Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1906-08-31
HOOD RIVER GETS
$500 A BOX FOR APPLES
Raises Fancy Fruit and Makes
Big Profit. Rogue River
Could Do Same.

Aho hoou hlNcI Eiult 0IOWcTs
Union inaugurated three years ago
the plan of selling their apple crop
on sale day to the highest bidder for
cash fob. Hood River station. Un-
der this plan the union fixes date
on which its board of directors will
open bids and award the sale of their
fruit and notices to that effect are
sent to all the buyers of the world.
This year the union set Monday,
August 20. as the date for opening
bids for their apples. Bids were
filed by many large buyers and two
of the biggest New York firms and
who are the largest fruit dealers in
the world, E. p. Loomis & Co. and
Rae & Hatfield were represented by
the heads of the firms who came to
Hood River to inspect the orchards
and then to bid on the fruit.
Loomis g. Company we're the success
full bidders and they pay for the apples
record breaking price and the pay
ments are made as fast as the cars are
loaded. or the details of this record
break ing sale of apples the following
is from the Hood River Glacier aud
the subjoined article is by the Hood
River correspondent Of the Oregonian
"The superiority of the Hood River
apple over that of other fruit has been
fully demonstrated by the sales of
Hood River fruit which have taken
place here in the last few days.
While buyers who have been here to
bid on Hood River fruit have bought
fine quality Ben Davis apples in
Missouri which they say can be de-
livered in Europe this year for 81 a
barrel-a three bushel barrel at that
Hood River fruit has sold for more
than that for box fruit containing one
bushel. Buyers who have travelled
the country over from coast to coast
estimate the crop this year at 72 900.
600 barrels as against $4,000. 900 last
ear. Larger they say than the fa-
nous crop of 1896 which year previous
to this one broke all records for ap.
Piles. Still they have come west for
apples and have paid for them prices
that exceeded the expectations OF the
most sanguine.
"While it cannot be learned exactly
what was paid for the crop of apples
disposed of by the Apple Growers
Union Monday, those in position to
know say that it will average higher
than last year which was the highest
known in the history of apples grow
ing in Hood River. Purchases made
by buyers Independent of the union in
the last few days brought the top
notch price of So per box for Spitzen-
bergs and 50. 25 for Newtowns and it
is said that the union has received a
higher price than this for these var.
ieties Of apples. The unions fruit
was bought by the firm of E. z.
Loomis q Co. who were the highest
bidders, winning out over Rae &
Hatfield, who last year handled the
product of the union. The purchase
of the Loomis company will include
about 65 cars Of 40, 600 boxes and is
the largest purchase of apples ever
made by one firm at Hood River.
ibis does not include the entire pro-
duct of the Apple Growers Union,
but when it is known that the entire
production of the valley last year was
only 60, boxes. it will readily be
seen how much more fruit will be
shipped from Hood River this year
than last and how much greater the
returns will be to growers. In fact
it is estimated at double or about
l20, 900 boxes for all varieties.
without the increase in price
which growers are said to have re.
ceived this year, and taking the
average price per box for last years
fruit the apple crop Of Hood River
should be worth 800, 600 more than
it was then.
''Any increase added to this will
make the figures run up very rapidly
and show marked increase in the
valleys revenue.
while the officers of the union will
not at present make any statement as
to the exact prices received they say
that the sale has been a most salts.
factory one. but that for business
reasons they do not care to announce
them as yet, but will do so later.
"The bidders will not make any
statement in regard to their bids as
some Of the unsuccessfuliones are still
10 the market for some of the Hood
River fruit and naturally consider it
bad business policy to make known
the amount Of their bid. when they