The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1912-08-02
MORE ABOUT THE
GRAPE QUESTION
Mr.Dunham Replies to MIR.
Buskirk's Letter of Last
Week.


articles printed in the pa pers that
have myself as target, and but for
the TACT that Mr.. Buskirk makes some
statements about the association that
are entirely wrong, should say moth
ing in reply. | thank him for consid
ing that am honest, and l have al
ways considered him in the same
light, but think it would look better
if he would investigate reports little
before rushing into print with a lot of
street reports that have very small
show for any truth while some of them
have not particle. If he would come
TO one of the meetings of our directors
he might find out that he did not know
all about our way of doing business.
| am acting as manager of the asso-
citation and at a lower price to the
growers than the manager of any
other organization handling grapes
anywhere. l did not get one-half
cent per basket as he states, but only
had 2S12 cents per hundred for ponies,
asa cents for lbs and 85c per ton
for bulk. Out of this l paid all ex.
penses of the association and this
year the rate is lower yet. The ex-
change takes one-half cent for both
ponies and Fights and Sl.50 per ton
for bulk. Report says that Wildey
took one cent for baskets and s.. per
ton for bulk. We also pooled out
higher prices than either one of them.
New York state handlers take one
half cent per basket and say it is not
enough and are talking of raising the
price to three-quarters cent per bas-
ket. A representative of the c. & +.
Co. of Westfield, n. Y, was in our
Office a few days since and told the
writer as above Mr. Geo. f. Pierce
of North East, Pa, when here some
time since, said that he was not going
to handle for one-half cent any longer
but was making contracts with the
growers for this season at a higher
rate, but didn't say exactly what he
was to have He says l pay Mr.
Campbell of Mattawan $500 to keep
harmony in that locality I never
paid Mr. Campbell, or any one else
even 81, let alone $500, to keep ,har-
mony anywhere.
Mr. Buskirk says he does not be-
long 70 any association nor intend to,
and still he came to a meeting Of the
joint boards and passed himself off as
a director of the Wildey association
Why does he do this when de does not
belong to the organization and never
did? Why does he spend his money
TO advertise the association when he
is not member and does not propose
Association has a reputation among
the dealers of the country, as shipping
the best pack as we'll as the best
grapes they get, and we hope to keep
this reputation up, and if possible
make it better. He makes a couple
of statements that sound as though
they eminated from o. +. Prater, but
if Mr.. Prater told him that these
things happened, then he told him
what he knew was not true, and l
don't believe Mr. Prater said so, for he
knows as we'll as any one that there
is no ''too near the throne" and that
one mans grapes are inspected as
closely as another unless some one
is especially complained of as not do
ing their packing right, then the m
spector is directed to inspect their
loads as closely as possible. He has
been inspector and loader at Paw Paw
for some years, and being good at it,
he was hired as general inspector last
season OF course, after the rains
practically spoiled the crop, an in
spector or any one else could not
make grapes have carrying qualities.
But enough of this. We are still
selling baskets for S21.SOand now hope
~ NC @oiS ~ lulHlsH ali tndt are
wanted without raising prices, as we
have contracts covering few million
yet, provided we can keep taking them,
so growers better get them as soon as
possible. Our members have taken
baskets nicely this season, which has
made it possible for us 10 keep the
price down. Get your baskets and be
ready for the crop which is nearly
here. Early grapes will be ready to
pick in a short time, and you do not
want TO be caught without baskets.
G. DUNHAM, MGR. S. NJ Il. A.