The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-08-07
GOOD PRICES
FOR GRAPES
Wine Makers Corporation
Can Handle the Entire
Crop.
H. J. Croker Now at the Head
of the Organization as
President.
Considerable New Capital Has Beer
Secured-Farmers to Sell to an
Advantage.

For several months past the fortunes OF
the grape growers and winemakers of this
Sta.e have been in the balance. While
the grape growers were unanimous in
their desire to cooperate with the wine
makers and deliver them all of their
grapes, the latter having their cooperage
nearly full from wine of 1896 and older, it
was feared that they could not take care
of the large crop of grapes which was
nearing maturity. 1t was necessary,
therefore, to enlarge wineries, increase
cooperage and double the machinery. To
do this capital was required, and the
board of directors of the California Wine
makers Corporation has been sirainlng
every nerve for the past few m onths to
obtain financial assistance, so that they
might be able to supply the winem akers
with the money necessary with which TO
increase their plants and 10 pay for the
grapes. Their la Dor has been finally
crowned with success. They have COM
pleted arrangements by which all the
money required Tor the crushing OF every
pound of grapes which may be produced
this year in California will be supplied on
demand.
AT special meeting of the board of di-
rectors CT the California Winemakers'
Corporation held yesterday Colonel Her
man Bendel, on account of other i'm per-
tant business, rendered his signation as
president and director of the corporation.
Henry J. Croker was then elected di-
rector and president of the corporation by
reclamation Mr. Crocker in accepting
the office stated that he was greatly in
favor of maintaining and, if possible, i'm
proving the yitlcultural industry of this
State as well as any other industry of Cali
forna and said:
1 believe the grape-grower who has had the
enterprise to- set out his vineyard. the pa
thence 10 wait for the growing OF his crop, with
all the risk attached 10 this industry, should
receive a fair remuneration for his labor and
capital invested. l believe that the wine
maker who has erected the vince liar and
procured machinery at large expense and
brought 10 the industry the Intelligence re-
qured in making and curing the fine Wines
which he has demon strated 10 the world can
be produced in California, should receive q
fair remuneration for his enterprise, labor
and capital invested in his plants
believe, also, that the wine-dealer who has,
through his enterprise, introduced our wines
not only throughout The United states but
also in the adjoining republics and even IN
Europe, to compete with the wines of Italy
and France; the wine-deaer who, in order to
properly transact his business, is under heavy
expense, is compelled to have large ledger ac-
counts, which are not always available when
required, 1 believe that he is also entitled 10
a fair remuneration Tor bis enterp rise, capital
and risks attached TO his business.
By the brief conversation which have had
with every one OF the board OF directors of
the Winemakers' CORPORATION l have seen
that we are unit in the desire to equita bly,
divide the profits which may be derived from
the yiticultural industry between the grape
grower, the winemak er and the wine-deaIer.
1t is not only the desire OF the persons di-
rectly interested, but 1t isNalso the wish of the
bankers, financial men and that OF every per-
son who has the progress and snecess Of the
vtticutural industry of the State o alifornia
Iy&a Ia 20
in view, OF doing harm to none, but good to
ALL our corporation l can assure you Will re-
ceive all the financial aid which ii may re-
qElre Tor the proper taking care OF the grapes
and wine not only this year, but of years to
come, which will enable the wnemsKer who
has mbltion to keep, age and improve his
wine 10 do so and enable him to supply our
customers with good wine as can be OBJ
tanned in any part of the world.
When we remember that the State of Cali
fornia is the only State in the Union where
The true wine grape will grow, and the only
Stale, therefore, where fine wine can be pro-
duced: when we look around us and find our
legitimate customers of 100000 within
our own boundaries and 80 900, 900 people
In our neighborhood; when we see that while
France produces 1000, 100000 gallons OF
wine per annum, while i'll this State we barely
produce 20 000, 900 gallons per annum; when
on account OF our arge territory, the similar
ity OF the soil and climate we know that we
c"n produce in this State also l 900 000,-
600 gallons OF wine per annum Just as good as
that which can be produced in any part of the
world, l consider it The duty of every good
citizen 10 help bring I'D this important indus.
try, SO that the time may come when the wine
industry of California will be to this State
what the wine industry of France is 10 that
favored country.
With these aims in view l cheerfully accept
the honor which you have rendered me, aud
doubt not that with your assistance we will
bring up the Winemakers' Corporation 10 be
one of the most successful institutions in the
State OF California.
The board OF directors unanimously ap-
proved the sentiments expressed by Mr.
Croker, and Immediately appointed a
committee to receive such offers as may
be rendered for the wines in the hands of
the corporation. The corporation is now
prepared to furnish the necessary capital
which may be required to every Wine
maker of the State belonging to the Wine
makers corporation, for the purpose of
enlarging their wine capacity and taking
care OF the grape CROP OF the State.
The officers of the Winemakers Corpor-
alton are now as follows: II. ]. Croker,
president; P. c. Rossi, vice. president; w.
j. Hotchkiss, secretary and manager;
directors-John II. Wheeler, B. w. Pax
ton, c. F. Montealegre, Peter Ball, H. B.
Chase. D. NJ. DelmaE. In the absence OF
Vice President Rossl from the City. A.
Sbarboro of the Italian-Swiss Colony acted
in his place.
Mr.. sbarboro in discussing the situation
said:
This furnishing of capital is OF more impor-
lance than many may suppose. We are now
able TO insure the grape-growers the value Of
their grapes-what they are actually worth
That Is TO say, the winemakers viii pay the
farmer Tor his grapes 81 per ton for every
cent per gallon that the wine will sell for in
the market BY the concentration of the wine
IN the hands OF the Winemakers' Corpora
ton the wine is expected to bring from
10 TO 20 cents per gallon, in which event the
growers will receive from SIS to $50 per ton
for their grapes This is the system adopted
in many OF the European countries and ii has
met with success.