The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-11
.LOR!DKS FROZEN ORANGES.
Carloads of Them Dumped on
the Market.
The Florida .Freeze Has Not Ripened
California Fruit.
Orders stin Coming in Faster Than They
Can Be File d-No Raise in
Freight Rates.

Los ANGELES Jan. 10.
ave are Just getting it into the heads OF our
customers" said Secretary Kimball Of the
Southern California Fruit exchanges. "that the
Florida freeze has not ripened our fruit ahead
of time" That in nutshell sizes up the
orange situation. There lisa great demand for
rips oranges but rire oranges still scarce
article notwithstanding the Florida freeze and
our own balmy weather. The glorious sun
shine OF the plst few days, however. has as
sisted wonderful in the coloring OF tne fruit.
A few weeks more of such weather will make
1t possible to start shipments in earnest. The
exchanges are moving very cautiously in the
matter. They realize that this year of all years
the reputation OF California oranges m ust be
established, If full advantage were taken of
the Florida freeze at present hundreds OF car
load of fruit could be shipped, but in Its pres
ent green state it would be unwiss to put 1t on
tho market for consumers would arrive at the
conclusion that California oranges lack sweet
ness, The consequences woald be that the next
time Southern California had to co npete with
Florida, Florida would get the trade. The
policy of shipping none but ripe fruit can not
be too highly commended
There is no let up on the receipt Of orders.
More are on file now at exchange headquarters
than can be filled in week hence, simply be.
cause enough fruit fit for shipment is not to be
had From ID to 20 carloads have gone for
ward TINS far this week. but this is only 1.-THE
OF the amount demanded. Most of the ship
nents are from the east end of the citrus bait,
where the fruit seems to be ripenins most rap
IDLY. In Los Angeles county the crop seems to
De farther advanced in the vic nifty OF Whittier
than elsewhere, and the Semi rropic Fruit ex-
ehange, which controls This district, will soon
begin shipments from Whittier.
The rumored raise of freight rates by the
Jouthern Pacific Is causing little uneasiness
among shippers and growers, as they have the
assurance Of the Santa Fe that no raise will be
countenanced by that company and the South
orr Pacific is not in petition to attempt to en-
force such policy alone. The utmost coma
dence is felt that rates will no. be disturbed.
This is the first time that the growers have had
chance to make any money VI several years,
and they feel that If the railroads were to take
advantage OF the good prices in prospect and
carry out the old policy of charging all the
traffic will bear, the Grange growers might as
we'll 60 out OF business. They have seen the
railroads get all the profits in form years, and
get draw down for once for themselves, espe-
cially sincs the railroads will derive just as
great a revenue, at tho present rates, as they
have heretofore.
Telegraphie advices confirm the prediction
made IN these columns that frozen FLORIDA
oranges would be dumped on the eastern mar
ket in large quantities. and that it will havs
demoralizing effect 1t will not last long, how
ever, the fruit will begun to rot as soon as 1T
thaws out.
Speaking OF the orange market, prominent
railroad freight agent said that he thought the
fruit exchanges would this year handle at least
1000 cars of the estimated crop of Southern
California. The large commission firms are all
in the field however, and are pushing matters
actively. One of the leading shippers said that
his firm was now paying an advance of 25
cents box on all grades over the figures
quoted by the exchanges He also claimed
chat he exchanges auctions at San Francisco
were demoralizing the f. b. business all over
the coast, and that growers would get more re-
turns from local free-on-b board business here
than they do by the San Francisco auctions.
The exchanges look at 1t differently and the
eight exchanges of the southern part of the
state seem determined to make most thorough
part OF the crop they will have to hand o this
year.
A large local shipper reports that Decemb,r
81 there were shipments of $1,000 boxes of
Sicily oranges to this country, as against H.
600 to the same date the year preceding.
Sicily lemons shipped up to December 81, a.
amounted TO 218,00O boxes. while up to the
same date OF the preceding year the amount
wss l AZ 600 boxes