The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1904-03-24
Inrning ont 1,sOO orates a Day.

Turning out 1850 Crates a Day.
With 40 employees and a payroll OF
S75 a day, times are lively these days
with the Davidson Fruit Co. The box
factory is constantly buzzing away turn
ing out 800 crates day. There are
now over 25, 900 completed crates stored
in different warehouses. Store room
will soon be at premium, and 1t IS I'M
perative that the farmers begin hauling
out the crates as soon as possible. Should
fire destroy those now on hand, II
would be serious calamity for Hood
River. They could not be replaced in
time, nor could they be secured out OF
town.
Mr.. Davidson showed a Glacier man
about the factory and buildings Satur-
day. A new wrinkle in the manuiac-
ture of hallocks which appeared to be a
good thing to the newspaper man was
the fact that the crates are now bolled
and steamed before being sewed up. This
toughens the wood fibers and reduces to
a minimum the loss through breakage
when the hallocks are seWed up. 1t
produces neater box, and insureS bet
ter satisfaction to the strawberry
growers.
The larch lumber used in the manu-
facture of the berry crates, Mr. David
son saws, is secured this year at home
from the Mount Hood Lumber Co. For
merly all box material had to be i'm.
ported. This is no small item towards
keeping money in home circulation. Mr.
The Davidson Fruit Co. expects to have
orders for 100000 crates this season.
An apple Juice vinegar factory is new
venture for Davidson Fruit Co. VIII
Chipping is the expert in this line, and
machinery has been Installed for tnrnlnt
out five barrels Of vinegar a day Inc
process is great improvement on the
old method and cider can now be turneC
to vinegar in day. In the basement
of the warehouse are four large watts o
2.sCO gallons capacity. This vinega
: plant will be a great thing for Hoo'
! River fruit growers, as it will enable
! them to dispose Of all Gull apples at
> profit. The vinegar gees through a Ill
tering and distilling process which re
I, moves all impurities from the app
! ! iuice and produces clear, pure vinegar
= The vehicle and implement buslnes
y : of the Davidson Fruit Co, is growlnj
y rapidly. From the carload OF wagons 0
y that famous make, Studebaker, severa
:, have already been made and anothe
y shipment of buggies is expected later
4 The sales in this department. last yea
a amounted to 81, 600 or $4,000.
= = When asked concerning the outloo
= = for a strawberry market this year, MI
y Davidson appeared very sanguine, an
y assured the Glacier man that ther
" would be greater demand than eve
for Hood River fruit Larger order
j, than ever are already coming in. NJ
= Davidson expects so per cent increa,s
y in the output this year. The plants !
y says are in splendid condition, and til
u crop should be a large one. Abo'
M 900 acres will be in bearing this yea
NJ NJ and the total shipments should loot u
~ ~ l5O. 900 crates. With more berries, MOI
NJ carload shipments can be made. II
~ NJ O. R. & N. Co. has agreed to turnls
~ NJ plenty of cars, so repetition, OF la
S0 90 wears car shortage is not looked for.
NJ the quality of the fruit continues goc
OS00 there will be no fear for good price
0N ON Probably early high prices will not
OOO so big this season, but Mr.. Davldst
az 0O hopes to make more sales at an ayera!
OO OO price higher than last season, and tn,
NN make it a much more profitable ye
M for the farmers.