The San Francisco call., 1896-02-02
Edward F. Adams Of Highland
Grange Discusses It's
Benefits.
THREE STRONG REASONS FOR IT.
Commission Merchants Often Sell to
Themselves at Prices to Suit
Themselves.

A]o N6Ao <AQdAuS VI FIiS1bcr WIZ was
appointed first by Highland Grange IN
Santa Clara County and subsequently, by
the California Fruit Exchange to confer
with the Harbor Commissioners relative
to the free public market, was in the City
yesterday. He is heartily in favor OF the
proposed measure, and believes that 1t will
prove satisfactory to the shipper as well as
the consumer. Speaking to CALL re-
porter on this subject he said:
Regarding the proposed market there are
TWO entirely distinct propositions involved,
having only slight chance connection. Upon
the one hand the. Merchants ASSOCIATION de-
slres the establishment OF series of free retail
markets. scattered over the City on the Eastern
plan. Upon the other the producers living at
distance from the City desire regulated
wholesale market on the water front. The
TACT that when the Merchants Association
TOOK up the matter 1t found us dealing with
the Harbor Commission, and also the fact that
an overflow from the wholesale market would
AFFORD the opportunity at small expense for an
experimental free market, brought US to-
gether.
The Merchants Association, ALSO is a broad
gauge institution, having regard to the general
interests OF both City and State. 1t fully recog-
nlzes the Importance of our movement, and
lends its aid to it. AS it is well organized and
enectlve, am seeking to have IL assume the
leadership in the entire enterprise, both for
the wholesale and retail markets.
There are three reasons for wholesale mar
ket: First, desire for the most economical
method of marketing; second, quantity of per-
lshable products shipped to this City; third,
the removal of some existing abuses. We start
with the general proposition that the water
front is the place where the City and country
ought TO deal together. The producers should
own the goods until they reach the water
front, and when they come inside of it they
should be the property Of somebody else who
has put his money into them. There is the
saving of carriage, the saving of rent, and the
concentration of business to the convenience
OF both buyers and sellers, all in the interests
OF economy.
In regard to the second proposition, San
Francisco is now largely supplied by Gull fruit
which will not bear the. expense of Eastern
transportation. This is not altogether true.
Canneries will not buy Gull fruit, and much of
that which we call culls is OF the very best of
fruit, but too ripe for a ten-day journey. The
greatest evil is its miserable method of pack
ing, uniting it for family use. 1t is my belief
that concentration OF this evil, together with
the market organization and the suggestions
and efforts OF the inspector, will result in the
introduction OF some new small, neat and con-
venient packages which will get the fruit to
the tables OF the consumers in something of it's
original freshness The natural emulation
among growers resulting from the daily exhi-
bring this about. This will be good Tor con-
sumers, for they will get better stuff, and it
will be good for producers, for they will sell
more of it. think our home market the best
and we have never half worked it.
What are the abuses com planned of? In the
first place, commission merchants do both
times results in sales of produce by agents to
themselves at prices fixed by themselves, the
owner supposing it to have been sold to third
parties. This practice is the foundation and
excuse of all the evils complained Of except
downright stee ling by false returns, which is
unquestipnably done sometimes by disreputa-
@ PIE men n VINO are lIapie 10 creep into any busl-
ness. Then there are more or less actual
frauds every year when rascals succeed in get
ting consignments and decamp with the entire
proceeds. The result of the system as it now
exists is q belief on the part of the growers
generally in the entire rottenness of the COM
mission business in this City. This belief is
not JUSTIFIED by the facts, but il exists, and we
wish 10 remove the conditions which, lead to it.
1t is not my intention to dispense with COM
mission men; Nobody who understands the
business would either expect or desire it. The
stuff must be sold by some body, and for the
most part upon eight to thirty days credit.
We want 1t sold by responsible people who un-
derstand the business and who are prepared
for proper pay to take the labor and risk of
collections. The growers have no organization
effective enough to market the material, and if
they had it would cost thousands and thou-
sands of dollars to educate their agents.
How do expect the market to correct the
abuses? Simply by the fact that the merket
being on State propertyl the Harbor Commits
sloners may prescribe the regulations under
which business may be done there. These
would simply be such as to insure that no
trading should be done within the wholesale
market, except for account of owners, or by
the owners themselves, and that every trans
action should be a public record. This with
an inspector to see the regulation enforced,
and perform sundry other duties implied by
the name, is, in my Judgment, all that is
necessary to make San francisco the most at.
tractive market in the country to the fruit
growers. And that is what both City and
country need.
AS it now stands few producers deal here if
they can help it,. To repeat, we desire the
commission agents to go down on the wharf
and sell our goods for US and give us all the
receipts, less charges. What business they do
on their.own account is none OF our affair, but
we don't want the tw businesses mixed up.
What special difficulties are in the Way?
The most serious difficulty is the change OF
point of delivery of the Southern Pacific broad
gauge lines from King and Townsend streets to
section OF the seawall. This involves yery
serious problem for the railroad to consider.
1t would seem simple, but it is not. II would
cause them good deal of initial expense. So
far as l can understand it, however, think
the expense to them would be far less than the
gain to the community.
The immense volume of fruit now landed at
King and Townsend streets now has to bear
mile or more of rougn carriage, which is in
furious to the fruit and costs the growers about
$50 per car. The usual charge is 2 cents per
crate, or 81 66 per ton, although other freight
Is moved, understand, at about 80 cents per
ton over the same route. l have oonversed
with some officials of the company. and they
fully appreciate the Importance of the matter
and are approaching the subject in q spirit
which promises satisfactory solution There
are other difficulties of the same nature but
far less serious, in connection with river steam
ers now discharging at other wharves. None
of the difficulties, however, are insuperabie.
Another matter is the question of available
room. Until the tonnage during the three
most congested months has been computed we
cannot estimate the room required.
This, however, is certainly matter that can
be managed by the Harbor Commissioners
within little time, if not at first. If public
requires it a wharf can be ex-
tended from section to accommodate all the
steam traffic, leaving the present shed en-
tirely free for that coming by rail. President
Colnon expressed himself to me as favorable
TO that proposition should the traffic demandft
What further steps are to be taken in re-
gard to the matter? Well, the first thing is
formal conference between the Harbor Com
missioners and a committee appointed for the
purpose by the Merchants Association, at
which ali legal and other questions involved
will be discussed and the place apparently