The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-06-19
P|NEAPPLES
SOLD CHEAP
San Francisco Is
Treated to a
Surprise.

| 'a'ue sun franclsco merchants once
got pineapples so cheap, that while
they served as n great advertisement
they drove out of the business the can
merry that furnished them. Now the
same merchants want Hawaiian pine
apples. want them badly and have sent
agents here to find out what chance
there Is to get them.
NOW that there is a pack of pine
apples being put up, finding ready,
even an anxious market at fine prices,
the story back OF that demand is of in
terest. When the Pearl City cannery
started 1t was without preliminary
work in the way of securing a trade
for the goods. So 1t was that when the
pack was made, it was shipped to Will
liams. Dimond & Co. at San Francisco.
That firm was doing nothing In the
way of merchandise and was not able
to place the goods successfully. The
price asked was fair, something around
81 dozen tins, but they would not
move.
After Keeping the goods on hand for
long time, finally a sale was effected
at 81 n dozen or $3.50 "a case. At this
price the pineapples went with a rush.
The wholesalers absorbed the whole lot,
distributed them to retailers and at
once there arose new demand. Peo-
pie who had been using the pines from
Sumatra and Singapore, Immediately
demanded the Hawaiian fruit, and
since the wholesalers had made a big
profit they responded quickly with
demand here for more, but the price re-
ceved for the shipment was so much
below cost and freight that the can
ming company went out of business
pies once thrived.
The inquiry for Hawaiian pineapples
still continues and as Mr.. Edgar
Lewis, who came down from San Fran
cisco last week, said yesterday: II
have been asked frequently IL we could
not furnish canned pineappes for the
trade. One wholesaler said he was
willing to take 100000 cases. All 1
could tell him was that the price paid
for the first shipment was so small that
the cannery was compelled to close
down. I confidently believe that all the
fruit that could be canned here would
find immediate and ready market
Mr. Harry Lewis said he was of the
same opinion as he had personally
made investigation as to the quality of
the pineapples. He says he found that
the Singapore pineapples were taste
less, though the appearance was fine.
while the Hawaiian pineapples were
full of juice and taste, and in every
way superior.
The interest taken in the Hawaiian
crop has proven immense.
Already three of the greatest houses of
San Francisco have sent here repre-
the entire pack of the islands under
contract. This has not been done but a
some of the packers have indicated
their Willingness to enter into agree
ments for the sale of all of their goods
which are to be sent outside of the
One of the greatest uses for canned
lies in the saloons. For
punches and similar mixtures for hot
weather consumption, the long slices
across the pineapple are used, and so
class of goods, that one of the local
will make its entire export
pack of this shape.
The superiority of the Hawaiian
pineapples is said to be due to several
points, one being that the Singapore
and Sumatra pines are of inferior
grade, while the center of the Ameri-
can canning industry is at Baltimore.
where the supply of the raw material
comes from the Bermudas and Florida,
must be picked green and ripen on the
way, which precludes the full flavor
which marks the Hawaiian fruit.
There is still one of the greatest sup
ply houses in San Francisco which
,annot secure Hawaiian pineapples,
md which Is in the market to con-
ract for great pack, If only there
$ some one to send it. The good prices
being realized are due in part to the
allure of the crop of the South, where
here has been bad summer for the
ruit and where the output will be
,nly a small proportion of the supply
leeded.
nv, - 90.