Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-03-24
rRUIr.eRowERs COUNCIL.
Sacramento, Yolo, Yuba, Suffer and Placer
Counties Heard From.

Resotred, That an Independent assoclallon OF
/ the fruit-growers of Sacramento and adjacent
counties be formed.
In accordance with that resolution, the
Chair appointed the following committee
upon organization and bylaws: G. w.
Hancock, r. d. Stephens, C. w. Reed, l..
Fl. Fassett and Erskipe Greer.
AT the meeting yesterday the committee
made no written report but verbally re-
commended the following That any stock
holder shall have the right to ship fruit or
vegetables grown by himself, and may pur-
chase fruit or vegetables of any or all stock
holders thereof, and ship the same in car
load lots by the trains chartered bJr the
Association to any point OF destination,
and to such consignee as desired, provided
a satisfactory guarantee is first given to the
Association for prompt payment OF all
costs for transportation upon demand.
Also that stock shall be issued on the basis
of 20 cents am acre one-half of which will
be collected Immediately to defray the ex-
penses of incorporating and other Incl
dental expenses. The incorporation not
TO be created for the purpose of assessing
the stockholders to pay officials princely
salaries, but solely with the object of secur-
ing concert of action among the many
fruit-raisers that will in turn secure the
reduction of freight, the only object sought
to be obtained by the producer.
Remarks were made by many present,
all of whom belonged TO the Fruit Growers
Union, and all of whom denounced in the
severest terms the action of the Trustees of
that corporation for turning over the Union
TO Porter Brothers. The action of the
Trust, es on the 10th of February at meet
ing at the Golden Eagle Hotel, was referred
to as being in the line of the policy out
I;roI Nv no L,,Ia Of
Subsequent action at a meeting in San
Francisco was against the producer, and
directly in favor of placing him in the
hands of what might prove 10 be mo-
nopoly the soul object of which would be
to enrich Porter Brothers and few of their
friends at the expense of the entire Union.
Some of the speakers spoke very plainly
upon this subject, not hesitating, as they
said, to . call things by their proper names :"
All the speakers desired was to perfect an
organization as cheaply as possible, to Sc
cure a concert of action, so that there
would be no trouble in making I'D trains
with the requisite number of cars as often
as required to handle their crop. and with
this showing to railroad officials the terms
desired could be obtained. There was to
be no unnecessary assessments, no fat of
fees for gentlemen of leisure but a concert
of action upon strictly business principles.
that would secure to each grower all the
advantages and profits possible.
P. w. Butler, of Penryn, Placer county,
representing local fruit-groWers' associa-
ton OF that place, who own nearly 400
shares in the Fruit Growers Union. per-
sonally approved of the proposition. In
the course of his remarks he said 1t is
claimed that Porter Bros. have superior IA
cilities for placing the fruits of California
on the Eastern markets, aud this is the
principal reason given by Trustees of the
Union for placing all our business in their
hands. If, as is predicted, we send ten
times as much fruit East during the com
ing season than on any previous year, why
cannot the Union employ men to sell this
great increase, as well as Porter Bros. or
any other firm, as their present force is
comparatively Insignificant, compared to
the help required to dispose of our pro-
duets under the proposed reduction of
freights?
The advantage to the Union would be
enormous, as all business established would
belong to them, and could be used in their
interests continuously. While if Porter
Bros. build up this trade, it is done at the
expense of the Union, and if, at the termi-
nation of the present contract it is not re-
newed, then Porter Bros continue to own
all the machinery Of this established bust
ness, and by its continued use would be-
come most formidable rivals to the pro-
ducers, who created them as such, through
the action Of their Directors.
If the Union was doing its own business
whenever any market was well supplied, if
it had surplus fruit, rather than increase
its sales in such market by a reduction of
price 1t would move to more remote points
and make sales, even al increased expenses.
Tor by so doing regular prices could be
maintained when trade was permanently
established.
If Porter Brothers handle all their fruit
they will misunderstanding no rivals-dis-
pose of it at the least possible expense to
themselves, and in a manner to give them
the greatest net profit, even if by making
extra effort the fruit could be sold at a
much higher price; if the extra expense to
them was greater in amount than their
commission, it would not be done
As an illustration. At point where
Porter Bros. have an agency an additional
car of fruit could be sold at 81 per box.
when the regular price was 81 25. 1t would
be in their interest to sell at such reduction
rather than place it in another market
where they have no agent, and sell for 81 25.
II the extra cost of selling there was to
them more than y cents per box, which
would be their commission on the extra
selling price, while the gain to the Union
would be 224 cents per box. There is prac-
ueally no restriction placed upon them
that they are compelled to observe and
they thereby have gigantic monopoly.
1t is now proposed to organize company
OF sufficient force to ship fruit in train lots
independent of the Union leach shipper
controlling his own products).
The question now arises, if this action is
taken will not there be bitter rivalry be-
tween these two great companies in the
selling of their fruits in the East. each
striving to cripple the other in order to
control the business? In proof of this, one
OF the trustees of the Union is reported as
saying that he would himself furnish half
a dozen cars of fruit to be sacrificed. if ne
cessary, to draw other shippers from the
market who might place fruit there in COM
petition with Porter Bros
7. +. Plat, OF the fruit-shipping firm of
Strong Il Co, said that firm and other firms
in this city were willing to Join this pro-
posed association, and each take 500 shares
of stock. They would do this to insure
the getting up of the requisite number of
cars to form trains and secure the reduction
in freight. He was authorized TO state that
Marysville would 90 in with the associa-
ton and fruit-growers in Suffer and ad-
joining counties. lie believed that such
an organization would work well. all could
be accommodated, and the reduction of
freight secured without peradventure. If
the freight was so reduced the fruit could
be placed upon The Eastern market at a
price so cheap that instead of being
regarded-as it is nova luxury.
it would become necessity,
and all that could be shipped
would meet with rapid sale He figured I'D
that during the fruit-shipping season, at
the lowest estimate, sixty-two cars week
would be shipped from Sacramento The
cars loaded at Roseville. Penryn and Au-
burn could be billed with the same train.
To place all this business in the hands OF
one man or one firm would be monopoly
vast beyond conception. 1t would drive
out all local shippers. This is entirely I'M
necessary. All the producer and shipper,
whose interest in this matter is mutual,
desires to get is $500 rate, and thus in
crease their market. Once this association
is formed there is little difficulty attending
the shipments), there should be no misun-
derstandings or difficulties.
Mr.. Boggs, of Newcastle. and Mr.. Silva,
of the same place. stated that all they de-
sired was to be allowed the privilege of at
taohing their cars to the Sacramento trains,
and for that purpose would become men,
bers of the association They did not. nor
would not if they could avoid doing so,
shin any of their frllit with the Union