The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1913-03-13
CLUB DISCUSSES
MANY TOPICS
TALK FEST ON MONDAY NIGHT
Ship Promoters Appeal Meets with Dis
approval Opportunity of Summer
Hotels Shown.

Although the crowd was not extra
ordinarily large at the regular meeting
OF the Commercial club Monday even
I ing, those present discussed various
/ and sundry subjects. Indeed, il was a
good old gab-fest and the topics under
| fire ranged ell the way from cats and
kittens. homed in the rubbish of va
cant lot, to the apple marketing ANAL
gamation.
The first matter to come before the
members Of the organization was the
appeal of f. l.. Goodsell, New York
promoter. who asks that the local fruit
growers sign a petition addressed TO
congress and the president, praying for
a subsidy for fruit bearing refrigera-
tion vessels, which a company in New
York promises to build, provided
enough Pacific coast fruit shippers sign
up tonnage with the concern and aid in
the securing of favorable laws. The
petition also calls for the repeal of the
law that prevents foreign owned boats
from taking cargo at more than one
American port. Wilmer Sieg. man.
ager of the Apple Growers Union,
stated that Mr.. Goodsel was a pro-
moter pure and simple. "And his rate
of 68 cents per box for fruit from here
to European ports is nothing like what
we should have, said Mr.. Sieg, who
thinks that Mr. Goodsell is TRYING to
work the western fruit man.
Mr.. Sieg called the attention of the
business men Of the city to the fact
that the mass meeting Of growers was
to be held next Wednesday at the
I1eilbronner hall He asked that all
of them study the matter over, since a
close cooperation means better bust
ness conditions. Anything that helps
the grower will help you, said: Mr..
Sieg, 'and we hope that you will help
the matter along. The local growers
must lay aside all personal feelings,
get on business basis, If they expect
to tide the fruit industry through the
difficulties that face il" Mr.. Sieg
stated that the directors of the differ
ent marketing organizations would be
ready to offer the growers tangible
plan at next weeks meeting.
Secretary X. f. Scott read a letter
that had been received from a resident
of Bandon, Ore, who proposed to pro-
mote a woolen mill here, provided he
could get 80 per cent of the capital
raised among local citizens. For a
building and operating fund. capita
stock of $4,000 would be needed fol-
such venture. Mr.. Scott stated thai
the Commercial club directors always
put cold water on such propositions.
But there are many things tina
we can do here without the outlay o
much money" said Mr.. Scott. "W
can start larger plant nursery, 70
instance. and Ship bulbs and plants t.
all parts of the country" H. d
Fletcher, who was present, stated tha
from his East Side hothouses last yea
he shipped Is, 600 plants. j. H. Koberl
stated that he would be ready later t
talk flowers. 81 have Just secured
shipment of several thousand gladiol
from Holland" said Mr.. Koberg
"As soon as ! have tested them out
then | will be better prepared to talk.
Secretary Scott called attention t
the COW meeting to be held Saturday
These meetings." o." said W. l.. Clark
president of the club, "that deal will
diversified farming have arisen as {
result of a meeting we held here las
fall to discuss dry rot. 1t was thei
thought that the rot was caused on ac
count of lack of certain elements il
the soil. Experts have advised tn,
planting of cover crops and the graz
ing of more cows. We should put 20
or 300 milch cows in the valley" Mr.
Fletcher stated that he thought tn,
orchardists could also produce a grea
many more hogs than are at presen
raised.
Attention was called to the arg
number of loaves of bread that ar,
sold daily to growers at the countr!
stores. ut may be all right, salt
Secretary Scott. "for the grower t.
purchase his bread That may b,
economical, but let's have him pur
chase it from a home bakery. W.
have a baker here. George Ertle ha
recently doubled his capacity, so | hav
read in the paper. Let's buy our brea,
from him. Let's do our business witt
him and make it possible for him to in
crease the size of his plant and tb
number of his employees. "
F. 2. Friday stated that we ought [,
build trunk road up the Hood river
This led to a discussion of the lndial
creek park donated by DR.. 7. l.. Elio
to the city, and the club endorsed tn,
plans of Rev. 4. A. Harris and hi
troop of Boy Scouts to build a trai
into the tract and to beautfy the place
If the task is too great for the boys j
is proposed to nave rally and for
body of the men to aid in the. work 0
the trail building.
DR.. j. F. Watt called attention t
the unkempt condition of number o
vacant lots and the sides of variou
streets. The secretary of the club wa
instructed to communicate with tn
council and call the attention Of tn
members of that body to the provision
of certain ordinances that require tn
contractors doing street work to clea
up the litter made.
A. G. U. Berry. a contractor 0
Portland, addressed the members 0
the club on the opportunity that Hoo
River'has to increase her popularity b
the building of summer hotels. "A
present the Portland people have bu
few outlets for summer recreation,
said MIR. Berry. There are man
places we HE ourselves to-" he said
"but at none of them are there an
conveniences. You people here wi
certainly cause great many Portlan
people to come among you, If yo
build we'll equipped summer hotel.
A hNTIUTTV CII0IIN AT