The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-13
COLD MINNESOTA.
A Chat With One of Her
Fruit-Dealers.
What He Says of California's Trade
in the Northwest - Jim
Hills Plans.

j. S. Robertson of ST Paul. a member Of
Presley q CO.. fruit firm of that city, was
seen at the Palace last evening. He says
the winter in Minnesota and the s0-called
Northwestern States has been extremely
severe. He Will spend probably TWO weeks
here looking after the fruit trade and then
leave for the southern portion of the STATE.
His firm handled 173 carloads of Calfor-
mia deciduous fruits last season and several
consignments of citrus fruits.
He says California deciduous fruits have
but very little competition in the ST. Paul,
Minneapolis and Manitoba trade. A few
grapes from OHIO AID Iowa come in early,
but they make no raisins, and California
raisins command the market.
AS to citrus fruits; There Is this disad-
vantage" said he: the orange is simply
luxury and that alone, while your decidu-
Gus fruits are both Injuries and staples.
There is nothing East TO compare with your
peaches. prunes, pears and cherries, aud
your best apples reach us ahead of any
others Of good quality. Your canned and
dried fruits supply our lumber districts and
cross the lines and capture the Canadian
trade"
The breaking up of the Transeontinental
Association Will certainly result, he thinks,
in a very material reduction OF freight rates
for carload lots.
Your people" said he. should combine
and send nothing but carload lots TO our
section, and our rates will always cor
respond with Chicago rates. Your Califor-
MIA dealers begin to understand this and
will be careful to adhere to it in the future"
Continuing on the subject of citru, fruits
he says 1T is impossible for any of your
citrus fruits TO reach US as early as those of
Florida The Florida trade Is always the
first In that line. If the northern citrus
trade can be so managed as to hold sea-
son of its own directly after the Florida
trade has subsidized and then Southern Cali
fornia bring in their supply, you will n
time control at least half Of the season in
citrus fruits"
Mr.. Robertson is 4 near neghbOr and
close friend Of the famous Jim Hill of the
Great Northern Railway system. He Is a
great admlrer Of Hi, and says Hill is alb
solutely independent, and VIII under lao
| circumstances make any combinations.
/ Hill saws his grades are such That he Will
/ be Justihed In reducing freight rates a least
/ City per cent below that of other transconti-
| mental lines. lie expresses the firm con-
| Yictiun that the Great Northern system
| Will be extended al an early date 10 the
/ Sacramento valley and eventually TO this
! city. Hill, lie saws, absolutely controls the
/ system, and assures him Of this fact. Al
| though 81. Paul IS the present headquarters
| Of the system, 1t will shortly extend to Lake
Superior, where IL will have lis own line Of
steamers for the lake trade On the sound
( a line Of steamers is being constructed for
! the oriental trade. This may seem big
scheme, but the road has such backing that
! Il has actually been built without subs sides
OF any kind, and viii be free to main tain
| It's own rates and enlarge It's business with
| perfect disregard TO ali other lines.