The record-union., 1899-06-18
Will Build Refrigerator Cars
if Needed.
Stockholders Meet and Adopt Hrtc1es Of Incor-
poration and Go Ahead.

"Some sections were in the dried
fruit or canning lines, and they gave
their support to the movement, real
izing if the green deciduous fruit was
profitably marketed it would favorably
influence the price of their products.
There has been about s. sub
scribed toward an Independent refrig-
orator car line by the fruit-growers in
the sections visited by the committee.
ITO show the difficulty the grower
is under in disposing of his fruit for
cash. we can state that Eastern buy
ers have been in the field and say they
would be glad to purchase fruit If
they could be placed on the same foot
ing as the other large firms. AT the
present time they are handicapped by
the costs of refrigeration.
This committee, in closing their re-
port believing that refrigerator car
line under the complete control of the
fruit-growers will add untold benefits
to the fruit interests of the State, wish
to impress upon the growers the ex-
treme Importance of an immediate or
ganization of themselves in every dis
trict, to work in harmony with this
movement"
MINORITY REPORT
Fountain of the committee presented
a minority report advocating an organ
ization similar to the Raisin Growers,
Organization and having growers sign
contracts to deliver their crops
The articles of Incorporation provid
ed, among other things, for the signing
of contracts by fruit growers, whereby
the control of the fruit crop can be Sc
cured. 1t also provides for advances
being made to the growers on their
stock and that all members shall be
equal They make no provision for any
acquisition of car lines.
After the minority report had been
read Secretary Miles said that he had
omitted, in reading the majority report.
to read the agreement for pooling the
stock. He then read it.
G. F. Threlkill of Newcastle said that
the reports had been read and the SUBJ
jects treated of had been discussed for
years. His experience of many years
had shown him that wherever the grow
ers had any tonnage to offer there were
always refrigerator lines ready to come
to them and make offers. He moved
the adoption of the minority report.
STEPHENS SPEAKS.
R. D. Stephens said that the commit
tee were not obstruotioniStS and was
not here to interfere with the will of
the growers, and if they had not pre-
sented a report, the convention would
not have heard his voice. The commit
tee had labored along the line of its
instructions. They had gone to New
castle and other places and presented
the matter to the growers as we'll as it
was able, and had discussed the plans
for carrying on the plans. If the
growers are now willing to go back on
their propositions, they are unworthy to
be trusted. He asked if in so short a
space of time the committee should ac-
cede to the minority report what would
be thought of them.
He only wished to make some COM
PARSONS in the reports. The majority
report asked for only 3 or 4 per cent.
of the fruit growers property and the
minority report asked them to pay the
whole amount of their crops to the di-
rectors. No one could be injured
through the majority report. The other
plan was to bind the growers by con-
tract, so that if their fruit was not de-
livered, help could be sent to pick the
fruit and charge it to the grower.
He asked nothing but what was fair,
in order to provide a way to ship the
fruit How did the supporters of the
minority report expect to get money
to ship with or to pay off the mort
cages. If he were Earl or Porter, and
n Of hQ,- hoy in
their places, he would see every pound
of fruit rot before he would ship it in
opposition to his own interests. 1t is
through the refrigerator cars that they
have got the growers to-day Through
that power, in his Judgment. the COM
bine in the box industry had been
brought about. There is one price in
Oregon and another here for transpor-
tation and the grower cannot get boxes
except at the national price This also
applies to paper. nails and every other
thing the grower needs and must pur-
chase.
The combine are absolute masters of
the railroads and can dictate their own
terms to them. If any one asks where
their power is. the commissions on fruit
alone makes fortune. Why have they
sent circulars so industriously and writ
ten to the growers of the danger of talk
ing stock in this movement and yet
so per cent. Is being asked by the mi
nority. They say that too small an
amount is to be invested in cars, but he
knew better. for $4,000 might do good
in forming a combine with existing car
lines or with the railroad company If
Earl and Porter are getting the ex-
penses down as, low as possible. why
refrigeration? The growers could re-
duce it 80 per cent
The majority articles of Incorporation
include every thing in the line of the
growers needs, but if the growers of
Newcastle like their plan best, he was
willing for them to go ahead, as every
man has the right to do as he wishes
with his own property BY his plan a
million would be saved from refrigera-
ton and distributed to the families OF
the growers. No capitalists from the
East dare come here and invest without
coming to an understanding with the
combine or they would lose everything.
The combine has its agents out buying
fruit now in order to forestall this
movement, and also to save its profits.
Since the growers met, whether 1T nap
pened so or not, a combination OF the
canneries has been made, with one
buyer for all and only one price
throughout the State.