The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1913-01-28
Warm Contest for Directors.

ers of the Burlington County Farmers
Exchange was held at the court house on
Saturday.
1t was quite lively session, as there
was considerable expression of opin-
ions about the directors and manager of
the exchange. There was also a bitter
| fight over the election of board of d.
rectors.
The meeting was called to order by
Henry P. Thorn. chairman of the former
meeting He stated that whatever hap
pened at this meeting he hoped the organ
ization would stick together, as it is need
ed in Burlington county, and there is no
room for more than one organization of
this kind.
Harry L. Knight, chairman of the au-
diting committee, reported that the COM
mittee had employed expert accountants
to go over the books of the exchange, but
the work had not been completed and will
require about one week more.
Mr.. Wright, the accountant, made par
tial report He said the cash was found abb
solutely correct. The accounts of the
goods bought for members had been ex-
amined and were found practically correct.
number of cars of potatoes had been
bought from members and non-members
upon which there had been loss of about
$4,000, which reflected upon the manage
ment.
The method of settling with growers
before returns had been received by the
exchange from its shipments had some
times resulted in losses.
The total amount of business was about
1886, 900 for the year. which made gross
profit of about 500, 900 upon the percent
age basis, and would be a lucrative bust
ness had there been no losses
Mr.. Wright said the value of the capital
stock of the exchange does not seem to
be impaired. There is disputed claim
of about $4,000 with Pitcher & Co. for
seed potatoes, but that should not be con-
sidered as lost to the exchange.
Harry Brick. secretary, said the concern
had contracted last May with Pitcher &
Co. for 5000 sacks of seed potatoes for
1918. at price of $3.50 per sack for the
Cobber variety and 81 so for Green
Mountain. Later an additional order was
placed for 1000 sacks of Cobblers at 50 80.
At the time the first order was placed the
prices, in view of former experience.
seemed to be low, but since then it has
developed that the deal was not a good
one.
E. A, Michelin said it is rumored that
some directors of the exchange are men,
bers or stockholders of Pitcher & Co.,
from whom seed potatoes are purchased.
He asked If this is true.
Mr.. knight replied that the officers do
not know.
A question was asked whether some
members received guaranteed price for
potatoes while others had to accept what
eyer price the exchange saw fit to give
after deducting expenses.
Manager Frazer said no guaranteed or
fixed price was paid the members for any
product except Strawberries, which had
been done in some cases because 1t had
been demanded or the berries would not
have been shipped.
John O'Leary, Jr., said the exchange
sells too much to brokers, which makes
additional commission charges. He OBJ
iected to expenditures made In conducting
the office, one of them being paying $40 a
week for janitor, and keeping clerks at
periods of the year when not busy. He
charged that some of the directors on the
seed potato purchasing committee own
stock in the Pitcher Co. from which con-
Germ the exchange buys its supply.
j. A. Jones stated that he was one of
the directors referred to. He could not
see anything wrong about buying from
the Pitch er Co. after several other firms
had been asked for prices. none of which
offered as good deal as the Pitcher Co.
Voting for directors consumed nearly
the entire afternoon, and the tellers did
not finish counting ballots until ten O'Clock
that night. Those elected are as follows
Edward E. Logan, Mount Holly; Harry
Brick, Medford; Howard W. Haines, Vim
centown; John B. Evans, Pemberton;
Pearson Taylor, Wrightstown; Henry
Wright. Deacon's; Albert Haines, Mason
vile; Charles B. Ballinger, Lumberton; j.
Hansell Lippincott Hartford; Charles d.
Barton, Marion; j. Lawrence Lippincott,
Riverton; A. G. Donald, Beverly; Charles
Adams, Stevens; G. Craig Tallman. Column
bus; Aaron L. Collins, Moorestowu.