The daily sentinel., 1908-01-09
The Grand Junction Fruit Growers Association

To an organization which is in
many respects the greatest, the
strongest and the most powerful of
its kind in the world-an organiza-
tion whose very makeup and con-
struction are deeply interesting and
whose work is truly wonderful
Grand Junction, the Grand valley and
one of the most important natural
industries of the vast west owe a
mighty measure of their develop
ment. fame and prosperity. No his
tory of the growth of Grand juno
tion and Mesa county, no summary
OF the resources and possibilities of
this rich section would be complete
without more than passing reference
to this remarkable institution that
has made the Grand valley fruit ia
nous to the ends of the earth, that
has really made Grand Valley fruit
best cultured and the most whole
some fruit grown anywhere beneath
a temperate sun,-that has caused
the Goddess of Prosperity to turn
her sweetest smile upon this beauti-
full. productive valley and pour out
her choice blessings III lavish pro-
fusion.
This institution is the Grand juno
yond doubt the best planned, the best
managed, the most influential, the
most effective and the most success
full fruit growers association in the
world.
The Grand Junction Fruit Grow
ers' Association has shipped the
greater portion of the fruit raised
in Mesa county every year since fruit
raising to any extent whatever began
in this locality.
Something like twelve years ago
the association was organized on 4
very small basis, but for two years it
made but little showing. In the year
1897 the association was reorgan-
lied. At that time it had just sixty
members.
John F. Moore was chosen mana
ger and Frank r. Davis was chosen
as assistant manager, and in a lit
tie building near where the great
plant of today stands these two gen.
tlemen started to work. and today
they hold the same positions in con-
nection with the association that they
held eleven years ago; but how won
derful has been the growth of the
organization during these eleven
years! Eleven years ago, or in the
first year of the reorganized associa-
ton there were shipped out of the
valley 167 cars of fruit by this asso-
oiation-the only institution of its
kind in western Colorado, and for
these 167 cars the growers were paid
$54.OS5. The crop that year was
considered phenomenal.
In 1906, ten years later. the asso-
oiation shipped out of the valley l.
1852 cars of fruit, and total of
S555,S13 was paid the growers. or
over half a million dollars more than
was paid out for fruit in 1897. And
when all the returns are in for 1907,
1t will be seen that the growers will
have been paid at least $750,0OO
more money in 1907 tnan they were
paid in 1897. Nearly 1000 more
oh 0f
this little valley in 1906 than were
shipped out In 1897. just ten short
years before. What mighty growth
in eleven years timel
The Grand Junction Fruit Grow
ers' Association is made up today of
over 600 fruit growers of Mesa coun-
ty. 1t was organized for the pur-
pose of shipping fruit. bettering the
product. and. by exemplification OF
the old saying, "In union there is
strength" securing by concerted ac-
.tion, the best possible prices. 1t al
so numbered among its objects the
carrying on of general jobbing busi-
ness, bringing in tropical fruits and
various articles of staple provisions
and products to be SOLD to merchants
and handling all kinds of supplies
pertaining to fruit raising for the
growers. In these prime objects the
association has been immensely sue
eessful.
The expenses of the operation of
the association are met and have al
ways been met by 5 per cent COM
mission paid to the association on the