The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-04-10
COMBINE PLANS
CONSUMMATED
UNION RATIFlES CENTRAL AGENCY
At Annual Meeting Stockholders Instruct
Board to Proceed with Coalition Old
Directors Reelected by AcclamatiOn

When the vote Of Union stockholders
had been taken Saturday on the ques-
uon of amalgamatiOn, the agitation of
which throughout the past month has
aroused more interest among the apple
growers than any other problem ever
having confronted them, the audience
ln tense expectancy awaited the result, !
and when W. b. Dickerson, president
of the Union, announced that the res
olutlon authorizing the board of direc-
tors to lease the property of the con-
cern TO the federated association, had
carried, prolonged cheering followed.
The amalgamation plans were eonsum-
mated and the stockholders had finished
the most strenuous annual meeting
ever held.
According to the laws of Oregon it
was necessary that the resolution to
carry receive twO-thirds majority of
the stock of the concern issued, which
amounted to 400 shares. The stock
of the organization represented in per-
son or by proxy amounted to 3775
shares. The number of shares voted
favorably for the central selling plan
was 3l9S, with 4l9 against.
The meeting lasted from 1890 Sat.
urday morning until six O'Clock in the
evening. No meeting of the Union has
ever been so characterized by such
heated argument. A. |. Mason was
spokesan for the opposition and minor
ity. MIR. Mason made several address,
es, raising objections, on which he has
based former criticisms. He declared
that the price to be paid the National
Apple CO. was to high and the coalition
of the Apple Growers Union and the
Davidson Fruit Co. should be formed by
a sale outright to the new concern.
The repartee between MIR. Mason and
eXponents of the federation at moments
grew warm.
The old board of directors of the Union,
composed of w. B. Dickerson, Albert
Sutton, c. W. Hooker, f. G. Hutchin-
son, L. +. Clark, o. l.. Walter, DR..
Stanton Allen, John H. Mohr and l.. E.
Ireland. was reelected by acclamatlon.
However, it was announced that three
of the old members will not be able to
serve for the ensuing year. Albert
Sutton ami f. G. Hutchinson will re-
sign from their positions because of
the press of other business, and DR..
Stanton Allen will retire from the
board because of i'll health. Because
of the lateness of the hour Saturday
evening no ballot was taken on the di-
rectors and the growers endorsed Frank
Fenwick, A. Lewis and A. w. Stone,
who were suggested for appointment
| to fill the vacancies. Geo. |. Sargent
| .1 60 ka atA l. h,l &c h
\ Union their gratitude for hard worl
done by the board during the past year
| He declared that the stockholders
should rot let the responsibility rest
al ne on upon the shoulders of the di
et tors and officers of the concern but
that they should cooperate with them.
Peter Mohr said: Zone of the troubles
of the Union is that too many Union
members ship through other organza-
| tiOns. "
The meeting was opened Saturday
morning by the reading of minutes and
the report of the board of directors.
In this report it was stated that it had
been the custom to make returns on
pools of apples as soon as all sales
were settled and the receipts were in.
But the board of directors recommend
ed that this be changed and that the
growers receive a substantial advance
when the apples are delivered.
The report called attention to the
increased facilities of the Union and
the improvements made during the past
year. With the new storage building,
the agency now has storage capacity
of IT'S, 900 boxes. A new arrangement
has been entered into with the O.-W.
r. & N. Co, from which the property
on which the buildings are located is
leased. Formerly the directors were
only able to secure lease from year
to year. Now the lease is extended to
period of l5 years, and the handling
of bonds of the concern is facilitated.
The report had the highest praise for
the manager, Wilmer Sieg.
Attention was called to the fact that
the Blue Diamond brand of the Union
had been copyrighted, and that pen
atty was attached to violations of the
copyright law when an individual
shipped fruit wrapped with this label.
The Union has begun this year to han
die bluestone, lime sulphur and other
spray materials and spraying machin-
cry, besides giving its members the
benefit of the purchase of quantities Of
hay, grain and other products needed
on the orchard.
While the sales of fruit had not been
as satisfactory as one could expect, the
report stated, Hood Rivers apples
have been excellently packed and the
reputation the Uion's fruit has made
in the market is an asset. All apples
have been insured during the past
year. The fire at Wenatchee last fall
was a warning against failure to insure
fruit in storage. Action has been
taken looking to a sinking fund for the
bonds of the organization.
The directors report was followed
by that of Manager Wilmer Sieg. who
impressed on the growers minds the
Importance of different methods of
selling and distribution. Mr.. Sieg
pointed ont the weak points of market
ing during the past year and called the
attention of the grower to the enUr~
nous amount of apples still left in
storage this season at the beginning Of
spring. 1t was hoped, he said. that
the freeze in the Southern California
orange groves would prove a saving to
the apple market. Conditions were
better, " he declared, "for if the many
thousand cars of oranges had been sent
to market with the wonderful system
of distribution controlled by the citrus
associations, it would have meant dis
aster for the apple market.
Mr.. Sieg stated that the Union had
been looking toward larger and for
eign distribution of the fruits. "We
want to get into Philippine and Chi
nese markets and enter field that is
almost too large for the human mind
to comprehend. "
One of the most interesting portions
of his report to the growers was that
on warning against the planting of or
binary varieties. We cannot expect
even a fair price for the ordinary
stuff" he said. "Ihe delay in top
grating such varieties is just so much
OF delay in the success of the COM
,,unsk,, y No uuould he advisa tha n.