The herald., 1897-03-12
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: TALKS WITH TRAVELLERS s
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Mr.. e. P. Dodge. of the Dodge Shoe
Manufacturing company. of Boston, is
at the Van Nuys. He Is here as tour
list, and is well pleased with his trip to
the coast Mr.. Dodge has large inter-
ests in several shoe manufactures
throughout the east. a
what has been the effect upon the
price of the leather trust formed
couple of years ago?" he was asked last
night.
well, leather is just about the same
price as formerly" responded Mr.. Dodge,
yet that does not by any means answer
your question as to what has been the
effect of the formation OF the trust.
"As most everyone knows. the imme-
diate result of the trust was sudden
jump in the price of leather. The rise
was only temporary, however, because
a few dealers had refused to go into the
trust, and these had a large enough
stock on hand to force the market down
again.
Ever since the formation of the trust
prices have fluctuated. and the smaller
dealers now no longer feel safe in lay
ing in supply of goods, as formerly,
when the price starts up, because 1t is
not considered an honest rise. ard they
are constantly looking for the bottom to
drop out.
"The effect of the trust has been most
disastrous upon the leather industry In
general, and dealers are looking hope
fully forward to the time when it will be
u thing of the past"
William S. Crosby. large wholesale
grain dealer of Boston. is at the Van
Nuys He has just returned from Coro-
nado, where he spent several weeks.
Mr.. Crosby has large raisin interests
in San Diego county. His last years
crop was disposed of for $25,000
THE thing we need to make the raisin
industry a success is protection" he
said last night. by this do not mean
higher tariff. or anything of that sort,
but protection from one another. The
whole trouble with raisin growing here
is our system, or rather lack of system,
for marketing our product.
There are two classes of growers who
help to ruin the market. One Is the small
producer who rushes his rasins into the
eastern market and is willing to take
most any price for them in order to sell
and convert his products into ready
money. Such business methods are sure
to demoralize prices. And then there is
the man who consigns his raisins to
some eastern friend who is wholly un-
acquainted with their value. OF course,
an effort is made to handle the shipment.
but to one entirely without experience
this is likely to prove big undertaking,
and is usually disposed of without ad
vantage TO the owner, and at such a
sacrifice as to have the effect of lowering
the market.
California growers have suffered Sc
we're treatment, too, at the hands of the
commission men. There are so many
dishonest dealers that one hardly ever
knows whom to trust. 1t has been no
uncommon thing in the past for man
who has sent a consignment OF fruit to
the eastern commission men to receive
word that it has arrived in bad shape,
and they are unable to handle 1t, or that
the bottom has fallen out of prices, or
some other reason is assigned for not re-
mitting, and the anxious shipper has
nothing to do but whistle for his money"
The guests at the Van Nuys have the
laugh on that prince of good fellows.
Harry Corson Clark, the well known
actor, who arrived a few days since.
1t all happened night or two ago, and
as a good joke, like a fine wine, is said to
improve with age, the oftener the story
is told the more it Is enjoyed.
The other evening a young fellow
walked into the Van Nuys. and, after
prowling around in mysterious man.
ner for some time, came over to the
asked:
who is that MANI"
Harry Corson Clark" answered the
clerk, Frank Miner.
do you see those diamonds?" said
the stranger, pointing to Mr.. Clark.
Now Mr.. Clark is very fond Of dia-
monds, and wears beautiful sparkler
of large size in his bosom and another
stone glitters from one of his fingers.
Yes, see them" said the clerk. Won
dering what the fellow was driving at.
well, I'll just put you on to little
game" continued the man at the coun-
ter, who had now grown quite excited.
and fell all over himself in an attempt
to draw the wondering clerk into his
confidence. I'm a private detective,
and am working on that San Pedro case.
You remember about all those people
losing their diamonds down there?
And I've got my man located here.
That's the fellow right over there. All
I've got to do now Is to get warrant
and the reward is mine. and the glory,
too. Just think Of it, I'm only an ANA
teur. and here I've worked up one of the
biggest cases of the decade" and the
Young man chuckled in the exuberance
of his joy
"Ive been spotting that man for days.
and shadowing him, too, and now I've
got him." and here Pinkerton's under
study started toward the big street door.
But, here!" yelled the clerk, Il told
you that man was Harry Corson
Clark"
1t was too late. The door came to with
a roar and the man looking for war
rant for the diamond thief was gone.