The San Francisco call., 1895-07-21
MARE ISLAND RIOTERS,
Discovery of a Rich Ledge of
Soapstone in Childs
Valley.
BIG BLAZE AT ABERDEEN
Port Townsend Customs Officers
Ordered to Guard Against
Hawaiian Filibusters.

FRESNO, CAL, July 20.-A mass-meeting
of fruit-growers was held here this after
noon, and was addressed by Major H.
Weinstock, president of the California
Fruit-growers' and Shippers Association.
The Fresno fruit-growers are deeply inter
ested in the success of the organization,
and they were at the meeting in large
numbers. Kutner Hall, one of the largest
in the city, was nearly filed. Among those
who attended to hear an explanation OF
the purposes of the association were also a
number of business men who are indirectly
affected by the prosperity of the growers.
D. T. Fowler was elected chairman and
O. B. Olufs secretary. Mr.. Fowler, who
has taken an active part in the organiza-
ton of the association, gave an outline OF
what it is doing. He contended that il
was a question of distribution, not of over
production, which must be solved. Since
1886, when one car of green fruit was
shipped East, the trade had increased until
now over 1000 cars are sent East in one sea-
son.
The future of the raisin industry, Mr..
Fowler said, was dependent in large
degree upon the success of fruitmen in
disposing of their green crop. If tits dried
it lowers the market price for raisins, and
both fruit and raisin men suffer.
Major Weinstock was received with ap-
pIause, and his remarks were closely fol-
lowed. Last year, he said, very many
Fresno County fruitmen did not clear ex-
penses, and they are ready to listen to and
heartily join in any plan that seems to be
a solution Of the problem of marketing.
Major Weinstock said the object of the
association is to reform the methods OF
marketing California green fruits in the
East. The chief evils in the old system are
unintelligent distribution, resulting in
glutted markets; two or more salesrooms
in many Eastern cities, resulting in bring
ing fruit into competition with itself and
thus making it impossible for the growers
TO get full value for their product; closed
auction-rooms, under the control of certain
Eastern buyers, who debarred from attend
ing the sales all who were not members OF
their organization, and who were thus en-
abled to control prices and sell to the small
dealers at exorbitant figures.
Major Weinstock explained the proposed
system of bulletins showing the condition
OF the market each day. Over SO per cent
OF the fruit now leaving the State, he said
is sold through the association. which is
the most successful organization in Cali
fornia. The daily bulletins alone have
saved the growers thousands of dollars by
preventing the Cutting of any market.
The determined efforts of the Chicago
Buyers Association have completely failed
to break up the new organization.
AT one point in his address, Major Vein
stock was interrupted by an agent of a
company that is trying to break up the
combine, but the man was soon silenced.
Resolutions pledging the support of the
Fresno growers were carried without dis
senting vote. Raisin men are watching
the progress of the association with deep
interest. and many of them believe that q
similar system would be of very great
value in disposing of the raisin pack.
While their product is not perishable, yet
the difficulty of preventing glut in any
market has resulted in great harm. 1t is
more than likely that the plan will be
adopted by the new raisin combine.