The morning call., 1894-10-24
Wanted to Control the
Fruit Auction.
HIS FRIEND SCATENA IN 1T.
Their Visit to Los Angeles Was
Unfruitful
AND NOW THEY WANT REVENGE.
The Local Merchants Are Still Squab'
bling Over the Intended Auc-
tion-Why They Object.

There was a new deyelopmentin the war
which is being waged by local fruit mer-
chants against the promoters of tue new
fruit auction yesterday, which may nave
tendency tn quell the enthusiasm when
has inspired the prime movers of the op-
position in their energetic endeavors 10
down the scheme.
Captain w. 81. Wood of Wood, Gray q
Co. and l.. Scatepa are the gentlemen who
held out the strong opposition, and now II
transpres that their determination 70
project the interests of the trade in this
city was actuated by motive other than
that with which they had been credited.
1t will be remembered that when w. w.
Jones, in behalf of the three firms CON-
prisiDg the auction. appeared before an
executive committee of the Fruit Ex-
changes Of Southern California. whicn
was held at Los Angeles recently, he was
met by these two gentlemen, who claimed
TO represent the merchants of San Fran
cisco, and after celebrating at length upon
the uubenehcial results attained In dis
posing Of their fruit through the medium
of an auctiUD-hOuse, they presented
long typewriter protest containing the
signatures of all the leading local fruit
firms.
The COMMITTEES, it appears, refused to
entertain the proposition; and being won
over by Mr.. Jones, tney decided 10 accept
a repetition of the auction scheme.
On returning to this city Messrs. Wood
and Scatena al once set about arOusDg the
merchants against the tti0n-movers,
which resulted in bitter conflict being
waged in fruit circles. and general feel
ing Of dissatisfaction has prevailed
throughout the trade.
Ii now transpires that the actions of
these gen tlemen were prompted solely by
a spirit of revenge. and not from a burn
ing desire to protect the interests of their
fellow-salesmen.
Ii appears that early in the season Mr.
Wood conceived the idea of forming a
new auction similar to that conducted last
year by rhe company in which he was a
shareholder. He took ScaieDa into the
scheme, and they agreed to conduct the
concern jointly. leaving their former as
sociates out of the deal.
After arrangements had been practically
completed here they went 10 Los Angeles
aud calling upon the various fruit ex-
changes offered to handle this years citrus
crop for a nominal commission of per
cent.
The commission paid by the producers
TO the company last year was s per cent,
and although the new offer was just half
that previously levied the exchanges for
some unknown reason refused to entertain
the offer. but instead gave preference to
the Jones faction, which had also come
down 2 per cent.
Captain Wood could not be found yes
terday afternoon. but his associate, Mr..
Grey, frankly admitted that the firm had
made the offer referred to, but without
success. He EXPRESSED himself. however,
as being opposed to the scheme of which
he had eDdeavored to secure control for
many reasons, but preferred TO remain
silent and give Captain Wood the oppor-
tuuity of defending his own actions.
Although this incide' has come to the
surface and is looked upon more as a mat
ter OF ridicule than 10 any other light, 1t
remains fact that the auction is still as
strongly opposed by some Of the mer-
chants as it was liz the beginning, and il is
altogether probable that they may come
together and take steps to protect their TO-
icIcsbS aga HISt tH6 t.'Ito WUU
reapiDg the benefit of the entire crop.
ID. E. Allison, one of the trio, refused to
speak on the subject yesterday. When
asked regarding the thirty-two leading
firms who had signed the protest he as
sumed an air of indifference and remarked
that people were only too ready nowadays
TO sign anything from a petition to hang a
man to protest against Chinese immi-
grafton.
From the expressions of many of the
merchants seen yesterday il is evident
that Mr.. Allison is greatly mistaken. These
men claim to have put their signatures to
the document solelv for the purpose of
aiding in accomplishing the downfall of
Allison's scheme which they claim is a
deathbow aimed to demoralize the trade
The princioal objection to the auction
seems to ba in the utter disregard OF the
management toward the local jobbers.
The latter will be at a great dtsadvan-
tage in many ways, especially in the mat
ter of purchasing, they being placed upon
the same footing as peddlers, thereby los
ing this one principal factor in the trade.
The utter indiscrimination of qualities is
another Objectionable feature.
just what action will be taken to antag-
onize the auction scheme has not yet been
announced, but judging from the positive
nature of the greater number of firms it is
evident that something tending toward
that end will soon materiaize.