The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1916-03-09
IHOLDOUTS ARE
GATHERED INTO
UNIONS FOLD
Success of Kennewick- Richland
Marketing Organization is
Now Assured
35 ACRES ARE SIGNED TODAY
Nine Auto Loads of Business Men
Go Out and Camp on the
Growers Doorsteps

The "last straw" which yesterday
wavered uncertainty over the back Of
the Kennewick Richland Strawberry
Marketing Union, has been lifted and
the board of directors of the new or
ganization is ready to vigorously push
plans for handling the crop.
At noon today there were still about
60 acres of berries that had not been
signed up, and it was admitted by the
promoters of the Union that unless
at least half of that acreage could be
brought in, the back of the co-opera-
tive marketing movement would be
broken. Tonight about 35 Of those 60
acres have been brought into the fold
as result Of the go-get-'em excur-
sion planned and carried to success
full conclusion this afternoon when
forty business men accompanied the
Unions directors into the valley and
camped on the trail of the principal
"hold-outs" until their signatures to
the marketing agreement were either
obtained or promised.
at was splendid days work." said
Lee M. Lampson, president Of the I'M
ion, this evening. "We went after the
growers of the largest acreage and
we put it straight up to them with a
do-as-y s-you-would-be-done-by argument.
When we had convinced them conclu-
sively that unless they came in and
assisted in the success of this move
ment, many of their neighbors would
go broke and be forced to abandon the
berry business, they "came thru" with
their signatures.
"The growers signed up this after
noon are w. III. Witt, 10 acres; w. H.
Allison, TN; j. III. Campbell, 8; B. F.
Neal, 5; Nelson, Williams, a; total of
341s acres. Besides these we learn
that a number of the smaller growers
have already signifed their willing
ness to come in. now that more than
the necessary 85 per cent of the acre.
age has been signed up. The princi-
pal grower yet to be secured is j. Ser
combe, who was not interviewed today.
If his signature can be secured, we
will be able to control easily 95 per
cent of the Kennewick acreage. The
only grower who refused to sign, Of
those we interviewed today, was B.
G. Zwanzig."
At meeting Monday afternoon the
board of directors exercised their op-
tion and increased the membership
from seven to nine by electing L. e.
Johnson, president of the First Ma
tional Bank, Of this city and A. L.
Nelson, cashier of the Security State
Bank, of Richland, to membership on
the board. ! -sss-
Grade and pack rules modelled after
those used at Hood River We're adopt
ed. The extra fancy grade will be
four by four, four by five or a five by
five pack with not more than 15 per
cent of smaller but perfect berries al
lowed for filters. All perfect berries
smaller than five by five are to be
put into a second grade and the ques-
tion of whether or not this grade shall
be faced will be left to the sales man.
ager.
The extra fancy will be put out un-
der monogram K-R. brand and the
crates will bear an attractive litho-
graphed label designed by w. r.
Crawford.
At Mondays meeting the board did
not take up the question of engaging
manager but will meet for that pur-
pose next Monday afternoon.