fifteen carloads must
be shipped at a time.
Thus far all was well; but when the time
arrived for shipping fruit the growers and
the management of the Union discovered
that when they counted upon the old fruit
buyers and shippers meekly retiring from
the field and leaving the Union to reign
supreme, they had reckoned without their
host. 1t was soon found that the old ship
pers had not been mapping, but had been
diligently at work buying up large crops.
They had organized among themselves,
and had so perfected their arrangements
that they were enabled to dispatch several
~trainloads of fruit weeks in advance of the
Fruit Union, which for a long time found
itself unable to ship fifteen carloads at
once, so as to profit by the reduced freight
rates.
Finally, the Union began shipping train
| loads, and soon, between the Union and
the private shippers, fruit began piling into
the Eastern markets, regardless of quality,
regardless of quantity, regardless Of de-
mand and regardless of all consideration
that should influence intelligent business
transactions.
This state of affairs, however, brought
Joy to the heart and dollars to the purse of
the Chicago fruit-peddlers and retailers.
| The petty fruit-huckster became king, and
imperiously dictated the prices he was will
ing to pay, to the very men of whom in the
a box of California fruit. From being
snubbed and ill-treated by dictatorial fruit
shippers and commission merchants, he
suddenly found himself petted and courted
by these very men, who must sell their
fruits at any price or have them rot on the
premises. Such a harvest the street-corner
vender had never wen dreamt of. Here
were piled up in store after store, extending
out to the very edge of the sidewalks, thou
sands of crates of California's choicest fruit
which he could buy for a less price than
was being paid by his feliow-hucksters III
San Francisco or Sacramento.
Did he propose to share with his Gus
toners the good fortune that befell him
- IL F11l-A +l,o Califorpia ~
and shippers? Not if he knew himself
And so the Eastern consumer went on pay
ing as much or nearly as much for his
fruit as if the grower was getting a living
price for his product, while the railroad
companies and the retailers and petty
hucksters were reaping a golden harvest at
the expense of the poor shippers and still
poorer growers. Soon the California grow
ers and shippers began raising a storm
about the ears of their Eastern agents, de-
manding an explanation for such ruinous
returns. Every one, however, blamed
every one else, and denied all response
bility for the disastrous results. The agents
of the shippers laid the blame at the door
of Porter Bros. Co., agents for the Cali
fornia Fruit Union. claiming that the latter
had brought about this deplorable con-
dition by willfully cutting prices with a
view of driving the private shippers from
the field.
On the other hand, Porter Brothers Com
pany as vigorously denied the charge, and
! in turn claimed " it was the other fellows
who did all the damage by cutting prices
for the express purpose of destroying the
union. The charges and counter-charges
on this and other grounds are thick and
numerous, but from the facts at hand it is
very evident that willful cutting has beer
done all round. The Chicago commission
men have had their fun, have enjoyed lots
of exciting battles, have tried to knock
out " each other; and the California grow
ers and shippers have had the grim salts
faction of furnishing the ammunition free
of cost, in addition to the feeling OF wal
that existed among rival agents and ship
pers. Much loss has been caused through
Ignorance on the part of growers. Vasl
quantities of fruit were shipped that should
never have been permitted to leave the
State. Much arrived here in an utterly
worthless condition, and did much, no
alone to depress prices of fruit, but also tc
injure the fair reputation of Calitornls
products.
Statements of returns were shown the
writer to-day by the agent of the California
Fruit Union, and which are being mailed
while this letter is under pen, that will
make those who receive them despair. liz
many instances the returns for double
crates of Muscat and Tokay grapes will no
exceed 35 cents, which is less than the cost
of crates and baskets; and in some cases
the net returns for plums are 5 cents, out OF
which must come the cost of the box.
For the past few days the market has
been rather bare and prices better, first
class grapes selling from 50 80 to So so a
double crate; and yet it was only this
morning that over 400 crates of Vacayille
grapes, which arrived in bad condition
in a $600-rate car by passenger train, were
sold at 80 cents and 81 per crate, leaving
the grower a net return of from 10 to IL
cents per crate, out of which the cost OF
crates and baskets must be paid. By to-
morrow these same grapes would have de-
preciated SO much in quality that half the
above price could not have been realized.
A Fruit Union train reached Chi
cago to-day, and another train,
forwarded by the Sacramento shippers,
will arrive here tomorrow. This means