Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-17


of many. In the tea trade one house
owns some 800 stores and can easily
crush out any opposition. There is a
store in London where you can buy
diamonds or tripe; they will sell you
mutton chops and sausages or a $40, 900
necklace, grand piano or locomotive.
You can buy Stilton cheese there or
an elephant. You can have your house
furnished, your carpets cleaned or your
draying done. And it is so in other
lines. In fact few men have the con-
troll, and it is not to their interest that
fruit should become cheap, because that
would ruin the large hot house interests
of England and ruin the fruit interests
of Jersey, which are also of important
extent. Hot house fruit is naturally
dear and Jersey and other imported fruit
in which they have large money invest
ments, are also dear, owing to trans
portation charges, land values, etc.
Fruit land is very valuable, and the
steamers employed in transportation are
very fast boats, with small tonnage
capacity. California fruits have there
fore been bought up by this monopoly,
and the usual prices maintained as
matter OF self-protection to English in
terests.
Of course, monopoly is just as hard to
fight in England as anywhere else, and
it is at this stage that Mr.. G. P. Hunt
ington comes in, according to Colonel
Raymond. That astute 6nancier has
devised plan that will meet the diff
Guilty. According to the late attorney of
the railway, Mr.. Huntington has been
studying the matter for some tune, and
has thoroughly informed himself of the
whole situation. He has gone about it
so quietly and unostentatiously that un-
til the present time we have had no ink
ling as to his intention. This is to inn
prove the grades on the Southern Pacific,
many of which can be cut down to great
advantage, and then to put on 10, ,000-ton
steamers running directly to Southamp-
ton and Liverpool, and by this bring our
fruits rapidly to market. On the other
side he will break down the monopoly
by establishing an opposition, if need
be, in every city and prominent town in
the Three Kingdoms. And he will also
make similar markets on the continent.
Mr.. Huntington can accomplish this
very readily. His influence would
quickly lead to the formation of great
company in London, where capital is
stagnant, that would carry out his inten.
ton. London alone, with it's millions
of population, would furnish magnif-
cent market for our fruits, and they
could be sold go cheaply that they would
be in reach of the masses, and yet net a
splendid profit to the California raiser.
AS it is now, grapes sell over there for
81 30 pound, and other fruits in pro-
portion. No working man, naturally,
can buy at such figures, and even on the
tables of the well-to-do they are great
luxury, one bunch serving for many
guests.
benefit our people by this great under
taking, but he will equally benefit the
masses abroad. 1t will unquestionably,
as far as we are concerned, be one of the
greatest achievements OF his life, and
will greatly promote the prosperity of
the state, and give impetus to settle
ment here. The demand for our fruits
that will follow will be in excess greatly
of the present supply, and will tend to
stimulate greater production, and land
values naturally will increase.
The foregoing will be OF great interest
to our fruit growers; and, unquestion-
ably, if Mr.. Huntington carries out the
grand plan outlined for him by Colonel
Raymond he will take high rank in the
affections of our horticulturists. The
plan once accomplished would render
California an ideal land-which it is
now in certain respects and would
make its very name synonymous with
unbounded prosperity.