The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-01-08
LOCAL FIELD Of COMMERCE,
A Produce Exchange is Badly
Needed.
No New Developments in the Orange
Situation.
winter Vegetable Shipments-Local Pro-
duce Quotatlons-Pointers for the
8griculturalist.


Los ANGELES, Jan. z.
Business men from other cities who visit Los
Angeles are surprised that this city has no reg
ular produce exchange There is perhaps no
other city the size of Los Angeles in the coun-
try that does not have in exchange where
prices of all staple products regulated in
accordance with the law OF supply and demand.
The experiment has bsen tried here several
times but was never a success. That was some
years ago. however. when production in South
e.n California was not SO great and the trade OF
Los Angeles not nearly SO large as at present.
The reason assigned by dealers in grain and
other produce for the non-existence of pro-
duce exchange here is that Los Angeles is not
really center for the handling aud export
of these products. There is no location for
storing grain, ETC., here. Buying and selling
are nearly all done in the field, and the stuff
that is exported goes directly from tho prem
Uses of the producer to- the San Francisco or
eastern markets Notwithstanding this condi-
ton, the necessity for produce exchange is
strongly felt. Its very difficult with the pres.
ent disorganized system of trading, or rather
lack of any system, to get o true conception of
the actual state of the market without spending
great deal OF time in inquiry and practically
making q canvass of the whole town 50 varied
are the statements and quotations made by diff
erent dealers in the same products. There is a
woiul lack of uniformity in prices OF nearly all
classes OF commodities and this will continue
TO be the status of things till produce ex
change is regularly established
THE ORANGE MARKET.
There is nothing new in the orange situation.
The week opensd warm and bright and the crop
still sale from wind and frost. The fruit is
daily getting richer in co,or and absorbing
sweetness from the soil. There remains every
reason why the orange grower should rejoice,
and rejoicing he is over the prospects of getting
bigger profits out of his business this year than
be ever did before. AS yet shipments are
sparse, because of the scarcity Of ripe fruit and
not from lack Of orders. The various fruit ex-
change accepted orders for from so to 100 car
loads last week, but they have not all been
dllsd as yet. This rain of Friday and saturday
ma lie the ground too soft for work in the or
Guards, so orders accepted the latter part OF the
week could not be filled, Inquiries continue to
pour in from all directions, and it is still six
weeks earlier than the usual opening o. the
season. While the exchanges hsve not yet
changed the quotations given out last week.
they have in some instances refused to furnish
them to eastern correspondence as they are not
in position to fill all the orders received.
The Orsnge Growers association will build at
Fullerton one of the largest packing houses in
Southern California. The contract has been
let.
VEGETABLE SHIPMENTS.
The demand is good for winter vegetables
both in San Francisco and ut the east The
Cahuenga valley is furnishing green peas, egg
plant, string beans. tomaroes and greea pep
pers for the San Francisco markat Eagle Rock
valley ships tomatoes aud other vegetables eaet
as does East Whittier. Anaheim is shipping
celory, and the Chinese gardeners south of the
city are supplying cs bbsges for the cities east
OF the Rockies.
E. W. Parker of Eagle Rock shows at the
chamber of commerce tomatoes weighing Il
pound and two ounces as a sample of the fruit
he is shipping to Chicago this winter. A Chi
cage tourist who standing by when Mr..
Parker's exhibit was put in place remarked that
he has been paying 20 cents apiece in Chicago
for such tomatoes and was glad to get them at
that price. Mr. Parker says the late rain spoiled
20 tons of tomatoes for him, but he still has
many 10 ship.