The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1917-02-15
FEW GROWERS
REMAIN OUTSIDE
!. BERRY UNION
Not More Than Ten Per Cent of
Kennewick- -Richland Acreage
On Independent List
Johnson Is NEW PRESIDENT
Annual Membership Meeting Held
Without Ripple of Discord-
Marketing Costs Higher

Marketing Costs Higher
There was not so much as a ripple
Of discord at the annual membership
meeting of the local division of the
Kennewick- -Richland Marketing Union
Tuesday. There was a large attend
ance, and if any grower came to the
meeting nursing crouch, he didn't
air it. No criticism of the retiring
board of directors nor of the manner
in which the business had been hand
led was voiced. In fact the work of
the old board was given a splendid en-
dorsement in that each one was re-
elected for this year.
The annual meeting Of the Richland
division held Monday was equally har-
monious and all members of the old
board of directors were reelected.
The bylaws of the Union provide
that each of the two divisions select
three growers as directors and each of
these sets Of three select fourth di-
rector who is not a grower and the
eight directors so chosen may at their
option select ninth member who may
or may not be grower.
L. E. Johnson, of this city, and A.
L. Nelson, Of Richland, have again
been chosen as the non-grower direc-
tors and at meeting of the board in
Richland yesterday w. H. Witt was
chosen as the ninth member to sue
ceed County Agriculturalist Lee M.
Lampson, who was forced to decline
reelection because of a recent ruling
of the U. s. Department Of Agricul-
ture which prohibits any of their ex-
tension workers holding such offices.
The board organized, by ,electing L.
2. Johnson president; J. R. Gardner,
vice president; M. N. Hudnall, secre-
tary and A. L. Nelson, treasurer. The
other members of the board are Jas.
Johnston, Emil Albrecht and w. H.
Witt, of Kennewick and F. A. Frier-
mood and ]. E. Mowrey, of Richland.
Reports submitted at Tuesdays
meeting show that one hundred per
cent of the Richland growers are in
the Union and about s2 per cent of
the Kennewick acreage has been
signed up. This brings the net per-
centage above the 85 per cent marl:
upon which the membership contracts
are based. There are about 46 acres
IN the Kennewick district outside the
Union. Some of this acreage will
probably be brought in before the sea-
son opens. Several Benton City and
Pasco growers have expressed desire
to join the Union.
The marketing will again be hand
led by the sales department of the
spokane Fruit Growers company un-
DER the management of P. r. Parks,
with L. j. Blot as sales manager. The
contract with Mr.. Parks is the same
as last year except as to the per crate
marketing charge. The Spokane COM
pany defrays all expenses of inspec-
tlon and marketing, including the coll
lection of all accounts. "a.
Last year the company performed
this service for Is cents per crate, a
Fice which Mr.. Parks claims was not
|Samclent to meet the marketing costs.
inns year the Union will pay a sliding
scale based upon the total cratage as
follows: $4,000 crates, 20 cents per
crate; more than $4,000 and less than
'o'ooo, 1914 cents; more than $4,000
ana less than $4,000, 1sk cents; more
enan $4,000 and less than 10000, 1s
cents; more than 10000, 17A cents.
Altno there were one or two grow
ers last year who complained that the
grade and pack rules were a little too
stringent the board of directors has
oeclded to let them stand as they are
ana to enforce them a little more
strictly than last year.
D. II. Harper, who has the contract
,or making the crates for the Union,
mas started work in the old Collins
warehouse on Front street and already
mas more than 1000 crates ready for
delivery to the growers. It is the in
1entlon of Mr.. Harper to have the bulk
0r tne crates finished by April 1.
In addition to Strawberries the I'm