Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-05
THE FRUIT INTERESTS.
4 Meeting and Consultation at NewcastI,
of Prominent Growers

4 Meeting and Consultation at Newcastle
of Prominent Growers.
The question of finding a market at
reasonably remunerative prices for all the
marketable fruit grown in California is
one which will be uppermost in the minds
of vast number of our readers until that
desirable end shall be accomplished. That
end is unquestionably to be obtained
through the development of our market at
the East. Two organizations the Califor-
mia Fruit Union and the California Fruit
Growers Association-are each in their
somewhat different plans seeking the key
10 that development. The principles upon
which each proceeds was very clearly
given in the REcoRD-UNI on Saturday
IN the full report given of the meeting of
truit-growers, and the lively discussion had
between the Directors of the two organiza-
tons at CORTLAND last week.
Another meeting of the Directors, with
the truit-growers and shipping associations
OF Newcastle. was requested and appointed
by the latter, TO be held at Newcastle last
Saturday morning, with the expectation
that conference would also probably take
place on the afternoon or evening previous.
as the Directors of both organizations were
expected to be there at that time. The rep
resentatives Of the Fruit Union did not at
tend however, notice being received from
them that other engagements prevented.
public meeting was held on Saturday
morning at o'clock, in the shipping-room
OF q, ID. Kellogg, and large number of
leading growers and shippers from that
place and adjacent localities were present.
George D. kellogg presided and /. r.
Maston was Secretary. After reading the
minutes OF previous meeting, when the
Directors of the California Fruit Union
were present and addressed the growers, c.
w. Reed of Sacramento, was called upon
as Director of the Fruit Growers Associ-
alton, and also as & grower and shipper, to
give his views upon the situation. He
spoke of his experience in the Eastern
fruit trade, and gave it as his opinion that
with reduced rate of transportation and
commissions brought to smaller figures,
through greater competition, to be created
by Increased number of buyers and
shippers, there was practically no limit to
the market for our irst-class fruit He
said the primary object of the Fruit Union
was TO bring about largely reduced rate of
freight, by arranging shipping in train
loads; that subsequently, the movement
had been changed into establishing vast
commission monopoly, in the hands of one
man, whereby all competitive buyers and
shippers were to be driven from the field,
which lie believed would be highly disas-
trous to the interests of all fruit-growers.
except, perhaps, a favored few.
r. d. Stephens, President of the Cali
forlla Fruit Growers Association, was next
called upon for an expression of his views
He supported the remarks already made by
Mr.. Reed, and gave an extended review of
the entire movement of fruit-growers,
which had now resulted in two organ
izatlons but inasmuch as the prime
pal features of the discussion were
fally covered, and have been published in
the report of the CORTLAND meeting, it is
not necessary to repeat them here Numer-
Gus questions were asked by DR.. Frey.
Mr. Butler and others, some of them with
q view to defending the Fruit Union. but
all were answered upon the basis of argu-
ments alluded to as already fully published.
Mr. Stephens was very pointed in his re-
marks 70 the effect that the Fruit Union
had been turned into the establishing of an
immense monopoly for the benefit of the
commission agent to be located at Chicago,
and other favored few.
In answer to question as to the ability
OF the Fruit Growers Association to make
up special train loads OF fruit, he stated
giving names OF shippers and parties-that
the present members OF the Association
averaged over seventy carloads per week
during last season. as would show by the
records OF the railroad company, and if
they alone shipped anywhere near as many
the present year, the Association would be
able to far more than comply With the rail
road companys terms, under which the
$500 rate per car can be secured. He said.
in conclusion, that he, and those asso-
ciated with him, do not desire to make any
war upon the Fruit Union, but only wish
to secure low rate Of freight and the right
for every grower to handle his own prop
erty just as he chooses.
A letter was received by the Secretary
from Mr. Buck, Manager of the Fruit
Union, in which lie stated the reasons for
the inability of the Directors of the
Union (previous engagements TO be pres
ent, and urged the support of the New
castle. people, in favor of the original
organization.
At the conclusion of the discussion the
meeting adjourned without taking any
definite action.