The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-09-01
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Ill OTubT JDdI poOpiC ChbaBSN ~ e. -"
ing strawberries may better understand
the situation, the Glacier has endeay-
ored TO obtain information which II feels
may be OF interest to them, and acquaint
them with the conditions OF the mar
kets. etc., as they existed this year.
With this object in view, a reporter
sought out Z. II. Shepard, manager OF
the Hood River Fruit Growers union,
who very courteously went over q num-
Der Of letters in his possession, which,
in great measure, explains many
causes Of ofunsatisfactory returns.
Mr.. Shepard is very busy these days
arranging for market for the apples
OF the Hood River Apple Growers
union, and it is hard matter for the
Glacier reporter to find him when he
has moment to talk, but as the news
gatherer dropped into Mr.. Shepard's
office last Friday, the manager Of two
fruit unions, showed aside his work long
enough to let the reporter gather the
following valuable information:
"This has been an off season in fruit
from the beginning Of the orange crop
to the present time,' remarked MIR.
Shepard, "due probably to the follow
ing causes: In the first place presi-
dental year makes money tight; in the
second place the acreage OF all fruits
has been greatly increased, and In the
third place the crops were larger. In
fact every berry-growing district pro-
duced large crop with the exception
of Hood River and Colorado. Texas
came first, California, Arkansas, Mis-
souri,, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois,
Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, and
Minnesota, all come along in regular
order with big crops. :,
"Big yields means low prices In all
the eastern markets, OF course. A great
many OF the home markets were crowd
ed with berries from their own locality,
said Mr.. Shepard, as follows: Utah,
Boise, Milton, Athena, Walla Walla,
Spokane, which not only supplied their
own towns, butlOcal markets; Vashon
and Lake Washington supplied all the
Sound cities and Montana. This, OF
course, cut out part OF the former mar
kets for Hood River berries.
"The first slump in fruit" continued
Mr.. Shepard, "came from overloaded
markets In oranges, California produc-
ing 1900 cars, and orangeswere selling
at rs cents a box In Seattle, this spring,
from which was TO be deducted the
commission, dFayage, wharfage, ETC.,
leaving probably net figure OF less
than 80 cents box, causing the grower
TO lose about 80 cents box on oranges
on the Seattle market, inasmuch as the
cost to- the grower to lay these down at
his own depot, IL one dollar. Other
cisiee alec made poor returns.
Strawberries came next, meeting
crowded markets; raspberries and
blackberries met the same condition,
and the chances are that the markets
are apt at this season to be glutted with
peaches and other early fruits.
eve are, however, glad for Hood
River valley, that the apple market
bids fair TO be good, SO far as we are
able to ascertain at the present time,
as the California crop and the Missouri
crop are both light
"While the net average for the entire
season has not been figured up for re-
turns on strawberries, the lowest
returns made were about 81 average to
the grower, and ranging from this up
In round numbers, TO &l.l0, 4l.20, M.30,
Sl,45, while some early growers realized
above this figure, as high as q $500
average, and some of the very late ber-
ries averaging $l,55 net.
Comparatively Of least, Hood River
growers have not suffered ae badly as
other districts. The Vashon growers
received but about 65 cents net per
crate. Missouri berries in Omaha
brought as low an average from the 10th
TO the Goth of June as SO cents per crate;
consequently the berries here brought
better returns in that market than this
figure for the reason that II costs us rs
cents freight TO market in Omaha, and
II cold at S3 cents per crate, oil berries
sent to Omaha would have netted but
cents per crate. This figure was based
on the report from one OF the large COM
mission houses In Omaha.
ITO quote from one Of the letters /;
This is the toughest year on record,
starting from the orange slump last fall,
until the present time. So far as ber-
ries go, do not believe the growers
from this section OF the country, that
is around Omaha, with the exception
OF the early Texas berries, have re-
ceived money enough to more than pay
for the crates and baskets, TO say moth
ing about their cost OF picking
"Here are quotations from q number
OF telegrams and letters;
"Denver-'Car shipped 9Th, due Mon
day, cars Mo. due Monday, divert II
you think best.'
Atlantic City, Iowa---'On account
OF the large amount OF home grown
berries that are coming into the market,
Twill be obliged to cancel my berry
order with you
est. Louis--T would not advise ship
ping OF strawberries at present, mas.
much as We have an oyerstoeked mar,
ket, selling at 40 cents from the stores
You surely are not able to 10 against a
proposition whore peddlers are offering
in,Rnypart ofthe city, the best berries
from 5ito 2 eantsipe quart even selling
an excellent berry at Is cents per gallon,
"Denver--'There are cars of straw.
berries in here today, and all except
Hoods consignment. We wired you to
cut out anyscars that might arrive here
tomorrow, and also see diversion is
accomplished on car 1894,
From this last letter II Is easy to
see in comparative way, how some
markets were crowded with strawber-
ries. Nine cars TO be sold in single
day in city the size Of Denver would
mean approximately that 60 crates
would have to be retailed in city the
size Of Hood River
''In addition to these, q number oi
kilograms were received from Omaha
asking the shippers here TO cut out
train loads on certain days on account
Of the crowded condition. 1t is fair tC
presume that no broker acting ON the
percentage basis, would send sucl
kilograms and cut out his own profits
If he felt able to find any market for thu
berries.
Another letter: In general woulC
say, Missouri is shipping the biggeei
crop she was ever known TO have, ant
her berries are running EXCEPTIONAL,
good this year, many of them being a
good As the Hoods" except they d,
not take pains in putting them up
These were consigned to any one VIII,
would pay the freight, and the rulinl
prices were $l.25 down to the dump, il
fact some berries sold as low as 10 cent