The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-11-07
COOPERATION A WINNER

I '''ie ala Dooley Z. Wheeler aroo.
w. success that would reward his &C., -.
~ .aiousing the interest of land o1n,,a.a 's
ltion -, icy eliminating in the oreanjz,
| A ssooi, .,n t''e oroVille Cooperative Produce
effort 80 rue ne expected by united
IelIort and collective bargainine 70 on,, u,iteu
anu invade markets that seer,a, 80 VI
~ INDIVIDUAL initiative, but his ho,o 49,
da .ie iirst year the association c,uld
- h"ouerate business and from van, 10
- see that business develop info son,a
vi considerable Importance lJis ay
lof "a 40 grower and the e,Xperi ,nce
VI ms heighbors convinced hin, ~ ~,
'I'ual nv M eifort got the producer ,whara
"e principal reason why individual effor,
,a,' ou,u nave TO fail was that when invaJiup
markets IT was necessary to ba ahIa 70 f,il
orders in car load lots and TIA ~ iii
la'eN In a position to meet that re.
Iquirements. He and others realized If the
aoorer IN the vineyard was % receive his
TO uues means must be found ,yharehy
."e prouucts OF the soil could be n,aoed
"ei"ie 'he consumer in large ouant,tios
ianu the consumer existed in c,nsasrad
lc,.les or those sections where througI
Icuhatlc conditions the fruits and veert-
~ 'ohlihoh TO this locality could not he
SSooess' uiiy grown. Hence the launching
lol that local enterprise. the ,oroviIIe %.
l. l.
cludes In Its membership a number of val
Iiey rahchers. and which in the years To
come VIII embrace about every producer
W,uer the irrigation system. The good re-
SUITS OF combination have been demon
lstrated to the satisfaction of all concerned
and more will be concerned as active
members at the coming of another seas
ION.
When the Oroville Co-operatiye Pro-
uuce association. was formed the pro-
motors had very modest idea of what
might be accomplished. Some of the more
optimistic thought that If a business of
S5'ooo or $4,000 was worked up the first
year the movement could be voted a sue
Icess and steady Increase could be de
pended on from year to year The most
Ioptimstic were miles behind the real re-
suits in the extent of business done the
flrst year. and the activities of the asso-
ciation will not end for some time to
come The income from soft fruits alone
ran as high as $4,000 and 1t is calculated
that the total business that the associa
tion will have done when the books are
closed for 1919 win run over $50, 900. Now
that is not a vast sum when compared
with the total sale of apples alone In
some of the fruit districts of the state
but as starter for the first year of or
|ganiZation the Oroville Cooperative Pro
duce association has every reason to feel
satisfied with the showing. and the pro-
moters are certainly entitled to congratu
|lations and praise. The association is GO
ing to be a very important factor in the
future development of the valley by pro-
viding a ready and certain market for
all the produce that can be grown, and
every land owner in this neighborhood
SHOULD be enrolled in the membership
1t is matter of pride for the outsider
to note the steady growth and evolution
of the Oroville Cooperative Produce
association. AS stated earlier in this ar
ticle the promoters were modest in their
expectations and started out on "a modest
scale. At first when vegetables and soft
fruits We're just coming in the association
secured the store room on Railroad ave-
nue. between Main and Spokane streets
At first deliveries were slow. Soon they
commenced speeding up and those II
lcharge of the storage and packing room
were crowded for space to turn around
IThen there was an overflow out on the
sidewalk and into the street. and the
directors of the association had to look
|up larger and more convenient quarters
The big warehouse at the railroad cross
ing on Vancouver street was secured, anC
one of the busiest spots to be found uT
and down the valley was that same ware
house S. A. Sanborn was secured as
bookkeeper. as the business had grown
to such proportion sthat it kept one man
closely confined caring for the shipments
and keeping run of the accounts. In the
warehouse and adjoining shed every foot
of space was occupied, and e. f.. Parsons
with a force of husky hustlers has been
kent on the jump taking in and sending
out produce of every description delivered
for shipment 1t is almost certain that the
nresent warehouse will be altogether in
ADEQUATE to accommodate the business that
the association will be called upon 10
handle next year, and it would be wise
movement if the association makes some
provision this winter to put up a large
frost proof warehouse the first thing III
the spring for the better handling, pack
ing and keeping of fruits ana staPie
egetables. We believe the money can DE
raised in town and the surrounding coun-
try to provide the necessary quarters 10Y
the association Some time such ware
house as mentioned will become absolute-
Iv necessary and the sooner it is provided
the better it will be for all concerned.