The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-29

wv tiful rainfall during the last
few days all fear of drought
has been removed; and whereas, the
board for the purpose of filing the
revolving fund and continuing the
operation of the jute mill did believe
that an emergency existed which
justified the sale of bags in quaint
ties exceeding 5000; and whereas,
such emergency no longer exists;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That henceforth no
order not already accepted for any
quantity exceeding 5000 bags to any
one consumer shall be filled or &C
cepted; and further
RESOLVED, That the Warden, for
the purpose of making wide dis
tribution among consumers of the
State of the prison-made bags, en-
deavor to sell the quantity on hand
in lots of 5000 or less, and that the
authority conferred upon him to sell
in larger lots be revoked, and that all
orders for quantities exceeding 5000
lots not previously accepted be re-
jected.
When the State Board of Prison. Di-
rectOrs met in special session in this city
last Saturday its one purpose was TO in
vestgate what a member of the board
evidently thought a cleverIy planned
scheme on the part OF a ring" of specu-
latOrs to gain control of the grain bags
manufactured at the San Quentin jute-
mill and "cinch" every farmer in the
State for a goodly percentage Of the
cent resolution given in the foregoing,
adopted by the board at that meeting as
a result OF their conference, means in
reality that the farmers are to be pro-
tected from the threatened operations of
gigantic ring" II is estimated that the
quantity Of grain harvested this year. in
view of the favorable weather conditions,
will be as vast as that of 1883, and the
amount that might have been wrung out
of the farmers by a corner on sacks would
have been enormous.
Not only did the board make 1t impos-
sible to prevent a wide distribution of
sacks by this order, but in view of their
belief that the manipulators OF the sus-
peCted ring had already made too good
progress in the plan to corner the output
of the jutemill, it was found necessary
to cancel two late contracts calling for
total of Ia, 900 sacks.
In 1898 the Legislature enacted a law
that no order shall be filed for any one
individual or firm during one year for
more than 5000 grain bags, except on re-
quest of the Warden and the unanimous
approval of the State Board OF Prison
Directors. The law further provides that
all orders for Jute goods must be accom-
panied by an affidavit setting fortn that
the amount of goods contained in the or
der are for the individual and personal
use of the applicant
A few months ago il was found neces-
sary by the board, on account Of the re-
volvfng fund of 800 900 with which the eX
penses of running the jute mill are met
becoming depleted, TO authorize the VAR
den 10 dispose of l 600 900 sacks in unlim-
tied quantities. At two different times
after this, for the same reason, that off,
cial was empowered to sell 100000 sacks IN
the same manner In this way Z,e4o0O9
sacks were sold prior to the meeting OF
last Saturday, which, with sales IN lotS
of 5000 amounted TO 2,3S5,000 sacks Sold
since January of the present year up to
the time of adopting the order, which
renders a wide distribution Of sacks SAFE
proposition.
A week or two ago prominent firm Of
SPECTATORS of this city sent in an order
for 100 900 sacks, which was shortly after
followed by an order from another HIIn
for q 600 1t seems that these unusually
large orders excited the suspicion OF Di-
rector James II. Wilkins of San Rafael
for more reasons than one IN tne ms u.s.
place the provisions of the board for the
relief of the revolving fund by Whlcn the
lutte mill is run had resulted in rush or
orders from all over the State, several Tor
lots of 100000 and one for $50 900. After
figuring out the amount OF SACKS on
hand and the number that could be manu-
featured by August l, the time the farm
ers will harvest their crops and must
have the sacks without delay, he cyl
IDENTIFY reached the conclusion that II the
holders of the larger orders should find 1t
convenient to enter into a pool the farm
ers would be in bad way.
Accordingly President Fitzgerald was
asked TO call special meeting thiJ i oil IN, e9f
Saturday. When the board assembled
the directors were very much surprised
to find a number of enterprtsing repre-
sentatives of the press on handsome
thing they had never counted on 1or
moment After a private discussion the
conversation on various things supposed
to relate to prison welfare and then ad-
journed, only to come together later on,
when no inquisitive auditors were IN tne
neighborhood. and discuss the proposition
for which they had assembled.
Warden Hale informed the board oo th l;ls
on January there were on hand 3,330,OU
sacks: that since January 1,783,5O0 sacks
have been manufactured, and that by
August about 1.4e9i0oo SACKS 6i can zo9 De
900 sacks Deducting the 2,3e5 900 sacks
already sold and disposed of $4,000 sacks
would remain for those farmers Oh the
State who are not now supplied.
II was concluded that the condition OF
things justified the adoption. Of reso-
luton that hereafter SACKS a6d Sna!t pc so Id
was not satisfied with that alone ana
went so far as to cancel contracts en-
tered into in the last few days for 49,
coo sacks Since that meeting the board
Is doubtless more firmly convinced than
ever that some action of the kind was
necessary for orders have come in for
sacks in lots of over 5000 amounting TO
on goo. Two were for 10000 and another
for so. 900. All these orders have been
held and the persons who sent them mott
fed that they cannot purchase more
than 5000 sacks apiece this year
~ do not know that there was any m
tention of forming a ring, said Director
Wilkins when seen yesterday, nor do
desire to make any accusation OF the
kind But in view of the fact that the
orders were for such large lots and that
If the purchasers should see fit to come
together and make a corner on sacks the
farmers would be 'cinched, I considered
it at least my duty to have President
Fitzgerald call the board together and
present the facts for their consideration
The quantity of grain harvested this year
will probably be as vast as that Of the
year 1888, and when farmers need the
sacks they Iced them without any loss
of time. It takes ninety days to bring the
article here from Calcutta and none of
them can wait AS the jute mill at San
Quentin is the only thing standing be-
tween the farmers and the spectators.
for the protection of the former 1t was