Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-01-03

come. A list should be made shOWinI
actual pledges from growers to plan
and contract for a period of years, tn,
acreage of small fruits and vegetables
of which there is not a sufficient sup
ply.
FREIGHT RATES-Figures should
be secured on the cost of freight Oh
lbox materials, cans, sugar or other sup
plies which might be needed in the op
Grafton of the plant. The freight rate
ON the finished product should be look
ed into and rate as low or lower than
existing competitive points should be
secured if possible to do so. A table
should be made showing railroad ser.
vice, both freight and express, on the
various lines running into the place. The
more railroads going into a place the
more it is to its advantage, as it gives
a large feeding radius for the plant.
GRADE OF RAW PRODUCTS.-It
must be understood at the outset that,
with the possible exception of a vine
gar plant;S the grower should under
stand that the new factory is not to
be figured as a place to get rid of culls.
The opposite is the case. A factory in
these days of severe competition, long
hauls to market, and heavy supplies of
low grade raw material in districts
closer to market, must have the very
| est, and every care should be taken
to produce the best: The better the
grade of goods put out by your factory
| the more it will sell and the more you
can grow for it. A fruit products plant
to be successful nowadays must coop
crate with and have cooperation from
its growers to the fullest extent, in
order to make both their own business
and that of the grower success. Any
plant which does not look after the
growers interests win sooner or later
fail from lack of support, and on the
other hand any community which does
not look after the interests Of it's plants
will sooner or later be with bankrupt
plant through lack of market for poor
grade goods. The interests of the grow
er and the packer are interdependent.
One cannot succeed without the other. |
POWER, WATER, FUEL.-The next
thing to be looked into should be the
source of power, water and fuel. Can
neries for instance need lots of water
and steam heat. Some other factories,
which do not need steam in their oper-
ations, could get along with electric
power. If there is a sawmill close to
the proposed site oft-times the saw
dust which is a waste product and is |
burned, could be utilized by the fruit
products plant, thus cutting down the
fuel cost, which is a heavy item in
cannery or evaporator.
CLIMATE.-If possible a chart
should be made showing the climatic
conditions, such as range of tempera
lures Of the various months, amount |
of rainfall, etc, and in districts where
irrigation is practised this is decided
advantage, and should be pointed out.
Three large investments in Oregon, one
of which was a sugar factory, have
not paid interest ON the investment on
account of the failure of the builders
of the plants to look into the moisture
supply for their raw products for the
hot summer season.
LABOR.-One of the hardest things
cannery has to contend with is mi
gratory labor. 1t is necessary in a case
of this kind to break in a new crew
each year. If the town seeking a plant
has plenty of labor which can be had
year after year and is close enough to
a large city to be able to secure a suf |
ficient supply of transient labor to care
for and harvest the crops, it is point
in their favor. No matter how many
acres you set out, or how much money
you invest in a plant, if you can t get
the products harvested your efforts are
wasted. Another thing to consider is
the attitude of local labor. Is there a
to demand unreasonable
wages, unreasonable hours and in the
case of cannery are there plenty of
women in the community who can
work? A cannery needs a great deal of
female help in sorting, washing, pealing,
etc 1t is almost impossible to get this
kind Of work done right by men or
boys.
SITE.-The cost of a site is also look
ed into. All the available sites should
be carefully gone over and survey
made showing advantages and costs.
the furnishing of a free site
Or giving a cash bonus will secure a
factory, especially if a competitive
point is under consideration by the
plant. A survey of the
available sites should be made and OPP ]
ton secured ON them so that the price A,
cannot be raised when the people de- j
eide to put plant in. Our commercial
slub did this for plant which located
N Salem this summer, saving them sew '
sral thousand dollars, this act being a d;
strong indueement and evidence of CO.
operation, as a number of other cities I
we're after the same plant.
FINANCING.-The attitude of local |
banks often has a great deal to do I
With location of plant. If the bankers /;
ire friendly and offer their assistance
IS far as good sound banking principles !
will let them go, it creates a good i'm y
preston. High interest rates and a {
backward attitude of banks has lost {
many a town good payroll and good
,utlet for its farm products as well as {
for extension of its farm j
ng interests. To operate fruit products {
the borrowing of huge |
;ums of money to cover expenditures !
,or raw products, cases nails, cans, car {
,ons, labor, fuel, etc., most of the mon I
" for which does not begin to come {
back until after the first of October i
md there must be an unfaiing sup {
ply during the rush season, or the Oper- 1
ations of the plant will be greatly re- q
arded and sometimes injured. 1t is Of I
en necessary for local banks to finance :
he raw products and packing materials
,ntirely or get outside connections to