The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-03
CANNING CENTER
. MOVING WESTWARD
SHORTAGE IN TINNED TOMATOES
DESPITE INDUsTRY's GROWTH
WHY Eastern Plants Are Locating in
the West Richer Soil and Better
Freight Rates MISSISSIPPI Valley
Soon to Be the Center Of the Fruit
Packing Industry.
Chicarn journal.

Chicago Journal.
Following the shifting OF the center
Of population and money supply from
the east to the west, the canning indus
try, which each year preserves and dlsc
tributes turnout the world millions OF
cans Of vegetables and fruits, has brok-
en- away from strong eastern central.
ization and settled in the Mississippi
valley. Within the last five years
new complexion has been given the |
packing business, and, to keep up with |
the Industrial evolution, eastern pack
ers have been forced to move westward
or see their trade go into ether hands.
Great grocery lobbing concerns,
which do millions of dollars worth OF
per cent Of their trade is in canned
goods.
Vests Vegetable Business Immense.
Especially in the production Of
canned peas, corn and tomatoes has
there been big change In the standing
| Of the states. New York, Maryland,
New Jersey, Delaware and other eastern
states have seen their business decrease
and come to Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio,
Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and other west
cru states. Indiana especially has come
to the front in recent years. With Wiscon-
sin, Indiana has taken great portion
Of the canned pea production from
Maryland and New York. u. -.
Indiana, Illinois and Iowa now lead
the list in the production of canned
corn, but in the production Of canned
tomatoes Indiana, among the western
states. has had most notable rise.
Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey
are losing their tomato output and In
diana is gaining almost in proportion,
! altho Ohio is sharing the benefit. Lii
: nois' prairie land has been found poor
for the production Of tomatoes in COM
mercial quantities, but the cleared for
/ est land of Indiana has proved especl-
] ally fitted to their culture. Consequent,
~ tomato canning plants have grown
up like mushrooms in the Indiana belt
: Land and Freight Rates Reason
' New York and other eastern men in
:, terested in the industry have made
l searching inquiry into the conditions
which are bringing to. the west what
5 promises to develop in few. years
into one Of its richest assets. First OF
|; ern land is more suited to the produc
: tion of tomatoes than worn lands OF
eastern states, which require great ex
penditure for fertilizer. Added to this
q western farmers have been educated
Sd to the point where they are willing tx
II give up part of their large field crop
re- for the more careful growing, of to
/. Then. too, freight rates. have ha'
d their effect. For a long time eastern
Gamers labored under strained condi
IL lions. The center of demand for thei
is goods kept going gradually westward
p necessitating the payment of long-hau
s. tariffs Factories are now readjustin
< themselves ia conditions of cpopulatio
1.crl ,obt INV l,0r
doning eastern plants and rebuildin
in western locations. : ;, =,
Build New Plants in the West.
Several hundred new plants hav
grown up. in the west in the last FEY
Iyears. During the packing season O
1905 alone eight factories in Delawar'
+ more in New York, which operated
1904, closed their doors and did Il
packing. When the next season fl
. packing begins in the latter part {
4 August or September, it is. thought b
L western packers that several more cas-
ern plants will have located in the ives
! According, to figures compiled by Ne
people for the acetic qualities of tt
! tomato has increased to proportion
Z never measured for it. Indeed, the a
petite of the country for the juicy IT
vegetable has grown SO large that the
is doubt if the supply now in the ma
ket will hold out until a new pack
I. made late in the summer.
Explains Shortage in Tomatoes.
I. During 1902, 1903 and 1904 there W
an average annual pack of 231,9l3,7
cans of tomatoes, but during 1905,
u cause of bad weather conditions and
- shortage Of the crop, the pack was on
IA 100000 cans, or 100000 cans
low the average. - -
!. Eastern experts who are apprehe
sive about the supply, have estimate
from the consumption in the last thr
IS years, that the average American ia
lily uses fifteen cans of tomatoes
T. year This year the scaling off Of t
supply has reduced the possible apps
r. tionment to nine and one-half cans
- family. a.
i. f.. Between the seasons 1901 and 19
)C there was somewhat similar shorta
, when the price of the vegetable we
n up and jobbers were forced to pay 81
- dozen This degree Of stringency
81 not been reached yet this year, no
= ever, for the price at present is OF
$1.15 to $1.30 dozen cans. AS the s.
" son gets older repetition of the r
in prices which occurred in 1902
ar likely.
Buys Tomatoes for Soldiers.
AT AZ. Soo,;eb A - 80