The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-03-08
No. 70
"SkOOkum" in 1916
TO FRUIT GROWERS:

The first step in the 1916 SKOOKUM
campaign was general conference.
We asked the boards Of directors of
the local growers associations to meet
me in Wenatchee to discuss and deter
mine the policy for the year. The
date set for the meeting was well
ahead of the season, so that we might
have plenty of time to debate and di-
gest every important phase of thought
and suggestion that might crop up.
Then, too. we believed in preparedness.
There was plenty for us to do in 1916,
and it had to be done right. So, ac-
cording to arrangement, the TRUS-
TEES of the LEAVENW0RTH, Pc
SHASTIN, CASHMERE, MONITOR,
WENATCHEE, SUNNYSLOPE and
BREWSTER growers organizations
met me in the rooms of the Wenatchee
Commercial Club on Wednesday, April
5th, 1916, and the entire day was spent
in reviewing the results of the
SKOOKUM campaign for the three
preceding years. and in discussion and
analysis of the plans suggested for the
future.
This meeting surely resulted in thor
ough preparedness resolutions, but be-
fore beginning on the details that were
outlined for the 1916 advertising and
sales campaign, | wish to divert to
two important decisions reached at this
conference first, by which the grow
ers' equities in the SKO0KUM brand
were to be perpetually safeguarded,
II 80 al
SKOOKUM identical with extra fancy.
The latter suggestion was one of the
first on which action was taken, it be-
ing decided at this conference to dis
continue the use of corrugated card
board cushions, top and bottom, which
had been used heretofore in packing
SK0OKUM. The EXCHANGE was
able to recommend that this be done,
as careful observation of the deal had
convinced US that these mats were not
valuable in proportion to their cost.
This change in the packing method
makes the SKOOKUM pack identical
with the regular extra fancy. 1t is
astonishing how many mistaken ideas
have gotten out among the growers in
regard to the SK0OKUM pack. |
heard of a grower who, happening to
meet a prominent EXCHANGE men,
ber on the road, fell to discussing the
SKOOKUM plan. The first grower al
lowed that SKOOKUM was all right
and had made good, but said that he
didn't want to pack it las it only in
cludes the large sizes down to lbs,
and leaves the small sizes on my
hands p Now, how on earth that
grower got any such idea is too much
for me. The facts are that SKOO-
KUN includes ALL SIZES PERMIT
TED IN EXTRA FANCY under the
standard rules, WITHOUT RESTRIC-
TION. In other words, the pack is
IDENTICAL with extra fancy, the
difference being that UNUSUAL care
is taken to see that the entire output
is ACTUALLY and not merely NOM
INALLY EXTRA FANCY. Another
distinction is that unusual effort is
taken by the SKOOKUM shippers to
see that the fruit is moved from tree
to car with MAXIMUM SPEED and
without avoidable delay anywhere
along the line. This one thing, once it
gets known to ALL THE TRADE as
it is known to SOME OF THEM, will
make the SKO0KUM pack valuable
and always worth premium over
packs handled in the slipshod, happy
go-lucky manner that too frequently
charact cterizes this Northwestern out
put. 1t frequently means the differ
ence between profit and loss to the
buyer. However, what is required in
SKOOKUM is no more than what
ought WILLINGLY to be done by
everybody on every brand, so there is
no hardship or penalty or loss in the
SKOOKUM deal to any grower who is
willing and ready to DO HIS<OWN
BUSINESS RIGHT.
Now, about the growers equities in
the SKOOKUM brand. 1t was brought
out. during this Wenatchee conference,
that a contract should be entered into
between the growers representatives
under which growers equities should
be perpetually safeguarded. To this
proposition the EXCHANGE FULLY
and FREELY assented. A committee
of five growers was appointed to COOP
crate with representatives of the EX-
CHANGE in drafting this agreement,
and GENERAL COUNSEL WOR-
RAIL- WILSON, of the EXCHANGE,
went to Wenatchee for several days to
consult with the Chairman of the
Growers Committee. MR.. WORRALL
WILSON, by the way, is heavily inter-
ested himself in the business of frui,
growing, as he is an officer and inn
portant stockholder in the we'll known
and very choice properties of the
WENATCHEE ORCHARD BONDS
COMPANY of Cashmere therefore,
in this matter and in other matters
connected with the EXCHANGE he
naturally would look at matters, and
does look at matters, from the stand
point of an interested grower. Well,
the result of this was very important
determination, namely, the formation
and incorporation of the SKOOKUM
PACK Err S ASSOCIATION. THE
SKOOKUM PACKERS ASSOCIATION
is composed of the growers, organized
as a mutual non-proft association, and
which has taken over control of the
brand "SKOOKUM," and has adopted
certain rules and regulations designed
to protect the quality and pack of the
fruit PERMITTED to bear the SKOOKUM
label. Under the SK00KUM PACK
ERS ASSOCIATION agreement with
the EXCHANGE, the growers equit-
les in the SKOOKUM brand have per-
petual protection, and the ASSOCIA-
TION has the benefit of close coopera-
tion with the EXCHANGE in sales
and advertising. AS part of its
working scheme, the KUN
PACKERS ASSOCIATION has adopt
ed system for expansion of it's men,
bership, and system of supervision
has also been designed to safeguard to
the growers the integrity and the rep
utation of the brand-the reputation of
SK0OKUM it will be easily UNDER
stood by everyone, is worth a great
deal. The organization also has COM
mittee to pass upon the eligibility of
any district or association applying for
the privilege of using SKOOKUM la
bells. Here then was ACCOMPLISHED at