The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-04
MEETING OF MELON MEN.
SHIPMENTS TO BE MADE THROUGH
MACORS EXCHANGE.

The Scheme to Adopt a List of Com
mission Houses Defeated-The Elk
change Expected to Handle Nearly
500 Cars Per Day-The Outlook for
the Season Bright.
ALBANY, GA, May 3.-Pursuant to the
adjournment of the convention a month
ago the Melon and Fruit Growers Associa-
tion Of Georgia met at the court house in
this city to-day. The meeting was called
to order at IL O'Clock. with President g. R.
Mckee in the chair. The minutes of the
last meeting were read by the secretary, j.
8. Davis, and on motion of j. R. For
roster were adopted. By this time about
all the delegates had arrived, and the large
court room was filed with melon growers.
railroad representatives and commission
men. The chairman stated that the meet
ing had been called for the express purpose
of receiving the report of the committee
appointed to select and compile a suitable
list of reliable commission houses for
the growers "At the last meeting the
growers agreed to pledge themselves TO the
houses selected and ship to no others But"
said the chairman, 'as / understand that
the Macon Produce Exchange has grown in
favor with the growers In this section l
think it well to suggest TO the body that
perhaps it would be well for the convention
to hear from the Macon exchange before re-
seiving the market committees report,
thereby saving time and labor, perhaps."
CLAIMS OF THE EXCHANGE.
President o. N. Houser. by request, arose
and gave the growers idea Of the inten-
tions and workings of the exchange and
stated that, as he was very feeble from re-
cent illness, Mr.. Lowe, the treasurer OF the
exchange, would 60 into details and show
exactly what the exchange proposed and
would do for the growers il Endorsed BY the
CON ention and rigidly supported by the
growers. The exchange is positive that it
will be able to handle 446 cars per
day advantageously to the grower.
When Mr.. Lowe took his seat,
short talks for and against the exchange
were engaged in by the delegates. Col ].
A Bush of Camilla said that he was in
favor Of adopting the exchange, but that
the grower assumed all the risk in ship
ping. and that the financial standing and
reputation for honest dealing OF each COM
mission house selected by the Macon ex-
change should be shown up to the grower
They were not in a position to know who
was a rogue and who was an honest man.
RIGHT OF THE ASSOCIATION.
Soliritor W. N. Spence said that the as
sociation had no right. or should not try to
assume the right Of trying to revise the ex-
fair dealings of their agents.
]. r. Forester spoke in favor Of adopting
the exchange, for he knew the gentlemen
composing it, and knew that they were
worthy the utmost confidence of the
growers. and that in the ex-
changes hands their melons would
be handled to the best advantage possible.
During the discussion ii was shown that the
grower would know exactly where his
melons were going il they were placed in
the exchanges hands twelve hours before
hand.
w. c. Collins moved that the list of COM
mission houses selected by the exchange be
read out to the body.
The motion was carried, and s. Kelley
arose and called out a lengthy list, which
seemed to be satisfactory.
THE ONLY HOPE
j. K. Forester spoke earnestly, and what
he said was Endorsed by many of the lead
ing growers He said that in his mind the
only hope the melon industry had of reach
ing the grand success it deserved was
through a head OF channel like the Macon
exchange; that so long as the growers in
sisted on shipping their melons promis-
cuously the market would be Rlutted.
and they would be duped by questionable
commissi houses, but as soon as a
house was guilty of dirty transaction
every grower would be notified through the
melons; that this was the only means now
in sight through which the growers could
hope to bring buyers to the fields Some
one asked whether il the growers pledge
themselves to consign their shipments to the
exchange would the grower be allowed to
sell on the track.
WHAT THE EXCHANGE ASKS.
Mr.. Houser arose and said: "All the ex-
change asks is that the growers consign or
through all he
that are shipped, and that if they can sell
on the track advantageously they will be at
perfect liberty to sell every melon raised
Mr.. Gerideau, a noted melon grower of
Monticello, Fla, then arose and moved that
the Macon Produce Exchange be adopted
by this association, and in making this mo-
ton said: 81 mean business. 1t is not for
us to say we will when we don't intend
70, but let the exchange be unreservedly,
wholly and rigidly adopted, and stuck to
by the growers"
THE EXCHANGE ADOPTED.
His motion was put and carried by an
unanimous rising vote. Mr.. Gerideau then
moved that the exchange be requested to
draw up q contract to be signed by the
growers binding them to ship only through
the exchange.
After heated discussion the motion was
unanimously carried. and then Mr.. Forces
ter moved that the exchange be requested to
publish In pamphlet form the list of COM
mission houses selected by them, and send
them out TO the growers throughout the
melon belt
No further business coming before ii.
the convention adjourned subject to the cali
OF the president. The meeting was largely
attended and more interest was shown than
at any previous meeting, and all seemed to
think that the melon industry is on the uu
grade and that the present crop will prove
a financial blessing to the melon bill. All
think that the melon business all round is in
better shape now than at any time.