The San Francisco call., 1899-07-03
GROWERS FIX THE
PRICE Of PEACHES
Initial Step Taken at
HeaId burg.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

HEALDSBURG, July 2-The meeting
of fruit growers held in Healdsburg yes
terday was largely attended by growers
from different parts of the county
Jonathan Roberts of Santa Rosa, presl-
dent Of the Sonoma County Horticultural
Society, acted as president OF the meet
ing and T. w. Cooke as secretary.
The principal speaker was F. Butler OF
Forestvile. He said that last year the
canneries paid d great deal better prices
than they were now Offering and pros
pered. The market to-day was practical
ly bare Of canned and dried fruit, and
the trade was offering to 1012 cents for
bleached unpeeled peaches. The crop was
extremely short in all parts of the United
States other than California, ana IN
many portions Of California as Wen.
Ninety per cent of the canneries OF the
State had combined to regulate the prices
Of fruit. They had advanced their sell
ing price 10 55 per cent over last year and
were trying to reduce the price PAID to
the growers 3S Is per cent.
Mr. Butler had no objection to this pro
ceeding on the part of the cannenes, but
he claimed an equal right on the part or
the growers TO organize TO obtain remun-
erative prices. He believed the demand
created for California dried and canned
fruits by the war in the Philippines would
increase greatly during the, next Twelve
months and would be of moderate volume
for upward of three years.
The growers could reach that market
independent of the canneries. He urged
the growers TO stand together for a fair
figure and they would get it. He would
dry his peaches unless he obtained $50 per
Among the other speakers were: A r
Galloway of Dry Creek Valley, J. Z.
Metzger and W. Y. Griffith Of Geyser-
vile, Mr.. Mack of Santa Rosa, George
Slocum. D. P. Cullom, Rev. Joe, Waldrop;
and William Floyd of HealdSburg and
Mr.. Griggs Of Fulton.
The followin preamble and resolutions
were adopted:
Whereas. The canning season is near at hand.
buyers having already entered the neld. and
he average Weld Of the country with the sup
ply OF last years stock well exhausted and new
markets developing; and whereas. the packers
have combined and materially advanced the
Resolved, That we. the producers. fix the mini
mum price for canning sizes of freestone
per ton. And the committee further recon-
Irends that committees be appointed to circu
ers of the county TO secure unity Of action. We
also urge similar action among the producers
mend that an executive committee OF seven be
appointed 10 look after the interests Of the
fruit-growers in this country.
The resolutions were unanimously
adopted. and all present signed the agree
ment to sell at not less than S25 and $50
The following executive committee was
man. A r. Galloway, D. p. Cullom. "
J. McClendOn and +. w. Cooke (secre-
tary) Of Healdsburg, J. Z. Metzger of
Geyserville and Simon Graham of Sebas-
topol
Forms of agreement to maintain these
prOces viii at once be circulated by ,Ie
following fruit-growers: f. \. Norton.
FOrestville; Martin Litchfeld. Sebastopol;
w. V Griffith GeyseTville; Jonathan
Roberts. Santa Rosa; A. Z. Burnham,
Dry Creek Valley; George Slocum, J. w.
Bell. A. y. Stanger John Reynolds G. II.
Brigham, jerry GLADDEN. of HedldSburg:
John Elliott CIoverdale; c. W. Sylvester,
(Teyserviue; a Goodman, Alexander Val
lev: ". Q. Price Vine Hill.