Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-04-23
THE BANANA TRADE.
Something About the Local Tsrffic In 1hi'
Familiar Fruit.

SOmeEnluK ADOuN Ahp
Familiar Fruit.
There is one business not often heard Oh
in the public prints, which has reached
mammoth proportions in Wheeling, during
the past two or three years, and that is the
iobbipg in the succulent and golden ban
ana. There are several wholesalers of this
cbo;ce production Of a discriminating trop'
ical climate in the city, and the number oil
bananas handled by them is almost fabu-
Ions running ND to nearly or quite half a
million q month in the height OF the
season, which, by the way, is about this
time of wear. About ten cars per month
are coming TO the city at present, each car
containing about three hundred or three
hundred and ssventy-five punches. A
buuch will run all the way from seventy
five to one hundred and seventy-five ban
apas, so the large aggregate mentioned can
bereadily accounted for.
The largest dealer in bananas in this city
is Mr.. Z. s KinchelOe, whose place OF
business is on Market street, near the lower
end of the Market square. He receives
from one TO two cars of the fruit week,
and when REGISTER reporter called upon
him a day or two sgo, he was busily en-
gagged, with force OF employees, endeavor-
ing to find room for two cars of the fruit
which he makes his speciality. He fur
nished large amount of information re-
Qarding the trade, and also some choice
specimens of the fruit.
At present the supply of bananas in the
seaboard cities s far greater than is neces-
sary to meet the demand, but bounteous
as is the supply, importers in New York
and Baltimore say shipments will be lar
heavier as the summer advances. The ba-
nanas that supply the dinner
tables of Wheeling, and lend in
viting lusciousness to the peripatetic
vender's display, come from the West In
dies and Central America. The crop has
been particularly prolific this spring. The
feature of the supply has been the fruit
turned out from the plantations at Bsra-
Goa in Cuba. The Cuban planters have
developed regular boom in the cultiva-
ton of the fruit, and are now making an
ambitions bid for the patronage of the
American market.
A cargo was landed in New York from
Bsracoa on Tuesday last that consisted Of
between 5000 snd 5000 punches, shipped
as q sample of what the plantations could
turn ont. 1t was very
exceptional shipment, and created a
genuine stir in the market. The fruit was
reported to be of fine flavor, and was
noticeable for its large size. Several times
before banana shipments have been re-
ceived from Baracoa, bat they were moth
ing to compare in quality or quantity
with last weeks importation.
The extent of the receipts from the
regular ports have made it expedient for
importers to get the fruit of their hands
with all possible dispatch, and car after
car has, during the last ten days, been
rolled away to the inland cities Of the
Western and Middle States in so far
vain attempt to tighten the visible supply
in importers hands.
The fruit is shipped from its native
chores in state of rank greenness, and
when unloaded at New York, if the cargo
is in good condition. the fruit is about as
green az that color ever gets. The fruit
ships bring anywhere from 10000 TO 90
600 punches, OF from /, ZOO. 900 to $780,,
600 bananas, at load, the punches beirg
hung up between decks in tier upon tier.
Arriving at New York the cargo is trans
f rred to immense store houses, bat is
there kept for as limited time as posi-
BILE, ss the fruit ripeus quite rapidly under
favorable conditions When orders are
10 he filled for the inland trade the
punches are transferred TO specially con-
structed cars, in which il is possible to
keep up an even and moderate tempera-
ture, no odds what may be the state of the
weather outside, and are thus shipped to
their destination. Generally upon arriv-
ing in Wheeling the bananas are, here
and there, beginning to show tinge of
yellow, but often bunch after bunch will
be seen of the came unvarying shade OF
deep green.
II the shipment is for Mr.. Kincheloe,
which is probable, as he does the bulk of
the Wheeling business, the punches are
transferred to wagons and are taken to his
Market street warehouse. There the
bananas are transferred to large and airy
cellar, where they are hung up to joists, he
often having five hundred punches on
hand al once. In this cellar the light is
excluded as much as possible, while an
even temperature of about 65 degrees is
constantly maintained. Here the bananas
slowly ripeu, and from this place they are
shipped to the local retail dealers sll over
the neighbOrhoOd, and in the surrounding
towns
The Wheeling supply of fruit comes as
rule from New York, although some
shipments are made from Baltimore. The
Southern and Western trade ia generally
supplied from New Orleans, which lie rap
idly coming into prominence rs fruit i'm
porting point.