The herald., 1897-08-06
Mr.. WIddINs CHATS
OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY
WITHDRAWAL
Suggestions for Improving Trade.
Attention of Europe Directed
to Us-California on Wheels

mo reason that I know OF except ap-
parent lack of funds; no row or dis
turbance of any kind" said Secretary
Virgins when asked yesterday if there
was any explanation for the withdrawal
of the San Diego county exhibit from
the chamber of commerce hall.
THE San Diego chamber of commerce
sent word several months ago that on
account of their inability to make month
ly collections the remittance necessary
for space was unavailable and they
must draw out. But after considerable
correspondence the threat to leave was
withdrawn, fresh displays were sent
up with more literature and we supposed
the exhibit was a fixture as usual. A
letter came from the secretary Monday,
however, announcing that they had final
ly decided to remove their support unless
private enterprise came forward to
maintain it.
THE board was somewhat surprised"
continued Mr.. Virgins, because We
thought the board of supervisors sup
piled funds for San Diego as they do in
other counties, for paying rental for
space in our exhibit hall, while the local
organizations keep up the exhibit. This
rental only amounts to $25 month for
ia BILE and floor space, averaging from
100 to 125 square feet. The space is not
strictly limited to this. If county has
anything particularly worthy of display,
we allow from fifty to seyenty-five feet
additional.
''The chamber of commerce mails all
circulars, pamphlets, etc, sent to it from
localities outside of Los Angeles, free of
charge to them and the expense to us
is not small by any means. We also re-
ceive all fruits sent in for exhibition
purposes, and that worthy to be placed
tin preserving liquids is put up. labeled
and placed on the county table with no
extra charge. When there is a demand
for exhibits for local exhibitions in the
east, we select from the county exhibits
that which we consider worthy, pack
and forward it free of expense and credit
the different counties with the same. In
fact the cnly expense they have is to pay
for their exhibits and $500 year floor
space, which we consider very reason
W
derived.
Il think it very inopportune time for
San Diego to withdraw, because we are
having more visitors than usual and in
quiry for literature is increasing daily,
especially for outside districts. AS early
as o'clock this morning there were de-
mands for pamphlets on Riverside, Red
lands and San Diego, and there were
twenty-five special demands for San
Diego matter alone, all from people who
wished to take the matter east with
them, but We're obliged to go without it
because we had none to give them. For
three weeks we have had inquiries by
mail about the extreme southern end of
the state, and have had to supply the
demand with the old chamber of COM
merce pamphlets of four years ago on
Southern California.
II attribute this increase in demand
aId inquiry to the large advertiseme ent
to this section from the succe ssful citrus
campaign at Washington, which has
lasted for six months. Every day dur
ing the session of congress something
about California and her production has
been quoted in the papers. Interviews
from commissioners in Washington,
and statistics on the orange and lemon
industry has kept this portion of the state
before the public in a way no other ad-
vertisament would. And we have been
largely advertised also in the old country
through the papers in England, Italy
Spain and France; and people every
where are looking this way for invest
ments, homes and materials.
I'VE can supply $4,000 worth of prod
ucts that are now imported into the
United States. In order to do that, stock
to sufficiently supply continual de-
mand must be provided for. In past ex
hibition work l have found the principal
criticism to be that those people who
handle our goods here want to handle
them continuously after the first pur
chase, but that the stock is often eX-
hausted just when a replenishme is
| necessary, and other markets are thus
| forced upon the would-b purchaser.
This sort of thing creates satisfaction
With customers and the people who would
| ike to create and carry on steady trade
are compelled to stay with people that
can furnish them with regular line of
goods This applies especially to olives,
olive oil, dried fruits and certain lires
of fancy jellies and marmalades.
| Another thing 1 would suggest while
we are on the subject of working up
| trade, and that is the establishment
of California on wheels to tend
throughout the United States, but for
| the sale of products-not land-that to
be followed by the establishment of
stores IN the principal eastern cities for
| handling nothing but California pro-
=, ,ie he
| incentive toward the production of a
| vast amount of material that is now i'm
! ported To DO this. however, a uniform
method of preparing and packing goods
FOR the markets especially dried fruits
must be adopted"