Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-18
A. CANNON IL co.
The Largest Capital in the Fruit Business West
of the Mississippi.

When Cannon e. Co. commenced in bus
mess some of the Kansas City and st.
Louis firms in the same line were very
anxious about the Wichita company, fear
ing there was no demand for such an en-
terprise. They were especially anxious
| over the matter, meaning well of course
and not wishing any one to attempt I'M
possibilities. They had been accustomed
TO handle most of the Kansas fruit busl-
| ness and could not exactly understand how
| 1t was possible for a change in the COM
mercial affairs. The demands of the city,
however, according to the estimate OF
those concerned, called for house doing
| an extensive jobbing business in that line.
Mr.. Cannon, Galveston gentleman, who
has spent years in that business got an eye
on Wichita as jobbing point. Mr.. d.
HAYS who having been in and around
Wichita for years knew the country and
city, and could enumerate its advan-
tages, and thus the two were quite able to
figure closely and correctly on business
in that line in Wichita. Being certain of
demand for the business they secured
the brick building adjoining the Stein
| hauser-Merkle company on the south.
The building has an east front OF seventy
five feet, one hundred and forty
deep and two floors with base
ment. The room is sufficient TO care
for 100 car loads, which in that line means
that the company can handle double that
number of cars at once.
A Santa Fe switch runs into the build
ing, allowing two cars in position for I'M
loading at once. This by fruit men, is
considered one of the commendable points
in the arrangement. 1t calls for slight
handling of the fruit, which is a great
saving by way of preservation.
The company deals in all kinds of trop-
zeal and domestic fruits and vegetables,
sundry and fancy groceries. They went
into the business with more ready money
than can be shown by any house in sim
liar line in Kansas City or st. Louis.
Owing TO the facilities for getting goods
they do not go to middle houses, as for
merly, thus allowing Kansas City profit
on every orange consumed in Wichita, put
90 direct to headquarters in New York
City, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Califor-
MIA and Old Mexico. They are not COM
PEELED to pay more than Kansas City for
anything, but some they can
get at cheaper figure than
Kansas City. The distributing rate
gives the company decided advantage
over Kansas City and ST. Louis for the
southwest and all the country naturally
tributary to Wichita. This being true
the firms in these cities have about quit
attempting impossibilities and all their
fears have been been removed about the
success of jobbing houses in Wichita.
The company has travelling men on the
road taking in western and southern
Kansas, Indian territory, northern Texas,
eastern Colorado and New Mexico. While
having been running for only about two
weeks the proprietors have proved by
actual experiment that to be true which
they reasoned was correct before going
into the business. Mr. Hays says that
their trade has been much better than he
had anticipated. He rejoices to know
from actnal experiment that his conclu-
sions were correct. Thus is added another
extensive jobbing firm to the city.