The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-13
FRESNO GETS WARNING.
Grapes in San Joaquin County
May Be Injured by the
Storm.
HOP PICKING WITH
Dried Fruits Also Suffer Somewhat
From the Untimely Pre-
Cipitation.

FRESNO, CAL, Sept. 12.-After several
days of unsettled weather rain began fall
ing here last evening at 7 o'clock, and
there are prospects OF heavy fall tonight.
Early in the afternoon the local weather
bureau gave warning OF the storm existing
in the northern part of the State, and that
it was coming down the valley.
Two weeks ago arrangements were made
by the weather bureau with the large vine
yards in the county, which were connected
with this city by telephone, to display
weather flags.
AS result of this system thousands Of
dollars were saved by raisin-growers to-
night. AS soon as the weather bureau
received word from the north of the COM
ing storm the fact was telephoned to the
country stations, which warned the adjoin-
ing growers OF the rain this evening.
Ample time was had for stacking the trays
and protecting them from rain. The
grapes are about half dried, the stage at
which they are damaged most by rain.
Some growers, preferring to economic by
using paper for drying the grapes on and
thus taking chances on the weather, will
practically have their raisins ruined, as
the paper could not be stacked. But gen.
orally speaking the damage by the rain
will be slight.
STOCKTON. CAL, Sept. 12.-The ram
fall for the season to date has been AS of
an inch against nothing up to this date
last year. Last nights heavy downpour
will do considerable damage to grapes it is
feared. The prospects OF good crop OF
the fruit this season were very bright. but
the spirits of the vineyardists have been
somewhat dampened. Should north
west wind and cloudy weather follow, it is
thought the damage will not be very
heavy. Should there be any more
rain, however, the growing grapes
will be spoiled for any purpose
save for distillation. Moisture lessons the
amount of sugar in the grapes and renders
them less suitable for making wine in pro-
portion TO the amount of sugar lost. Wine
grapes before the rain sold at from So to
$12 ton, while table grapes brought from
$40 to $50 ton. The latter varieties of the
fruit will not be injured so largely as the
wine grapes, as the punches form so as to
afford more protection to the fruit. The
beans on the islands will be damaged if
this rain continues. The rain yesterday
had little effect, but last nights downfall
did some damage.
SANTA ROSA, CAL, Sept. 1.-THE
hopmen, orchardists and vineyardists are
very gloomy. II rained heavily all night,
and to-day there is very little hope of its
stopping. Crowds of people returned to-
day from the hopyards and drying
grounds, the rain having stopped all work
The prune men are in the midst of their
drying operations, and unless the weather
clears up soon the outlook is very serious
one. One corporation has five acres of
ground covered with trays of partially
dried fruit
PETALUMA, CAL, Sept. IA soaking
rain has been falling here for twenty-four
hours, and it still comes. A full inch had
fallen at noon. Some damage will result
to hay, grapes and hops. The grazing has
been practically almost spoiled, as the first
rains always take the nutriment from
the cured grass, and start the rotting.
MERGED, CAL, Sept. pa rainstorm
from the south set in at o'clock last even
ing, and for while the rain came down at
rafting rate. 1t is feared that much
damage will result to grain still stacked in
many fields in this neighborhood and to
the dried fruit interest. The rainfall was
20 of an inch. 1t is bright and clear.
NAPA, CAL, Sept. 12.-The rainfall for
the past twenty -four hours, ending at
o'clock this morning, amounted to sc OF an
inch. Rain has fallen all day with pros
poets of continuing during the night.
OROVILLE, CAL, Sept. 1.-THE past
three days rain has done considerable
damage to fruits that were drying and hay
that had not been removed from fields in
this vicinity. The Golden Feather Mining
Company, which is working in the bed of
the river near here, were compelled to stop
work until the river goes down again.
TheSe is no prospect of the storm letting up
tonight.