The record-union., 1896-01-18

tending your meeting, but the receipt
of your note furnishes an opportunity
for the expression of some views on
the subject which I had already pre-
sented to a committee from Highland
Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, Santa
Clara County The interest of the
grange, as expressed by its committee,
is in the possession ON the water front,
Of facilities for the receipt, handling,
short-term storage and sale, by auction
or in job-lots, of the perishable products
of the farms and orchards in the in
terror; and this is the only so-called
free market that has been considered in
any way by the Harbor Commission
In fact, it may be doubted whether
this board would have the right to
maintain anything in the nature Of a
general market on the city front. A
market for cereal products has for some
years been established on the seawall,
where shipments from the interior and
even from Oregon are permitted to re-
main certain number of days after
landing without any charge for storage.
and to lay there certain longer period
upon the payment of a small sum, the
object of the board evidently having
been to collect such revenue only as
would meet current expenses and enable
its officers to exercise the necessary
control over the use of the allotted
space.
Here was found the precedent for so
much of free market, so called, as has
been considered by the Harbor Com
mission; and, in fact, this was what
suggested the idea in the first instance.
1t was seen that an advantage was
conferred (at all events sought to be
conferred) upon the producer of cereals
which was denied to producers of per-
ishable farm products, such as fruits
and vegetables. The grain farmer could
let his sacks of wheat remain five days
on the landing without incurring a cent
of expense, even the tolls which are coll
lected upon all other products crossing
the line of the city front being omitted
in the case Of grain, flour and millstuffs
During this time he could seek a buyer
or make arrangements for storing else
where. But the fruit farmer has al
ways been obliged, owing to the con-
gested condition of the landings during
the fruit season, not only to pay full
tolls but to hurry his stuff away soon
after its arrival in order that room
might be had for the cargoes which
We're rapidly to follow
This commission also in the past. by
authority of an Act of the Legislature.
set apart a portion of the water front
for the exclusive use of the fishermen,
where the bounteous yield of the waters
taken by them is sold, the commission
going so far as to provide cold storage
facilities. Meantime, as said before, the
producer of garden truck arriving at
the wharves, or the shipper thereof,
is obliged to conform strictly to the reg
uIations, in order that the continuous
influx during the season may not be OBJ
structed.
To come, therefore, to the concrete
of the proposition, so far as am con-
cerned as member of the Harbor Com
mission, / am in favor of setting apart
section of the seawall, which is at the
foot of Front street, and have a shed,
500 feet long and 40 feet wide, for the
use Of shippers of fruits and vegetables
in their season, under terms similar to
those governing the use of the grain
shed by the grain men; that is to say,
each shipper may occupy the space
allotted to any particular consignment
for from three to five or seven days, as
may be determined by a conference be-
tween the board and the shippers or
the State organization of growers, no
charge to accrue other than that for
landing in the first instance. The
grower, or shipper, or consignee, as the
case might be. would then not be forced
to get his stuff out of the way in
hurry, or, in the absence of a buyer, to
dump it into the bay He would have
a breathing spell and time to look about
for the best disposition of his products.
Such details as auction sales, or private
sales by packages or otherwise, might
well be left to the producers themselves,
to be arranged for by their State or
local organizations. In no case, how
ever, could the general control of the
premises be diverted from the Harbor
Commission.
This, in brief, is the present stage of
development of the free-market idea so
far as the Harbor Commission is con-
cerned. Very truly yours,
E. L. COLNON.
The hour being late, and the storm
giving no prospect of abatement, the
meeting adjourned after those present
had briefly and informally discussed
the contents of Mr. Colnon's communi-
cation. Mr.. Mills, as he was leaving the
room, remarked:
Everything I have heard tonight
confirms my conviction that the San
Francisco Free Market will soon be an
accomplished fact. We have a formal
and most liberal proposal from the
Harbor Commission, and that means
a great deal. I tell you," he repeated
emphatically, as he vanished down the
elevator shaft, ''the San Francisco Free
Market is coming, and when it once
does come it will come to stay