The San Francisco call., 1909-04-18
APRIL 80 Will BE
STATES GREAT DAY
Merchants of All Classes Aid in
Preparing for Raisin
Boom
Railroads and Eating Houses
Will Serve Tempting
Dessert Free

With California Raisin Day IL days
away the members of the Raisin day
committee are putting forth their best
efforts to meet all demands. The work
ing force in the office has been tripled
and literature and correspondence are
being rushed to all points in the United
States as fast as steam can carry
them.
The larger railroads in the country
are distributing literature throughout
their lines, and it is expected that
within three or four days every rail-
road in the United States will have on
display posters and placards advertis-
ing Raisin day. The Southern Pacific
IS rushing the work of placing posters
IN all coaches throughout its lines.
and Rock Island agents are distribut-
ing literature to the various towns on
the system.
Word has been received at the local
Raisin day rooms that practically every
railroad VIII serve complimentary
raisin desserts on all diners and in all
eating houses April 30
One feature of the campaign which
has become more noticeable is the fact
that grOcers, fruitmen and bakers are
not alone in taking up the Raisin day
idea and boosting il. Men in, all lines
Of business are making requests for
literature to use in their correspond
ence and advertising matter. Among
the classes of business making in
quiries and requests are druggists. soap
manufacturers, wire manufacturers.
dry goods merchants. meat packers.
rubber companies, coffee and tea mer-
chants. printers and book binders. In
letters received from the foregoing
companies they ask for recipe folders
and stickers TO use on their correspond
ence.
MOVEMENT SPREADS
When the Raisin day campaign was
hrst iRaugurated il was the idea of
the chamber Of commerce of Fresno
10 secure advertising through one or
two Of the principal railroads of the
country with the purpose of diverting
attention only TO those directly inter-
ested in the raisin industry. II was
believed that in this way enough rafsin
education could be given. Scarcely had
the first gun of the campaign been
hred, however, than from all sides
came letters from merchants, asking
that they be allowed to assist Their
requests were granted. and the Raisin
day committee believed it could make
a big stroke by invoking the aid of
other merchants in similar lines of
business.
The result is evident There isn't q
line OF business, a profession or a trade
In this country which has not been
asked to assist in Raisin day. All per-
sons in the various classes have not
been reached, but a large representa-
tion from every class has been.
with the result that the holdover crop
is beginning to move in a lively man
ner
There have been distributed to date
more than 1,25o,0O recipe folders and
more than 100000 stickers Orders
have been placed for 500, 900 more
raisin stickers and 300. 900 more recipe
folders. and as fast as these orders are
being met the literature is sent to
places not previously favored.
Although the Raisin day committee
is ostensibly in charge of all adver-
tising going out from Fresno it has
not made use Of this authority. with
the result that large numbers Of resi-
dents Of Fresno and vicinity are send
ing out scores of letters daily to
friends and business firms in the east
urging them TO take up the Raisin
day movement and boost it with a vim.
At first some took the idea in the
form OF a joke. thinking that the Cali
fornia people were not earnest in their
intentions.
One pleasant feature of the campaign