Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-09-07
BENEATH THE BELT.
Rocky Ford Cantaloupes get
q Blow That is q Knock
er Out.

Rocky F"rds practically closed
last Monday night. Early Tues
day morning, n new factor appear
ed on Third street in the way of
Rocky Fords, shipped from Rocky |
Ford station by The Rocky Ford |
Truckers Union. Each crate bore |
a pretty green and red label stat
ing where grown aud the words,
"Onrs Is the BEST and GENU-
me" The name of the grower
was rubber stamped in blank on
the label.
Until Tuesday. the Western
Poultry u Game Co. people, who
have handled car after car of
Lamar cnntaloupes. also Las AMI
mas and the shipments of the
Rocky Ford melon growers as
sociation." have been keeping n
stiff market ranging from 81 to
$3.50 and earlier in the season 81.
Other houses in the street with
orders were allowed margin and
the receipts OF Rocky Fords
through one channel was general
ly satisfactory.
In the face of homegrown can
taloupes at 10 to % cents per box,
the Las Animas melons moved
steadily, hotels aud high class res
taurants taking all that were offer
ed. Whether by design or fnct
that they were bringing good
prices in other markets. no cantn-
ioupcs from the kouns Party hnd
been offered aud the result wns
that "gilt-edgc" prices ruled ON
every lot and buyers crowded
cnch other every day. The '.
Scnlzo Fruit Co. broke the COM
bina,ion Tuesday morning. when
u car rolled in from Rocky Ford
with the green and red label.
1t was war from the jump nnd
the pcddlers got the picklnss.
Melons that were bit soft were
closed out Mt any where from 30
cents to a dollar. Later III the
day the fancy stuff was held ai
Sl.OC. about 10 cents under the
price on Monday.
II is claimed Scalzo people
bought the car outright and to
save themselves cleaned out the
rough and soft stock regardless of
the market.
Then they wanted some of the
trade the Westcap people control
led and to get it, smashed the
schedule. In the rush various
prices were quoted and ~ quickly
forgotten so that there was some
confusion later on. One buyer
took several crates at SLIGO on the
statement that no good stock
would he sold at n less price.
Later he learned of parties buying
mt Sl.50 and then lie got red head.
ed.
Scalzo's floor salesman says,
that they will have plenty OF can
taloupes in the future. Which
means Rocky Fords in the near
future will range from 40 cents to
81 and no more.
The Western Poultry Il Game
Co. people who have been getting
in full supply, went into the
figb. Tuesday and met the cut to
save their trade. The outlook is
now for glut and low prices, all
of which. interests the shippers.
who. now that they are divided.
will get the short end of the stick.
4 telegram to II. Woods, of
Chicago, failed to develop just
who is behind this Truckers
Union. Other inquiries failed to
show it.
The season is too near the close
for rally in prices. To The
Packer. u cantaloupe man on the
street. said, "If this new crowd of
shippers had not showed their
stuif in st. Louis would have been
the banner city for Rocky tords
this year. And had the receivers
here been willing to keep up the
market. one man alone would have
taken the entire car at Sl.I5 per
crate. good. bad and Indifferent.
But the temptation TO declare war
and wake up the street was too
great.
From now on Rocky Ford ship
pers need not expect fancy prices.
That day is over this season i'll st.
Louis. They can blame the Truck.
ers' Mon or the receivers here,
as they will. There's link loose
in the association crown at the
other end and this link is doing
the joh.
Fine young chunky l,4OO lb.
mare for sale. G. w. Irwin.