The herald., 1897-12-26
COMBINED ACTION DESIRED
PREVENTING ANY SHIPMENT OF
FROZEN FRUIT
Amount of Damage Done Still I'm
known-Few Reports Received
From Orchardists

districts were few in number and gener'
ally to the effect that the amount o
, damage done by the late frost appeared
to be less than was at first supposed. A
the office of the horticultural commits
sion, however, it was said that it was use
less for those interested to attempt t
cover up the great extent of damage
done. Such a cold spell as that JUS
passed through, freezing water pipes a
Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Los Angelo:
and elsewhere, never occurred withou
serious damage and few more days oi
warm weather would doubtless so mark
the citrus product as to plainly demon
strate the meager damage estimates OF
many growers and shippers to be fal
below fact. and the estimate published
in The Herald we'll warranted.
1t is claimed by shippers and railroads
that absolutely no frozen fruit is going
forward nothing but clean-ups, and
little of them.' and reports of picking
and shipping and preparations for NOV
ing freshly picked fruit are very contra
dictory. 1t is known. however. that or
anges are being picked in districts where
the fruit is more or less frost-btten, and
that the best experts cannot separate
the frosted from the unfrosted fruit at
this time.
A number of the more promi-
nent shipping firms were asked If the
would join in a general agreement
among growers and shippers to prevent
the shipment of frozen oranges and to
ship none of any kind for a sufficient
| 70 u tto fiI1l of n a mi a o.,
done. Eagerness for such a combination
was universal but doubt of the feasibil-
ity of it's practical accomplishment was
freely uttered and carefully canvassed.
| The main stumbling block in the way
seemed to be a plentiful presence OF
human nature" in both grower and
shipper which discoura ged them from
losing money by being good and inno-
cent while their neighbors across the
way should wax fat and prosper by ship
ping frozen oranges. The argument was
made that buyers in the east were we'll
educated in their business, and oranges
| were bought nowadays on their merits
and not on their label at the eastern
| markets. Good oranges would bring
good prices. frost or no frost. with good
labels or no labels at all, and frozen or
anges would be readily detected The
general sentiment, however. was that
the absolute prevention of shipments of
frozen oranges would undoubtedly be
of very great and permanent benefit to
the entire industry here.
I'VE can inaugurate such measure
now, with the present big crop. said one
| in favor of it. better easier and cheaper
than at any other time in the history of
California orange culture, and it is well
worth working for 1t will prolong
the day when the California grower re-
ceives 50 net per box while the Florida
growers are holding prayer meetings to
thank God for 81 box and Italy Is sell
ing the pickings of whole orchards for
two bits a crate. 1t might even bring
about n time when mention of California
oranges would occur in the United States
agricultural department reports as well
as in Duns weekly trade review
The plan suggested was that the asso-
citation and exchange should agree
among themselves and with each other
to ship no fruit at all until such time as
the effects of the late cold spell should
be apparent and no frosted oranges at
ALL A. II. Naftzger. president Of the
that the members of his association had
an agreement among themselves not to
ship frozen oranges. and that they would
gladly cooperate in hearty sympathy
with any one and every one engaged in
such a movement.
Secretary Hartranft of the Fruit
Growers and Shippers association of
Southern California promised that at
| e hit; -.
the matter would be fully considered
next Wednesday. This association Is
composed of forty fruit packers, conf
bined only for the purpose of regulating
sizes and terms of sale of citrus fruits
and vegetables. for settling disputes be-
tween shipper and consignee and such
other matters as may be decided upon
by full vote of the association at
regularly called meeting" Such
meeting could be called within forty
eight hours, according to Secretary
HartranftS
The executive committee who will dis
cuss the matter next Wednesday arc
Edwin r. Earl, Z. NJ. Lyon, c. E. Maud.
L. G. Haight f. b. Devine, F. P. Fay, A.
]. Hechtman, Fred A. Salisbury, E. S.
Moulton, Nathan w. Blanchard and
Major f. f. C. Klokke. These men are
all prominent in the business, and the
belief is generally expressed that if the
fruit shippers are sincere in their eX-
pressed eagerness for frozen fruit re-
form these men can find a way to ar
range it so that no frozen oranges will
be shipped from Southern California
henceforth. Their action next Wednes-
day will settle the question, now debat-
ed, as to whether they want frozen fruit
shipments stopped or not.
Secretary Hartranft said: you can
say the association would undoubtedly
be in favor of any practical measure
tending to prevent the shipment of
frozen fruit 1t would be a great, good
thing for this section Of the country"
Porter Bros reported that they had
received no new news of Importance yes
terday, and We're emphatically in favor
Of a general agreement to prevent all
shipments of frozen oranges.
Allen Bros & Co., fruit shippers, re-
ported Highlands but slightly damaged,
ard Covina, Irwindale, Glendora and
AzUsa injured by a well defined streak
Of frost, but received no reports yes
terday Of other injury. Their estimates of
damage generally is that it is much less
than at first anticipated, perhaps ten