The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1912-02-01
APPLE GROWERS
DISCUSS PLAN
UNION DIRECTORS READ REPORT
Committee Appointed to Make Thorough
Investigation and Return Report on
or About March LIST.

lioou hiVer irultgr0wers ever gathered
10 one body present Saturday to hear
the report of the committee recently
appointed TO investigate the methods
LOT the Northwestern Fruit Exchange
aud to discuss the proposed plan OF
combining the districts Of Wenatchee,
Rogue River and Hood River for the
purchase of controlling interest in
The Exchange, action was taken, which
will undoubtedly lead to some con-.
certed plan of sales between the re-
speetiye districts.
The two principal addresses of the
afternoon were delivered by X. 5.
Miller, manager of the Rogue River
Fruit q Produce Association. and W.
F. Gwin, of Portland and the origin
ator of the Northwestern Exchange.
A lengthy report of the Directors of
the Union relative TO the findings of
the investigating committee, was read
by Z. h. Sproat. manager of the Union.
The report IN part was as follows:
AT Mr.. Miller's request. we gave
him hearing here. We considered his
plan worthy of the deepest considera-
ton. The committee appointed for
the purpose made detailed investiga-
tlon of the Northwestern Fruit Ex-
change. The home offices of the con
cern are in splendid shape and the
work done by the Exchange is open
and honestly conducted. However. the
information gathered as to its connec-
tiuns with the North American Ex-
change and the stability, efficiency and
responsibility of that selling agency
was indefinite. And further details
should be found out as to the connec-
tons the individual unions will have
with Northwestern Fruit Exchange
and with one another.
Assuming that the crop for the
year will be a million boxes and that
six or seven hundred of these boxes
will be handled at 10 cents per box.
the rate established by the Exchange,
the sum, $780, 600 or $40, 600, seems to
US so colossal as to call for further
deep consideration. But we would call
your attention to the fact that from
the selling view point, we deem il of
vital Importance that the different
communities move toward some CON
certed plan on sales and distribution. "
I'VE would also call your attention to
the fact that all the information which
we have received relative to this pro-
posed amalgamatlon has been received
from only one source, namely that of
the selling party and while we do not
discredit any of the statements made
at the same time we feel that it is due
our stockholders that full cGrroborative
Information should be received from
ul &
Directors before they feel free to adj
wise any action on the part of our
stockholders at the present time.
"ln accordance with the above it
was moved by Mr.. Sutton seconded by
Mr. Walter that the Board of Direc-
tors approve of the above report and
adopt same as voicing their senti-
ments. All of the Directors voted yes.
Those present and voting were Messrs.
Sutton. Shepard, Wnchell Dethman
McCurdy, Walter, Dickerson, and
Sproat.
}. E. Ferguson, who was member
Of the investigating committee, said
deem th methods of the Northwest
ern Fruit Exchange the most admirable
that have ever ceen and | approve of
plan of having a committee going
further with the investigation.
After the addresses of Mr.. Miller
and Mr. Gwin, the remarks of Mr..
Ferguson and the reading of the report
by Mr.. Sproat, Truman Butler, who
said: in my mind no other problem
that we have ever faced can anyways
approximate in Importance the pres
ent; for it means looking at it from
the point of ordinary sales and distri-
button, that we shall have bread and
dessert instead of ordinary bread. if
the best prices are to be had made
the motion that the following resolu-
ton be adopted:
Resolved, That a committee of
three be appointed consisting of one
member of the Board of Directors of
the Apple Growers Union. one indie
pendent shippers and one business man,
TO confer with committees of like num-
ber from Wenatchee and Rogue River.
Resolved that the duty OF the three
committees is to consider the question
of forming an amalgamation of the
three districts or a closer working
relation between them and that it shall
be further the duty of this committee
to investigate the s0-called Rogue
River plan as a means of accomplish
ing this amalgamati0n.
Resolved, That the chairman of
this meeting notify the other two dis
tricts Of this action and request them
to appoint their committees at the
earliest possible date to the end Il at
the three committees may meet on or
about February Is. and be ready to
report back to a stockholders meeting
to be called by the Union not later
than March l. +"
After second by f. o. Blanchar,
who concurred with Mr.. Butler in his
remarks, the resolution was aOdpted
and the following citizens were APP
pointed to the investigating commit
tee: Mr. Butler, p. s. Davidson and
w. B, Dickerson. A resolution unani-
mously adopted, for the benefit of the
newspapers, said Mr.. Mason, who in
truduced it, read: I'VE favor some
comprehensive selling agency among
the box apple districts of the North
vest.
The first speaker of the afternoon
was Mr.. Miller. who during the week
| before had met gatherings OF orchard
lists in various parts of the valley,
where he had explained the proposed
/ plan. THE three districts, which it
is proposed to unite, " said the Rogue
! River fruit man, ''are in the main
specializing in different fruits. 1t is
true, perhaps that Wenatchee's Spit
zenbergs and yours somewhat overlap
as do your Newtowns and ours, yet we
are all the time moving toward this
specialization. Thus we can get to-
gether and use this machine. The
unions set their own price.
"The growers Of the three districts
have the alternative of two things
before them. They can purchase out.
right the controlling stock of the
Northwestern Fruit Exchange, or they
can take it on trial for year. How,
ever, | am not asking you to do anS