The San Francisco call., 1896-11-23
WORK ON BEHALF
Of THE FARMERS
A Livermore Lady Sur
prises 0akland's Board
of Trade.
Mrs. Cunningham Will Co-ops'
rate in Establishing a
Produce Exchange.
Personally Visits and Lectures Land
Owners Who Persistently
Neglect Their Property.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL.
9OS Broadway. Nov, %,

908 Broadway, Nov. D.
The Oakl and Board of Trade was sur
prised last night by a woman. Mrs.
Cornelia E. Cunningham addressed the
members and they freely admit that they
left the hall with more new ideas than
they had thought of for the past three
months.
Mrs. Cunningham was the organizer of
the Livermore League of Progress, and she
came to Oakland TO tell the board what
had been accomplished and TO solicit their
co-operat tion in instituting a representa-
tive and permanent county exhibit.
The mem bers opened their eyes with
wonder when they listened to the plain
story of what the speaker had accom-
plished, not only by her individual efforts,
but in conjunction with other active work
ers in her town.
For several months she has been ex-
ploring the interior of the county, finding
out who owned property and paid no per-
it her business to call on the owners, many
of whom reside in San Francisco, and tell
them that they are an iucubus on the COM
munity. She uDhesitatingiy expressed
her opinion of the millionaire Arthur
Rogers, who recently married Mrs. Mont
gomery. Mr.. Rogers owns beautiful
ranch of 100 acres, which is in ruin. 1t Is
neglected, uncultlvated, and the porch is
falling from the front OF the dwelling.
Several other instances were recounted,
and Mrs. Cunningha is determined that
some improvement shall be made. She
has even gone TO the length of forcing
some of these Indifferent landowners to
put price on their property at which
they will sell, and is doing her best to find
markets for them so that many of the un-
employed can be put to work.
The lady is anxious for the Board of
Trade to take the initial steps in forming,
in conjunction with other mercantile or
ganizations in the interior of the county,
q Produce Exchange which shall be the
means of providing a home market for
Alameda produce. She recited several in
stances of people having to send their
goods to San Francisco, where they were
purchased for the home market, and
when sold in Oakland brought about two
prices. This, she asserted, is because of
near-Sighted policy that has dominated
the construction of the municipal license
ordinances; it is a fact that no farmer eau
sell one dollars worth of his produce In
Oakland unless he has license. A few
days ago a farmer was stopped at Frank
lin street and told he could go no farther
with his chickens unless he had license.
He was prepared 10 sell them and make
money on them at 80 cents apiece, whereas
the majority of them are shipped to San
Francisco, come back to Oakland and sell
for so cents.
Mrs. Cunningham has really undertaken
great and grand task, and has already
accomplished much in the short time she
has been at work. There are hundreds of
small farmers and producers In this
county who are absolutely powerless to
bring about better times unaided. Mrs.
Cunningham is certain that with healthy
and practical cooperation and the estab-
lishment of Produce Exchange much
can be done.
The establishment of the large creamery
near Livermore has already done much
toward keeping foreign butter out of the
market. Mrs. Cunningham declares that
$3,000,0 900 goes out OF California annually
for the purchase Of eggs, all of which
could be kept here. At the present time
eggs are higher in price than in any other
State, and yet hundreds of people are as
sured OF a market for their produce should
they embark in this Industry.
1t was moved that the suggestions and
recommendations of Mrs. Cunningham be
indorsed by the board and that the chair
man appoint committee of five to CO.
operate with the lady in esta blishing a
permanent exhibit of the products of the
county
The chairman named the following COM
mIttee: j. w. Nelson, Craigie Sharp,
A. d. Pryal, ]. Tyrrell. II. o. Trow-
bridge.