The record-union., 1896-07-19
EASTERN FRUIT SHIPMENTS.
Operators Talk Over the Situation and
State Facts.
Eastern Markets Clearing Up and Bet
ter Prices Are Expected This Week
The Days Shipments.

the amount of fruit sent East for the
week will compare favorably with ship
ments of any week of the season
Concerning the present outlook, Mr..
Earl of the Earl Fruit Company said:
Fruit shipments are falling off on ac-
count of the low prices in the Eastern
auction markets, and also on account
of light crop. For the tWenty-four hours
ending at a. m. Friday, the 18th, there
were only twenty-five carloads of fruit
shipped to Eastern markets, compared
with siXty-three cars on Thursday or
the same week in 1895. Our records
show that the total shipments for the
present season aggregate 961 cars, COM
pared with 1,039 cars to same date last
season. The following shows the num-
Der of cars sold in each of the principal
Eastern auction markets to July 10th
this season, compared with same date
last season:
Chicago o....22 22i cars 2ll cars
New York. rk.-..............-....l47 cars l6l cars
Boston 81 ears II cars
THE above shows a slight increase
at New York and Boston, and a de-
crease at Chicago. We are selling
large quantity of fruit f.. 0. b. cars Cali
fornia for shipment to the smaller East
ern cities. There has been less fruit
shipped to the smaller auction mar
kets, such as Buffalo, Pittsburg, Phlia-
delphia and Kansas City, this season
than last season, and most of the fruit
sold at auction this season is being con-
centrated in the three principal markets
named above-that is, Chicago, New
York and Boston. From these markets
it is reshipped into the surrounding ter
rirory.
Prospects continue favorable for
very large peach crop in Maryland and
Delaware, which will begin to move ear
IL in August, and the outlook is there
fore not very favorable for California
peaches in the Atlantic Coast markets
during the remainder of the season. The
Western markets, however, will prob
ably take good quantity of peaches,
although the Chicago market is likely
to be we'll supplied with Michigan
peaches. The Earl Fruit Company is
receiving orders for large quantities of
peaches for shipment to the smaller
cities west of Chicago, and this Western
demand is likely to continue during the
next two or three months.
Another shipment Of fruit will leave
for London on Tuesday, the list, con-
sisting of Bartlett pears, Beurre Hardy
pears and probably some plums and
prunes. We will have three cars in the
next London shipment. Growers seem
disposed to give the London market a
thorough trial this season, and larger
shipments are being offered for export
from week to week than it is thought
advisable to send forward. We do not
feel disposed to encourage shipments of
over three cars for London each week.
A j. Hechtnan, Vice-President of
Porter Brothers Company, had this to
say:
Our advices from Minneapolis, Chi
cago, New York, Boston and Philadel-
phia report the Eastern markets clean
ing up, and present indications are that
this week will see better prices on Cali
fornia fruit in these cities. The Geor-
gia peaches will let up the coming week,
and the heavy crop of Delaware peaches
VIII not begin before August 10th. The
general impression in the East is that
the market touched bottom during the
week just past, and with good Crawford
peaches in the Eastern markets we
look for quite an Improvement in prices.
THE last seven days have not been an
exception so far as low prices are con-
cerned. Every season there is period
of low prices and stagnation. There is
no money or satisfaction in low prices
for the producer the receiver or the
retailer, and I dare say that the con-
sumer would be much better pleased If
he could afford to pay So per box for
California Bartletts than he would be to
q hot ho
hardly afford to spend the dollar for a
luxury.
The feeling on Bartlett pears is very
much stronger AT yesterdays sale in
New York City Bartlett pears averaged
from 81 so to 50 per box. To-day half
boxes of Bartlett pears sold at 81 % per
box, which would be upon basis of
50 80 per box.
Shipments are going forward in
moderate quantities, and there does not
seem to be desire on the part of pro-
ducers to crowd the Eastern markets
beyond their capacity of consumption.
The reason for light shipments made
up to date is due entirely to the effects
Of frost. causing an actual shortage in
the crop of good Eastern shipping fruit.
There is no change in the dried fruit
situation since your last interview. 1t
would certainly seem as though the
present low prices for dried fruit would
stimulate speculation to such an ex-
tent that there must be a reaction for
the better before the fall movement of
dried fruit sets in. The market East on
dried apricots is nominal. Quotations
run from Sta to 91a cents per pound, ac-
cording to quality, but there is little de-
mand for the product. 1t is really un-
reasonable to expect demand for some
time to come, as the green product is
abundant and cheap.
NO we have not reduced our force:
but, On the contrary, are keeping them
all busy. 1t is true that an item to this
effect appeared in an evening paper, but
the information did not come from any
one in authority connected with Porter
Brothers Company.
Yes. the volume of our business this
season has exceeded our expectations;
in fact. there is a decided increase in
the volume of our business as compared
with last season.
I'VE have the fullest confidence in the
future of the California fruit industry,
general business in this country the
fruit industry will be one of the first to
fail in line and feel the effect of good
times.
1T is folly for man in any line of
business to expect large profits year
after year. In all lines of business and
in all walks of life man is forced by cir
cumstances to take the "bitter with the