The Mena weekly star., 1919-06-26
BEANlCROWERS
HURT BY STRIKE
Inability TO Receive kilograms at the
Proper Time Has Served to Deprive
Local Gardeners and Farmers of a
Chance to Sell Vegetables.

One of the big subjects IN anc
around Mena at present is the DISPOSE
tion Of the bumper crop of string
beans produced by local gardeners and
farmers. Secretary Williford Of the
Commercial Club has endeavored thru
correspondence with leading markets
to find buyers for the local crop, but
in most instances without success, as
the bean crop everywhere appears to
be large and most markets well sup
Piled.
However, he did find one market
where a carload Of beans could have
been sold, but the telegraphers strike
interferred and because of the walk
out of the keymen Mena truck grow
ers have suffered loss. Secretary
Williford explains the situation in the
following:
AThe farmers and growers in and
around Mena have raised a bumper
crop of fne green beans, and every eff
fort has been put forth by the Com
mercial Club to secure market for
this product. Inquiries were put out
in the nearby markets, but the reply
invariably came back that these mar
kcts could not handle our beans on
account of the local supply flooding
the market. Naturally the farmers
were disturbed as to what would be-
come of their beans. Steps were then
taken in the Western, Northern and
Eastern markets to take these beans,
by the secretary of the Commercial
Club. Last night telegram was re-
ceived BY MAIL thru Shreveport, La,
from large buyer in Pittsburgh, Pa,
and below is quoted an extract from
this telegram:
ARRANGE load refrigerator four
hundred hampers fresh-picked full
pack tender green beans. Have car
preceded. Good stock will sell three
dollars hamper, probably higher if
quality extra. If necessary accept
draft fifty cents hamper covering
packing charges. Wire account sales
promptly. Get car out this week
Had this telegram been received as
1t should have, over the wires and not
thru the mail, arrangements would
have been made to have gotten the
car out in time to comply with the
requirements of the sale, but as it
came by mail from Shreveport it has
been received too late to load this
week. The situation now is this: We
have the beans on hand, and can get
no word to the buyer that we cannot
load this week, asking whether we can
ship the middle Of next week, because
the operators are on a strike. Hamp-
ers would have to be secured and got
ten here in time. They would have to
be ordered by telegraph, but again the
operators are on strike and we can
not get message thru to the hamp-
err manufacturers. Efforts are being
exerted to get in touch with the buy
er and the hamper manufacturer by
telephone. In the meantime, we have
the same operators strike and our
beans are wasting in the field. What
help this sale of a carload of beans
would make, bringing, as it would,
something like $1,000 or more of new
money into Polk county, and disposing
of crop that we have an abundance
of.
1--WE do not attempt to say to the
government officials how they should
run their business, but we do say in
no uncertain terms that something
should be done and be done right now
TO settle the operators strike and get
them back on the job. IL Mr.. Burleson
Is the man at fault, then he should be
removed and removed without further
delay"