The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-03-21
SPROAT URGES
MORE STORAGE
CIRCULAR LETTER TO GROWERS
Resume of Past Years Business of Union
Stockholders Invited TO Make a
Study of Unions Methods.

the valley, giving a brief outline OF
what the organization has done during
the past year, correcting erroneous
ideas that have prevailed as to the
Union management and making {
strong appeal to the growers to use Z
( concerted effort toward securing adj
ditiona storage for handling the heavy
I crop that is expected this year.
The live question of the hour with
this Union. says MIR, Sproat, pro
+ vlded our growers concede il to be a
success and worthy of continuation, is
/ first Of all the great necessity for the
increasing of our home storage anc
the shipping facilities, and the real
object Of this letter is an endeavor sc
far as possible to have our stockhold.
ers and shippers realize the necessity
[ of freeing their minds from the effects
of unreliable rumors which are detri.
mental to the best interests of the as
sociation and to institute on their part
an investigation as to the truth OF
falslty OF these rumors, and then to
put IT. the background all minor dis
cords which have a tendency to prevent
harmony Of action on the part of the
stockholders, for if dscord and discon-
tent are to prevail it is very evide t
that it will be impossible to finance
any proposition looking toward an in
creased storage capacity and greater
shipping facilities.
1--WE still believe that our growers
do not realize the Importance of these
requirements for the proper success of
the Unions business and of their own
financial welfare in connection with
the same, and we very sincerely hope
that they will see the necessity of
moving as one harmonious body toward
the devising methods whereby greater
home storage facilities can be OBJ
| tanned. We hope that after reading
the statement of facts contained in
this letter they will have clearer
realization of the necessity of the
building up and maintenance of a
stronger and more powerful Union,
and fully believe that if they will con-
tinue to give their confidence, loyalty
and support to the Union that the same
will not be misplaced, and we again
urge our stockholders to either call at
the office individually or to send com
mittees TO represent them for the pur-
pose of making Investigations of any
question or methods about which they
may seek information, and we alsC
again request them not to accept as
facts any rulnors without due lnvesti.
cation. "
From September | of last year tC
| March II of this year the Union has
shipped a total of 200 cars of apples
and pears. OF this number, 68 cars,
or about "A third of the crop, went to
Steinhardt n Kelly, the big New York
commission men. The incorrect idea
has been prevailing among the growers
to a certain extent that the greater
portion of the crop was sent to the
New York firm, and on consignment.
Jne hundred and thirty cars have been
Fshipped to 63 different dealers to var
ious points throughout this country
and four foreign cities. The territory
covered was composed of II different
states of the United States and three
foreign countries. All fruit that was
shipped to Steinhardt a Kelly has
been sent with specific +. 0. b. Hood
River price.
In correction of the opinion that
some have had that the majority OF
the furit sold to other places went on
consignment, Mr. Sproat said: Zone
car only was sent on consignment, and
that to an Ohio city. 1t was sent only
after a virtual guarantee that the con
signee would get our regular +. 0. b.
| Hood River price for same
"Out of total quantity of l47 00t
boxes Of apples and pears handled by
this Union during the past season.
14l ! 500 were sold f. 0. b. Hood River,
states the letter, and $500 boxes
were sent out on consignment, mostly
to Portland. These Portland shipments
consisted mostly of varieties unknown
and of no regular market value, being
mostly apples OF common varieties
and of small size. 1t must be remem-
bered that we have listed with US n
different varieties of apples, for which
market must be found, and many oi
these varieties are without keeping
qualities and are unacceptable or
Eastern markets.
Rumors have prevailed, according tC
the letter, that the Board of Directori
have been favored in prices received
for their aplpes, having been granted
special privileges. Mr.. Sproat shows
/ that there has been scarcely a yea
when apples of one or the other of tht
directors have not been held back a
one of the warehouses for regarding
"Our books were audited in the Srinl
of 1911 at an expense of $500 by at
experienced firm of Portland account
ants, and had there been methods II
vogue whereby the directors were ben
| fitted. we are certain that the auditors
would have SO reported.
The letter laments the fact tina
growers accept as facts rumors tha
have no basis He suggests that th'
/ Oak Grove growers have set gooC
example in appointing committee
who spent day in going over the bus
/ mess methods of the organization anC
learning its exact workings for them
selves.
AS to the efficiency of this Union il
/ the matter Of getting prices for ou
growers, says the letter. 1--WE do no
| think il necessary 10 make any com
ments. 1t was fully demonstrated b!
the committee who had the subject o
/ the Northwestern Fruit Exchang,
under investigation, that our prices
with one or two exceptions, taking tht
crop as a whole, all grades, all size
and all varieties, surpassed those 0
any other associations in the boz
apple section. We have nothing fur
ther to say. If our growers canno
accept the facts as produced by th
committee on prices, we feel it is use
les for US to have anything further t
say. We rest with the committee
report so far as prices obtained by thi
Union is concerned.
''We think it will not be questionei
when we make the statement tbat-th
Hood River Apple Growers Union i
generally conceded to be one of tn
best, if not the best. of the very fey