The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-01-18

Fruit Growers
BY
Northwestern Fruit Exchange
No. 2-..Mhen and How
Not long ago. q stockholder Of one Of
the largest and Oldest banks in a big
eastern city was urging the president
of the bank to advertise. whats the
use?'" asked the president, everybody
In this city knows all about this
bankr' The stockholder was a
merchant who had learned the value of
publicity thought differently and sug-
gested to the president that perhaps
the public was not go well informed
about the institution as he thought and
advisd him to put the matter to some
sort Of test. Now this bank president
was a very alert. progressive fellow
and the idea began TO work and he de-
cided that he would take his stockhold-
er's suggestion and do some investigat-
ing. Accordingly. the next morning
be took up position on the street cor
ner opposite bis bank and accosted
passersby with the inquiry: "Can you
tell me where ] can find tho ----
National Bank?" He was positively
shocked to find that only about one
man in ten could tell him. Nine out Of
ten had only vague ideas as to where
the bank was located. Now, the bank
story that have told you 10 true one,
and ever since 1t was told me. the
thought has persisted in my mind that
this story contains q moral for the
MORT H W ESTERN FRUIT EX.
CHANGE. Because We have been in
business actively in the Northwest for
the past six and one-half years and be-
cause great deal has been said and
written about us In that time is no rea.
son at all why there are not hundreds
and even thousands of fruit growers
whose information concerning the EX-
CHANGE. the Oldest interstate mar
keting organization In the Northwest,
is very vague indeed. If, indeed, they
do not actually have wrong concep-
tion Of it altogether. Therefore, / have
decided to tell them the facts-all the
facts--in a frank, free. nian-to-man
way. just ss ] would tell them If
could talk with them in person.
HOW The NORTHW EST TERN
FRUIT EXCHANGE CAME TO BE
ORGANIZED.
In order to start at the beginning, /
have got to allude to my personal his.
tory a little. though ! rather shrink
from what you may regard as self
advertisement. However. at the age Of
nineteen ! started out on the road as
cub salesman for The H.O COM.
PANY, of Buffalo, N. Y.--the concern
that put "FORCE" on the market and
made "SUNNY jim" an international
advertising figure. l was with them
for seven years, working up to Dis
trict Sales Manager, whence l went in
to the service of ARBUCKLE BROTH.
ERS. the great coffee merchants, " hose
ARlOSA BRAND Of packaged coffee
was at one time sold in practically ev-
cry grocery store In the land, from the
humblest commissary In the most re-
mote mining camp to the fashionable
stores in the big cities. Because the
brand was 30 popular it was used as
a leader by stores everywhere and fin-
ally was sold at cost or less until, after
while, the dealers revolted and began
persistent campaign to root it out Of
their trade. The packers did not take
cognizance of this until IL was too late,
in many territories, and | was engaged
to organize sales force and. backed
by an advertising campaign. feinstated
the brand in the trade. In Iowa, where
the business had reached the lowest
ebb and the brand had almost totally
disappeared from the merchants
shelves, we succeeded In selling new
stock to a very large per cent of the
stores.
Let me stop right here to call your
attention to the fact that whereas we
in the fruit and produce business are
complaining that the retailers charge
too MUCH profit on our product. and
thereby curtail the consumption, the
case of which am telling you. illus.
trates the fact that just as much harm,
or even more, can be done the manu-.
facturer IL the retailer gets too LIT.
TIE profit. Of course, the ideal con.
dition is where the retailer gets fair,
legitimate profit, and it is up to the
manufacturer Tor producer) to see that
he gets that, and no more-or less.
Being attached to the business of
marketing perishable merchandise &C.
cidcntally, became deeply interested
and attached myself to the staff Of the
CALIFORNIA VEGETABLE UNION,
the big institution which markets most
of the vegetables shipped ou of Cali.
fornia and sold all over the United
States. was sent to Pittsburgh and
arrived there on November /, 1907.
One of my customers was the firm of
CRUTCHFIELD & VOOLFOLK, who
were doing very large F. o. B. dis.
tributing business in all lines OF fruits
and vegetables in car lots. amounting
to about 5000 cars annually. Their
local commission business was q small
affair in comparison. In the spring of
1903, l was invited by CRUTCHFIELD
& VOOLFOLK to assume the position
Of SALES MANAGER Of their coun.
try.w wide carlot F. 0. B. business. and
accepted. For two years I filed this
position and gained broad insight IN.
to the whole national fruit market.
In the summer of 1909 | took q trip
to the coast in the interest Of
CRUTCHFlELD & VOOLFOLK, trav.
cling by way Of Colorado. Arizona.
California and on up into Oregon, visit.
ing Rogue River valley and Hood River
valley, also the Yakima valley and
Wentachee valley in Washington.
In my next talk will tell you how I
was impressed.