Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-28
CALIFORNIA FRUITS.
THEIR SALE BY AUCTION In THE
CHICAGO MARKET.
Letter From III. Weinstock Concern
ing the Opening sales-Very
Successful Results.

1t is well-known that H. Weinstock of
this city, one of the Directors of the Cali
fornia Fruit Union, went to Chicago re-
Gently TO ineugurate the selling of California
fruits in that city under the auction plan.
The following letter, written by him on the
22d inst to P. Z. Plat, President of the
Fruit Union, will be of much interest to all
fruit-growers and the public generally:
AS you well know, my idea of tn : man.
ner in which 10 start the sales of California
fruit by auction in Chicago was to begin
with the first carload lot reaching here at
the beginning of the season, in order that
the trade might gradually be educated to
that method of sale, so that by the time
larger quantities began TO arrive they would
be ready to buy more freely Instead of
the auction plan being introduced in-that
way, let me state to you the conditions
that existed this morning when our first
sale took place.
To begin with Earl Bros had received
carload of fruit yesterday, which they were
Offering at private sale; Butts & Co. were
opening carload this morning from Reed.
and likewise Offering it at private sale :;
Porter Bros. had been loaded up to the
neck all this week, with much stuff in
wasting condition, which had to be sold
for very little, and nearly two
C rl)sds, which were remnants of
Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday S
arrivals, was yet on hand, most of it in
very bad condition. and which was to have
been put into the sale, with the two cars of
fresh fruit that should have arrived early
this morning, but were delayed some hours
Under these Conditions you can readily
understand my feelings when the sale
began. The method was new, the BUYERS
were timid, and the fruit on hand was bad,
but Notwithstanding all these disadvant-
ages the sale went Oft well, and while some
lots would doubtless have brought more at
private sale, am quite sure that the aver
age would have been lower.
Owing to the delay in transit, we were
obliged to hold a second sale between II
and II o'clock, of the two cars due here
early this morning Both cars were sold
in a comparatively few moments, and there
was realized nearly 81 200 each. While at
these figures there cannot be large margin
left for the owners of the fruit, yet on the
whole, | think it well that the bidders were
afforded an opportunity to make liberal
profits at the start. Their appetites have
been whetted and an eagerness excited for
future sales.
Among the buyers present were some
who had hitherto never handled California
fruits, and who bought for the first time.
and among the larger buyers were some
who had hitherto handled California fruit
in very small quantities only. The sale as
conducted has given very general satiSfac-
ton among the trade, and we can safely
count on an increased number of BUYERS
with every sale. The trade in our fruits is
destined to ramify in all directions. l feel
this clearly from remarks made by num-
Der of the bidders at to-day's sales. For
example one man said My business is to
I'LL orders for out-of-town trade This auc-
ton OF California fruits opens out a new
| field for me. | shall solicit orders from out
of-town jobbers to represent them here as
their broker, and l am sure can build up
a nice business for myself, and at the same
| time do you good by interesting people in
your fruits who hitherto have not handled
them
Another gentleman said: Il am from
Kalamazoo, and my friend here is from
Terre Haute. We are both fruit iobbers.
| though we have never handled Californie
fruits. This new way of selling them is
very acceptable to us we see that it places
us on an even footing with the most favored
buyers. and we think we can now see our
way clear since we can now buy from first
haAuoi W ueNelOp All extensive business III
| these goods, and so we propose to change
OFT and come to Chicago alternate weeks
| and buy for each other"
These gentlemen represent large families
of dealers who will be influenced in the
same way, and thus it can easily be seen
| how the channels of market will be widened
for us, and how, in short time, the de-
mand for our products will be wonderfully
increased. The most gratifying thing to me
at this time is the verdict of Mr.. Watson OF
Porter Bros. An hour or two after the sale
he spoke to me as follows: 81 must ac-
| knowledge the corn, and am free to say
that the results far exceed my expectations.
| L had no idea that the sales would be as
successful as they have been"
| Coming from one as conservative as Mr..
| Watson, whose opinion value highly, and
from one who has expressed grave doubts
as to the possible success of selling by auc-
ton, such an acknowledgment is certainly
most encouraging. By the time this letter
reaches you several other sales will have
taken place, and we will know more con-
corning the prospects of the permanent
success than we can at this time