Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-07-28
FRUITGROWERs UNION.

meeting of fruitgrowers was held
last Saturday afternoon at the
Courier Office, but through com.
biDation of circumstances the at
tendance was small. but those pres.
ent, embracing several OF the promi-
nent growers Of the county, were en-.
thusiastic for the union and felt con.
fident that one could be organized and
with strong membership.
The growers who did not attend
have at least three reasons for not
doing so. Some had no confidence IN
the union and feared that il would be
the means Of the members being
swindled out of their fruit, or at
least Of paying big charges for high
salaTiers and other expenses that
would make burden on the grow ers
These men preferred TO take their
chances with the commission men IN
receiving all the way from freight
bill TO dollar box for their fruit
while the members OF the Mediord
union are able to get from q. 80 TO
81 10 per box for their apples Other
growers did not have time to attend
the meeting, yet the middlemen to
whom they consign their fruit have
ample time to figure the amount Of
profit their orchard may make.
And then there were growers who
forgot oil about the fruitgrowers
meetings but these mems memory
viii get painful and ex, ensive
awak' ming when they come to attempt
to narket their fruit IN small lots
and consiRn to commission men. who
write tnem glowing accounts Of mar.
ket conditions and OF the big prices
prevailing, then when the fruit has
been received and disposed of write
"a doleful letter TO accompany the little
remittance telling how prices had
suddenly broke under Plutted mar.
ket, or that the fruit was not up to
the standard, improperly packed aud
bruised, over.Iipe or too green aud
the dozen other excuses that some
dealers have for accounting for
shortage in returns that is disastrous
TO the orohaIdist.
II was voted to hold another meet.
ing at the Courier office on Saturday
afternoon Of August 3 at 80 p. m.,
when peTmAn mt organization will
be effected Blank membership rolls
were taken by those present and
blanks were sent to fruitmen, who |
were unable to be present, bat are
strongly IN favor Of the union, aud |
Systematic canvass Of the county will |
be made for members. The Rogue |
River FruiigrOwers Union, at Med |
ford, now Las one Of the strongest aud |
most successful on this Coast, started |
with but members and the or. |
ganizers of the Josephine County |
FruitRrowers Union feel certain that |
they can have larger membership
than that to begin with.
AS outlined the plan of the union
viii be- to incorporate with stock M
90 "A share, no member to hold more
than one share The officers Of the
union to consist Of a president, vice.
president, secretary, treasurer and u
beard Of nine directors. This board |
VIII have the management Cf the
affairs Cf the union aud all officers
will be under the control Of the bfatd
The members Cf tho board will serve
fer Cne year, and the president aud
the yice.pIesident of the union will
be two Of the nine members, and the
president viii preside at all bonrd
meetings. The SECRETARY of the union
will also be- secretary for the board.
During the shipping season an exTert
viii te employed who viii have
charge. Of the packing aud chipping,
and lie viii instruct the growers ns tu
the unions rules for grading aud pack
ing fruit, A bookkeeper will be- em.
ploy I'D 30 that there VIII be no con.
fusion in accounts. The shipping
manager and bookkel eer will be paid
an adequate salary to insure efficient
service ana during the shipping SEA.
ron the president and secretary may
be paid u small salary, bu. there VIII
ho no salaries to the olner officers
one Of the local banks can be- made
treasurer and the assurance is had
that the bank will make no charge
for keeping the accounts of the union.
IL is expected that all the officers Of
the union serve this year aud until u
is folly established without salary. II
the shipping manager aud bookkteprr
alone being paid. II Is the plan that
eventually the union shall handle all
kinds Of fruit, berries aud melons.
but for this year it is not the inttn.
tiun TO undertake an extensive busi
the union in good working order for
next year. 3
That tine union viii be profitable
Investment to its members Is proven ,
by the success of other unions. The
union can lack and ship fruit us &
cbtaIly Hs individual shippers aud Iu
the expense Of maintaining the union /
should be very light. Should th,
Jus,l hinc County Ftultgruwers
Union lruye TO he as successful as are q
the Hood River, Medford and Ash. /
land unions it will give such AN m. /
peius that instead of the go ear loads
OF fruit and 20 car loads Ct melon,
that were shipped last year Josephine
comfy viii load 1000 ears with meloO ,
aud l5CO with fruit and bcrr ts The N
county has land, the water for irrigu. T.,
ton whore nee dod and the climate.
aud with more favorable, prouhhl, "
market conditions tt will become one
m the leading fruit aud melon SEQ. d
tlOus of thp stntp