The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-27

vegetable CFep Can De saves
ana Marketea Very Probably.
The meeting Of the fruit growers OF
King county yesterday afternoon resulted
In the initiation of two important meas
ures. One locks toward the establishment
OF fruit and vegetable evaporator IN this
city, and the other toward the holding OF
fair or exposition in Seattle next fall,
in which the fruit growers. hortscultur-
lists, florists, market gardeners and dairy
men OF King and adjoining counties shall
be represented.
There was . good attendance at the
meeting. 1t would have been larger had
1t not been for an unexpected difficulty
in securing room. The meeting was ad-
yert.sed to he held In thu Chamber OF
Commerce. When the hour came, num-
bers Of people went TO the Collins block,
only 10 find the old rooms of the Chamber
Of Commerce all torn up by the carpen-
tiers. Then they went to the Burke block,
but could find no place to meet. Finally
the Acme business college rendered them
its hall on the second floor Of the Seattle
National Bank building. The offer was
gratefully accepted, and there the meet
ing was held. Meanwhile some Of the
people. many of them from a considerable
distance. had scattered about the city and
could not be reached in time to be notified
of the meeting. 81 4e..-.
Chr;sten n. Sandahl, president Of the
Fruit Growers Association. was In the
chair, and Homer Bull was at the desk
as secretary. Mr.. Sandahl Is proprietor
of the Puget Sound Nursery and Seed
Company. and has wide and practical
knowledge Of the subjects with which the
association il called TO dea.. In calling
the meeting to order he stated its object
and scope. and suggested that there were
number OF gentlemen present who were
ton Of marketing the fruit crop.
W. IL. Brown, fruit inspector for King
county, stated strongly the Importance Of
the meeting and of the practical question
with which Il was called on to deal. He
referred to the extent to which fruit
growing had developed In this state, and
yet 70 the lamentable lack Of a profitable
market. While the surplus fruit and
vegetables of our own people, he said,
were rotting on the ground, canned fruits
and dried fruits were being imported into
Seattle from other cities. He closed with
a strong plea for immediate action in
establishing cannery or an evaporation.
Judge McGflvrn Speaks.
The audience called for Judge John ].
MeGilvra, who has an orchard and who
has for long time taken an active in
terest in matters pertaining to the Guilt
walton and marketing of fruit and vege-
tables. Judge McGilyra sasd
3sMr. President and Gentlemen: 1 am
here not as horticultufist, but l have a
small orchard, and take an interest in our
local fruit market because / recognize in
our resources for fruit and vegetable GU
ture the basis OF a great industry. ] have
long taken an interest In such matters
As tar back as 1863. and that seems d
good While ago, / made speech in Sc
attic on this very subject. i am not going
to repeat that speech today, although
could with pleasure call attention to some
OF the predictions which then made that
have been fulfilled Well. about that time
we had fruit and vegetable exhibition
IL was In Il building where the corner of
FIRST avenue and Yesler way now is 1t
was fine exhibition. We had all the
fruits and vegetables, and We had some
choice specimens. In those good old DAYS
We were not troubled with the fruit pests.
Conditions have changed materially with
us since then. and not altogether to our
advantage.
But. turning away from such matters
L wish 10 cal attention to the practical
objects of this meeting. / understand that
you have meeting every month. That
Is good. Such meetings will help 10 stir
up enthusiasm and interest among the
very class OF people who are most vitality
interested. and the association will thus
be able TO better devise and execute sucb
plans as may from time to time be found
destraDe. ! concur in all that has been
sa'd by Inc speakers who have preceded
me- There is one point which I should
like especially to emphasize Reference
mas been made 10 the price of fruit trees.
Ire trouble with US is not so much the
pface OF fruft trees as Of the fruit itself
In plain words. We cannot market our
frut at prices that pay for raising &,
Under such circumstances even the has.
trees and the best orchards are OF no
value.
what are the reasons for this conaissof,
oe anairsP Wen. first. | would mention
the competition which We are comne,led
10 meet With the improved facilities for
transportation the fruit OF Oregon and
california is brought to our city. and cir
cufnstanets warrant me In saying that
we get even some Of the refuse fruit Of
california. Then. too. / think there has
been an unjust discrimination agains, orr
resident fruit growers. Go around the CITY
ana you viii find that the retail dealers
o"' .'iststS t"t from our own growers
but from wholesale dealers. The whale
safe dealers in turn sand their big oroers
south, Twice the city council itself has
passed discrimnatIve ordinances against
our own fruit and vegetable growers. for
bidding them from meeting the consumer
lace 20 face and making a hausa-to-ho,,se
safe OK their own product. We succeeded
IN having the ord naFce knocked out
Then the council decreed that every ven-
dor of fruit and vegetables within certain
limits. embracing practically the entire
city. must take out a license Then W.
went before the legislature and succeeded
IN getting statute passed that settled
the matter.
The problem Is for You frui, growers
10 find your o~n market Neither the
wholesale dealers nor the retail dealers
viii help yoa They Will buy where
they can ges such produce cheapest You
must learn % bring your fruit 10 market