The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-09-22

opened in the near future In all the great
cities of the world
The preliminary negotiations are already
commenced and final arrangements are
merely question OF routine.
"We cannot touch the people as things
now stand, said Greed Raymond to a
CALL reporter.
"Mr Huntington Is actively interested In
the problem, and | myself went thoroughly
into the matter in Europe.
In London | found tomatoes were con-
sidered cheap at II cents pound; Jersey
potatoes at cents pound; grapes sell at
81 30, and are served 10 you in the shape of
two or three berries shipped off with silver
scissors; Indifferent peaches sell at 20 to so
cents each, and they will continue to do so
in spite OF our shipments. Why? Because
Of the middeman.
Who do you suppose buys our fruit that
is now being shipped 10 England? Do you
suppose the public have chance to get
bid?
Not they'll All the consignments are
bought up by the great middleman. No
matter how cheaply they buy they retail
again to the public at the old rates and we
get no show.
Now. there is but one way out OF this
difficulty. California must own her own
buildings in each great city. These build
ings must be solely fruit markets. Our
fruit must be shipped direct to these great
stores aud then promptly laid out to the
millions who will throng TO buy at retail
prices.
You must understand that these people
are not rich enough to reach Us. We must
reach them.
And we are going to do so. Mr.. Hunting
ton is arranging for special line of 10000
ton steamers TO run from New Orleans to
European ports with our fruit.
Just look at our grapes, which are lying
rotting in many vineyards now.
"A How the yineyardlSt $40 a ton for his
grapes. Wouldn't he be glad to get it?
Add $50 ton for shipment and $50 profit
to the cooperative company to cover its out
lay expenses. That would put our grapes
on the market at three cents pound.
Imagine the sales in the great cities of
England alone. Do you suppose California
has acreage enough 10 supply the demand
for fruit once this great store system and
direct sales are started? Not If you work
out figures.
"What has made this scheme unfeasible
up to date is the big capital required.
But that difficulty is done away with
now.
"There are millions of dollars lying idle in
London now available at per cent on any
feasible project.
"And we are going to get some of those
millions"
Mr.. Huntington, on being interviewed at
his residence. was little embarrassed
81 didn't want the matter TO become pub
lie yet" he remarked. "We are in the
middle Of negotiations just now and it
would not do for me to go into details until
everything is settled. | am conservative
man and go about things steadily and
quietly.
1.-The keynote OF the whole question lies
in our direct supply to the masses and the
avoidance of the middle. man and the com
mission agent. 1t would be unwise for me
just now to go into details. OF course |
concur with Mr.. Haymond's views. We
discussed them together. l prefer to gen.
eraize for the present or | shall be COM
pllcatlng arrangements now pending"
Mr.. Huntington then made some COM
ments that were sufficient to show that
California is on the eve Of gigantic COM
mercial enterprise.