Los Angeles herald., 1891-11-06
TALKATIVE ROBERTS
He Asks Awkward Questions
of the Union.
Yesterdays Meeting OF the
Fruit Growers Association.
Ernest Watts Makes Number Of
Speeches.
The Report of Manager Mitchell-He
Makes Some Good Suggestions.
The Proceedings in
Detail.

The usual meeting of the stockholders
in the Southern California Fruit Grow
ers' union was held yesterday in the
rooms of the chamber Of commerce. OF
the 396 shares actually paid up, SAT were
represented. President w. A. Spald-
ing was in the chair, and at once called
for reports of officers, that OF Manager
George j. Mitchell being the only one
rendered. In this document the man-
ager said:
This union was incor porated January
S1st, 1891. A board of directors was
chosen for one year and an Office
opened in whichsthe business Of the cor
poration has been transacted. A secre-
tary and manager were appointed, who
Immediately proceeded to put the or
ganization in a position for business.
Inaugurated, as the movement,1 Twas so
late in the season, without time to ap-
point eastern agents, with but little
money on hand and the strong opposi-
tion OF all the buyers in this market,
backed by a portion of the press,
it was uphill work getting started.
However, before the union was
fortnight old, eastern agents in several
large centers had been appointed, and
the manager announced to the growers
through the press that he was ready to
ship their fruit. Owing to drawbacks
mentioned above, which necessarily
made the facilities of the union for do
ing business this first season very in
complet, the manager carefully avoid
ed soliciting shipments OF fruit from
members, and in several instances he
made sales for members to buyers or
brokers here at satisfactory prices.
Very little fruit was offered the union
by members for shipment, and this fact
in itself proves that the union had
already accomplished one OF the princi-
pal purposes for which it was formed.
The buyers league was practi-
cally broken. The districts which
had undoubtedly been formed and
apportioned among them were no
longer regarded, competition again be-
came the order of the day. and prices
offered for fruit in the orchard made a
marked advance. The idea in the for
nation of this union is not to break up
or interfere with the business OF anyone !;
it is to be supposed that for q long time
to come the buyers will handle the bulk
of our crop. but the object to be attained
is the rendering OF the grower practi-
cally independent, go that in making
his bargain he may deal on even terms.
There have been subscribed of the
capital stock 1927 shares, and the
amount called in by the directors of 81
per share, has been paid on S96 shares,
leaving 231 shares on which the secre-
tary has been unable to collect anything.
We should improve on this condition of
oGa,ra and haliouo cou
The shipments made by the union
since its formation have been twenty
four cars of oranges. With the excep-
ton of one car from Orange, all of the
fruit came from Vernon, and could not
be classed as frst.class fruit. This fruit
is generally shipped as mountain fruit.
Towards the end of the season the fruit
did not carry we'll, the reason being that
it was much ripper than usual on account
of dry, hot weather the preceding fall.
This fact the growers did not generally
realize. The manager frankly acknowl-
edges that the results obtained on about
one-third the fruit shipped by the union
were not satisfactory. On the balance
fair prices were obtained. The manager
would make the following suggestions
and recommendations:
In my letter calling this meeting, at
tention was called to the vital necessity
of backing the union with pledges OF
your fruit, reserving the option OF ship
ping through the union or disposing of
your crop in some other way, and in
that case paying 2 cents per box on
your crop towards the support OF the
union.
recommend the immediate appoint
ment OF competent agent at Chicago,
and several other large centers, to be
determined by the board Of directors,
and that in no event shall any person or
firm be appointed agent who is buying
fruit on this coast for his or its own ac-
count.
recommend that the union issue
weekly or semi-weekly bulletins to all
its members, quoting the correct mar
ket prices received by wire from several
large centers, and giving general infor-
nation as to the conditions of the differ
ent markets.
recommend that packing houses be
established at convenient points where
the growers can deliver their fruit and
have it properly packed and shipped,
each packing house to be in charge Of a
foreman, and the whole directly under
the manager.
l recommend that the board of di-
rectors be instructed and empowered to
take all necessary steps looking to the
establishment at as early date as pos
sible, of home auction for our fruit.
The orange crop of Florida is probably
the largest that state has ever had.
Conservative estimates place the figure
at 5000, 900 boxes or $500 cars. The
crop is now coming into market and
there is every reason to believe will be
disposed Of without trouble and in good
season, leaving US comparatively clear
markets in the spring.
The report was fully discussed, and
then adopted. The suggestion about
pledging fruit for shipment was at once
acted on, and in a short time 150 car
loads were subscribed. The convention
then adjourned until 80 o'clock.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The secretary read letter from M. D.
Turner. secretary of the Florida fruit
exchange, which is an organization Gre
ated for the same purpose as the union.
The writer declares that the benefits ac-
cruing from the exchange were inesti-
mable. The exchange has done away
with the scattered shipments almost en-
tirely, and the shipments to irresponsi-
BILE dealers are now impossible. The
shipments have increased from 5000
boxes in 1886 to 300 900 in 1890. The
net receipts have averaged $3.50 per