Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1909-09-24
Fort Pierce, Fla, 9-2O, 'Oa

Fort Pierce, Fla, 800, '09.
Mr.. ----, New York
Dear Sir II did not much imagine
that you would jump at the chance to
buy place down here, even at such a
bargain, and it was good deal to find
out if you would get cold foet thatI
asked you to investigate the plantation
offeredSat such low figure, wish
had the loose cash to buy it, though
you might think have button loose
to think of it after what l am about to
say. We pineapple grow ers are facing
absolute ruin. without any equivoca-
ton. Cuban competition next year
means their sending to the United
States more than 100000 more crates
Of pines than last year. Porto Rico, |
understand, with her increased acre.
age, will send million crates Ha-
wall has on her shelves over SS0O0,OOO
worth OF canned pineapples and has
again appropriated $4,000 W advertise
and knock the Elopida plheappiss.
Our crop is again going to be early,
and so come In direct competition with
the West Indies pines. The commits
sion men are doing all in their power
to line up things so as to have them all
their way again for next season. No
doubt that they robbed US Of 90 per
cent Of what we should have had last
season. They are organized and can
control things against the growers who
are not ooganized. They can cause de-
lays and gluts so they can buy to ad-
vantage to speculate. Many car that
netted the grower only few cents was
sold in some other market and netted
the speculator over 5000. For exam
pie, am a distributor down here |
send carload Of fruit to you, COM
mission man. You buy the fruit at
your own price, the price being lowNow-
ing to a glutted market, and you send
the returns tn ough me to the grower.
The sale apparently is a egitimateone
You and have an agreement that this
car is to be reshipped to market not
overcrowded, and they are always to be
found or the speculator would not be on
the job, like buzzard around the car
rion, and sell the car advautageously,
aud we split the profits. We get rich
and wear diamonds for vest buttons.
See the pointP We ought to be wear
ing stripes, but it is difficult TO catch up
with US. The grower is miles away and
ia no position to find out anything ded-
mite, and we have lined up with the
other commission men who will do all
possible to conceal the transaction, as
we will do in turn for them when they
are on the same kind of deal.
You have been called over to COM
mission house to see some OF your own
fruit, when shipment came 10 showing
decay. Were you ever called over to
see the fine pack and sound fruit chat
came in at other times ? You are in a
position 20 catch up with some of those
fellows if you will take the time to post
yourself and catch on to their sch emes.
Not all commission men are dishon-
est, but it is easy money to take and
there are mighty few honest men who
remain honest when you hand them
your pocketbook and they know you
have not counted the money, and II
little ia slipped out you Will not miss u.
When they take the whole amount Y
is suspicious and the grower squeals.
That Is what we are doing now, squeal-
ing. The squeal has been heard te'
cause we are squealing 10 buuci. One
f,ooti0ued on mage iourl