Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-07-27
THE NETTED GEM
CANTALOUPE
Items Incident to the Opening Of the Season of 1s9a
Which is Now Quite Promising
The Truth ALsut the Texas business

The Truth Absut the Texas business.
Rocky Ford. Colo. July %. 1899.
To the Eiitor at the Entrfpsise.
Tho board of directors of tho Rocky
Ford Melon Grower association have
rsfsninel from paying any attention Ia
tho silly snmor. that memi,-rs of the
kouns Party have se~a nt 10 noise about.
we have thought that tho p~opio hers
know Nr. konns and his faction too we'll
10 give any ci-,l-ncs 10 their stlls stories.
hut 90 nov feel justified In replying To
their latest rumor. which h To tho effect
that tho Western Poultry 4 Game Co.
have not kept faith with tho melon grow.
ess Of Texas. aud that tho growers there
ussc very much dissatisfied with their
treatment 1t tho hands os Mr.. wstzei.
We dnd the exact rsvsrsc 10 be tho true
coa,lition. Mr.. wctzsi having paid his
contract psicr In full fos every melon.
aud tl,~ T~xns people arr veil sal,siiesl
~ tho following letter 10 rvply to ous
written by our secretary will show:
League City Guif Coast
Horticultural Assoc'n.
League City. Texas, July 22,po.
DAAn SIN: Your favor of tho 18th
inst received. Our dealings with Mr..
wctx-l of the Western p. l. q. Co. srs
ciu~csi for this season. ! wish to say
they have fulfilled their part Of tho con.
trnct mud In all our transactions found
them honest aud energetic business men,
Through the strawberry season We con.
signed to them several thousand iollars
worth Of strawberries, realizing good and
satisfactory prices.
In tho melon season. ns you arc probn.
bly, aware. Texas hni unusually heavy
rains which naturally injured the crop.
The Western r. & q. Co. received mel.
ens until they would sink m inch o,
over in the crates, standing in iced carr
over night. caused by melons taking
mp too much water in the field, after
which We concluded 10 wnit several days
expecting the melons to get over tho cf.
feet Of the ruins, but the leaves on the
vines blightcd md were seriously affected
by melon lice We decided that il was
money lost to try to ship more car load
lots, ns their carrying quality was ruined
II wns serious loss and u disappoint
ment to Texas melon growers, ns sons
associations shipped but few. chr loads
but Il was no fault Of the Western p. 4
@. Co., rs they were anxious to have
them at full prices IL We conld deliver
them in st. Louis in reasonable condi
ton, or il they would carry that distance
Outside buyers said. ''if the Western p
4 G.. Co. can not handle the melons, ",
can't use them would not buy them n,
reduced prices here or at Webster, o
which we know,
We certainly will give the Western p
& q. Co. the first opportunity to make .
contract for melons next season, appreci.
nting their integrity and business ability
only sorry thnt such firms with presi
dents like Mr.. Wetzel are SO scarce.
Pleased to serve you with any further
communications, believing them to be 10
our mutual interests.
Respectfully yours,
A. J. RIEss, Sec.
The board of directors Of the Rock,
Ford Melon Growers association,
! A. Is. WALLIS, Sec.
Dodge IIale's Southern Experience.
Dodge Hale has returned from
the south where was assisting the
Western Poultry g. Game Co. in
handling the earliest crop of can
tnloupcs which reached the east
ern markets. Mr.. Hale says the
business was most profitable and
satisfactory to both the growers
and Mr.. Wetzel's company until
heavy rains wuter-soaked the mel
ons and damaged their shipping
qualities. Even after the rains
shipments were continued from
Crockett and other. points until
growers were more than satisfied
that the melons would not carry to
market. All rumors that the
Western Poultry & Game Co. had
trouble, with the shippers and
tried to secure lower prices than
their contract called for, are Who'll
ly unfounded. Mr.. Hale was di-
rectly in charge of Mr.. Wetzel's
interests under the general direc-
ton of H. d. Garwood and knows
whereof lie speaks. That the bus
mess of the Western Poultry &
Game Co. was conducted to the
satisfaction of the growers was
proved by the resolutions passed
by seven associations at the main
shipping points, in which Mr..
Wetzels company was distinctly
complimented for the manner in
which the growers had been treat