The morning call., 1895-01-03
A MARKED FALL IN PRICES.
What Came of D. e. Allison's
-: Wild Challenge.
DIDN'T KNOW 1T WAS LOADED"
The Ruin of the Florida Orange Crop
Will Materially Aid the Cali.
fornia Growers.

The first auction sale of California or
anges for this season under the manage
meDt of the San Francisco Fruit Auction
Company was held yesterday morning at
the warerooms of the syndicate in the Fair
building on Pacific street Only one car
load of fruit was disposed of and the prices
realized were such as to insure low mar
ket here throughout the winter.
The oranges os regular grade brought
from ST 90 to 50 10 a box, while the inferior
qualities went as high as 81 60. On Mon
day the prices realized for the better grades
averaged 50 80, the drop of 40 cents result
): ing from the auction sale being considered
y boon for retailers as we'll as consumers
and the effect will undoubtedly be felt by
the public.
The commission men who handle citrus
fruits, however, take>a very different view
of the matter and maintain that the firms
composing the auction. combine are work
ing solely in their own interests and with
utter disregard to The trade. The low
prices which the Independent houses will
be forced to conform with leave but a
slight margin for profit, and. as result,
. many of these intend doing away with
:. this line. of fruit and combining their winter
trade to such fruits as will not be inter-
;: fered with by the auction.
:. So aroused were the great majority of
outside houses when the announcement
was made some weeks ago that the South
ern California: Fruit exchanges had con-
tracted for the. disposal of their winter
citrus crops through the local combine
that highly favored petition condemn
Ing the move was circulated, and every
one of the twenty-Six commission-houses
outside of the trio composing the auction
company contributed Its signature.
J.. The contents of this document have never
been made public, but from what can be
learned the terms require that each of the
firms signing is to maintain a strong OPP
position 10 the auction scheme and to do
all in its power toward crushing it'out of
existence.
D. E. Allison & Co., Eveleth & Nash
and the Dalton Bros. compose the syndi-
cate, and in spite of all the opposition
from other sources they have succeeded in
causing their plans to materialize and hope
to continue throughout the winter months.
ID E. Allison, who is generally recog-
nized as the head, tail and all of the con-
Germ of the firm bearing his name and who
represents third, has long since declared
war to the knife against those who have
dared to oppose his schemes and when
abiding to their audacity in attempting to-
stand in. his way be becomes lost in the
flush of his passion and gives vent to his
wrath in a decidedly supplementary
manner.
While unfolding his tale Of Indignation
H. dao rod
that he would give $3.50 to any one who
would produce the petition referred TO as
containing the names OF the opponents of
the auction:
This brave challenge was communicated
to the leaders of the opposing forces and
within half an hour L. Scatini had gained
possession of the document. and accom-
panied by his informant proceeded to Mr.
Allisoh's place of business and offered TO.
turn the paper over upon the receipt of the
reward.
"A sudden change came over the cOun-
tenance of the challenging fruit man, and
his manner was subdued by several de-
grees. 1t took him some time to crawl out
of the hole in which he had placed him.
self. buthe did in the end. and Mr. Sea-
tinI went away dollarless. So much for
the challenge.
- The fact of the wholesale ruin to the
Florida orange crop. which was brough.
about by the disastrous frosts which re-
Gently visited that State. will have the
effect of advancing the establishment of
the California crop upon a. much more
substa ntiaI basis in the East.
Oranges by being frozen are not rem
dered unstable at once by any means.
The fruit becomes iuieeless. leaving noti-
ing: but the pulp. thereby relieving them
of the most important factor in their make
up. The Florida growers will conse-
:.,quently rush their crops into the market
and dispose of them as quickly as possible
.atany price.
The fully developed California product
will ma turally receive the benefit of the
trade, and by the time the Florida article
+: becomes extinct. which will probably be
no later than May. the California orange
will hold full sway and the prices will I'M
+: doubtedy rise to high figure.