The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-10-22
STElNHARDT & KELLY
ARE HEAVY BUYERS
From Produce News)

After considerable negotiation the
final details of the largest single pur-
chase of fruit in the history OF the bus
mess was completed last week. The
deal involved the buying outright OF
over $50 ears of northwestern boxed
apples and will involve, with negotia-
tlons now pending for another large
block, a cash outlay before the season
Is ended. of over one million dollars.
The principals in this gigantic deal are
Steinhardt & Kelly, the foremost fancy
fruit house in the country. as purchas-
ers ana the Northwestern Fruit Ex-
change, the Wenatehee Valley Fruit
Growers Association, the Yakima Coun-
ty Horticultural Union and other or
ganizations in the Northwest as sellers.
By this arrangement Steinhardt q
Kelly acquire the entire output OF the
famous Skookum apples, the pick OF
the northwestern fruit packed by the
Northwestern Fruit Exchange, as well
as a liberal supply of fancy fruit from
Mosier, Hood River, Wenatchee and
other sections Of the northwest. Boiled
down to a few words it means that
''New York's fancy fruit house,
whose slogan is "The world our orch
ard: our market the world" will have,
throughout the season, steady supply
of the fanciest fruit that comes out of
the northwest.
When viewed in the light Of condi-
tions which prevail at present In the
apple markets Of this country this deal
takes on greater proportions than II
would under ordinary circumstances.
With an enormous crop in sight all
over the country, and with financial
and business conditions badly disturbed
by the European war, buyers have been
pessimstic and have kept away from
the apple producing sections. Usually
at this time of the year they are
swarming through the apple orchards
irving to make dickers for the grow
ers fruit, but this season they have
been conspicuous by their absence.
Firms which ordinarily are heavy oper-
ators, did not have faith enough in the
outlook to risk their money. They
figured if there we're any chances to be
taken the grower could do 1t.
Jos. H. Steinhardt, of Steinhardt d
Kelly, had a different idea of the stu
alton. He had made close study of
conditions and felt that the pessimistic
feeling was not justified. Without say
ing anything to anyone he quietly
opened negotiations with the north
western operators for the fruit his firm
would need. He got in at just the psy-
Geological moment. and 1t did not take
him a great while to close contracts on
a satisfactory basis-to the firm and
the selers-for the largest quantity of
apples ever purchased by any house.
Mr.. Steinhardt would not tell the price
at which his purchases we're made, but
did say that the price was such that
they could sell fancy boxed apples at a
much lower price than ordinarily and
still make money.
Mr.. Steinhardt is an optimist, He
firmly believes that despite the enor-
nous crop and disturbed financial con-
dtions, there will be demand for
fancy apples at reasonable figures,
which will allow the firm to make
profit. He believes it so thoroughly |
that he is willing to put their money
into it. He is always willng-and able
- to back his opinions financially. III
he wins, well and good if he loses no
is an enormous one, involving the out
lay of a vast sum of money. but Stein
hardt 4 Kelly are better able to handle
it financially and every other way than
any other house in the country. Their
outlet for the class of goods they will
receive from the northwest is unex-
celled.
Northwestern fruit growers have
great deal for which TO thank the firm |
of Steinhardt 4 Kelly. Practically |
every year since apple growing became
much of factor in the northwest |
Steinhardt Il Kelly purchased heavy |
quantities of fruit. Sometimes the firm |
made money, but more often the bal. |
ance was ON the other side. This did |
not deter them, and they came back
each year for more, eliminating in this
purchase. MIR. Steinhardt has always
had faith in the future of the northwest
as ansapple producer. The firm has as
sisted in every possible way to help
develop the industry. In November,
1908, they brought several cars of fancy
Hood River boxed apples of various
varieties to New York and placed them
upon exhibition in New York, advertis-
ing the exhibition in all the daily pa
pers. Ii was the first chance the New
York public had had to see fruit Of this
character, and the exhibit was crowded
all the time. II did more to put Hood
River on the map as an apple producing
section than any other thing that ever
was done. Since then the firm has
been a constant booster of the north
west. distributing their apples to every
part of the Union and abroad.