The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-05-28
FARMERS AND
The FREE MARKET
The Question of Room
Seems to Trouble the
Commissioners.
M jor Harvey Now Suggests a
Pavilion On the West Side
of East Street.
The State Grange Will Report a
Plan After the June
Meeting.

The Harbor Commission held an after
noon session yesterday hearing the ex
pressions of representative farmers con-
corning the free market proposition.
There were present representatives of the
State Grange, the Fresno County Farmers
Club and the Petaluma Poultry Associa-
ton. A letter was read from ex-Sena or
William Johnson of Richland, Sacra-
mento County, expressing his regret at
not be ing BILE TO be present.
Douglass T. Fowler. representing the
Fresno County Farmers Club. was the
spokesman Tor tie farmers. He said that
half the product CT the State in fruit and
vegetables, eggs and butter, came TO this
City. With no idea of striking out the
middlemen, it is the wish of the farmers
10 bring into closer relations the pro-
Queer and the consumer. ne said. The
farmer desired to send here better
product than he has been doing, but to do
that a material shortening of the time
between the orchard or field and the
tables OF San Francisco is essential. The
free marke. would be a long step IN that
direction by concentrating the produce at
one central point, where its sale may be
readily effected and quick distribution
follow, instead of necessitating a search
from one end of the water front to the
other on the part of the would-be buyer.
1.-The interests of the farmer and fruit
grower and thar of the people OF the City
are identical" said Mr.. Fowler. Nv hen
the trade of the producer is made profit
able the foundation of the CITY is we i
laid. For upon that the growth of the
City depends. We want to lay our pro-
duce down here In the best possible shape.
Fresno County, not far away, is still pre-
vented from sending its best here be-
&C ba Ian nf IN
reach the consumer. For that reason
fruit is picked while it is green, and when
it is eaten, although it looks well, it lacks
flavor. On the other hand, ii allowed 10
ripen on The tree it is spoiled when it
reaches here"
He believed that a market place where
the fruit and other perishable produce
brought into the City could be concen-
trait u and quickly disposed of would go
lar toward remedying this state of affairs
running discussion between acting
Chairman Harvey and Mr.. Fowler fol-
lowed concerning the possibilities of the
market. Mr.. Fowler in answer to a ques-
ton said he did not understand that the
law contem plated or the farmers expected
that a re tail market should be esta blished.
The plan as he understood it was to estab-
lish place where farmers might ship
their perishable product and where buy
ers might come, inspect it and buy.
TIE question of room was raised, Major
Harvey stating that during certain peri
DDS from 1900 to 100 tons of such product
came into the City every day. How could
the shipments of individuals segregated
and sod2 He was, he said, heartily in
favor OF the free market and he wanted to
get all the information possible so that
the com IN ission might act intelligently.
Mr.. Fowler said that the problem had
been met and solved in Chicago and New
York. A carload of fruit is disposed OF in
five minutes in Chicago and IN New York.
The average is seven minutes by the auc-
ton system. With expeditions handling
there was no need of clogging the market
place.
OBJECTION was raised by B. N. Row'ey,
editor of the Frult-Grower, that in these
cities most of the fruit WAS packed by
professional packers and was sold by SAM
pie. Here the buyer wanted to see every
package, and often both top and bottom
of the package
Mr.. Fowler said that California fruit
growers were rapidly learning to stand.
ard their goods in size and style of box
packing and goods. This would come all
the faster with the demand OF the market.
1t was agreed that the market could not
be established for the fruit crop OF this
wear. especially for that brought to the
City bv rail. A market might be estab-
lighed for shat brought by water. The
com mission intimated that it would be
attempted anyhow.
Mr.. Fowler said that Mr.. Smurr OF the
Southern Pacific Company had said to
him as a committee OF the State Grange
that the company would transfer the fruit
brought in on cars to any place along the
water front by barge-that is, transfer the
cars that they would not wait upon the
bet road.
The question of space was the one which
troubled the Commissioners. Major Har-
ney returned to it again and again. He
asked if it would not be possible to build
larger pavilion on the west side of East
street into which the fruit might be
carried from the boats by ,ramway.
Mr. Fowler said he thought such
scheme might develop later. but he did
not seem 10 think it would be necessary
now, although more than one wharf