The record-union., 1897-08-06
FLICKER RETURNS.
GREAT SUCCESS OF THE HAM
BURG EXHIBITION.
California VIII Garry Of the
Grand Medal for the Best Exhi-
bit of Industrial Products.

J. A. F1lcher, Secretary and Manager
of the State Board of Trade, who has
been for some months in Hamburg, su-
perintending the California exhibit at
the great Exposition in progress at that
place, passed through this city yester-
day, en- route to San Francisco. Mr..
Filcher reached New York on the Ham
burg American line steamer Columbia
on the Both ultimo, after a very pleas
ant voyage, having left Hamburg on
the I'D of July.
Mr.. Filcher was met at Auburn by
representative of the Record Union
and was asked for information in re-
gard to the exhibit from California,
and what impression it had made upon
the people who visited the Exposition.
He replied:
i left the exhibit in splendid shape,
in good hands, and everything paid for.
The pepole left in charge thoroughly
understand their duties, and there is
no reason why it should not be kept up
to its present condition to the end.
There can be no question as to the
value Of this exhibition to the fruit
industry of California. 1t has been i'm
mense. The sales of dried fruit there
this year so far have exceeded the sales
of all of last year. There is already
a great demand for our fruits and it
is growing rapidly. The only drawback
we have had lately was the refusal of
California dealers to quote prices on
dried fruits. / am not certain as to the
cause of this, but l have understood
that there has been some failure among
producers to agree upon prices, and
consequently dealers have held back.
The merchants over there could sell
unlimited quantities if they could get
quotations. Porter Brothers did send
quotations a short time before 1 left,
and the result was that 1000 cases of
fruit sold the day before l left-5, 900
of prunes and 1000 of apricots.
4 am more than pleased with the
interest taken in our goods l am sat
isfied that We can even do good bust
ness in canned fruits. The people over
there are willing to pay any price if
they can get what they want, and they
like our fruits.
Mr.. Stephany formerly of Fresno,
has opened a store in Berlin where he
sells California wines and canned goods
OF the best brands, and he is building
up a splendid business. There is no
question but that the field is there
I want to tell you that it is now set
tied that the California exhibit is to
have the big gold medal for the best
exhibit of Industrial products. 1 do
not mean any diploma; 1 mean the big
gold medal.
Il am anxious now to send over a
supply of fresh fruits, to be placed on
exhibition. This Exposition, while it is
continuous, is practically monthly ex-
hibition Of fruit and flowers. That is
to say, it changes with the season, and
the products ready for exhibition at the
time. Now, in September it will be a
fresh fruit exhibition, and I would like
to have California represented in that,
for 1 am satisfied that we can beat all
the countries Of Europe. 1 would like
this exhibit gathered in the neighbor-
hood of Sacramento and Woodland and
Newcastle. so that there would be as
SHORT a distance as possible to get it
to New York.
There are very liberal premiums Of
fered on these fruits. You have no
idea of the extent Of this Exposition
and the attendance. They have al
ready given our SOU,UUU IN medals and
premiums. The Exposition is a thor
ough success, and they are 100000
ahead. The attendance averages 40
600 to 10000 a day, and the Sunday be-
fore 1 left it was 1905 by the regis
ter gates. The people are there from
all over Europe. The mercantile class
take special interest in it, and come
from every direction. The California
exhibit attracted its full share of at
fention, and I raay say awakened more
interest than any other. 1t was an ex-
hibit that the State need not be asham-
ed of, and the money it cost to place it
there was we'll spent"
Mr.. Filcher was evidently enjoying
good health, and was in the best of
spirits
On the same car with Mr. Filcher
was Prince A Ponitowski, who is quite
we'll known in California. He has just
returned from London, and has come
to look after his interests in the Cali
fornia Exploration Company.
Other more or less well-known people
in the car were Julio Stalh, large cof-
fee planter of Guatemala. just return
ed from Europe; Professor Ferdinand
Stark, leader of a great orchestra which