The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1920-01-29
MORE COLD
STORAGE PLANTS
ARE ASSURED
Yakima Valley Association Says
it Will Build Here This
Season.
GROWERS PLEDGE MONEY
Marketing Union Places Order for
Small Plant to be Installed
in Davis Building.

That kennewick will nave ample
cold storage facilities to care for this
years fruit crop seems now assured.
On the heels Of the Columbia Yakima
company's announcement that it
will erect, a 300-car plant here this
year, comes the news this week that
the Yakima Valley Fruit Growers as
sociation that it will build and that
the Kennewick-Richland Marketing
Union that it has placed orders for
small plant to be installed in the
warehouse recently purchased from
the Davis Fruit company. The Unions
plant will be of about Scar capacity
and will be used primarily to handle
the asparagus and strawberry crops.
At meeting Of the local members
of the Fruit Growers association last
Saturday action was taken which it
is believed assures the building of its
plant this season.
The meeting expressed its unani-
nous desire to have H. w. Desgrang-
es, who has successfully conducted its
affairs as local manager for the past
six years, should continue, and it is
understood that he will do so. In
speaking Of the cold storage plant
Mr.. Desgranges says:
"When it comes to the matter of
cold storage plant it is evident that
the Kennewick growers mean bust
ness. Realizing that cold storage
plant can not be built out of hot air
they are backing the proposition with
their money. At our meeting Satur-
day, after rehearsing the well known
needs Of such an institution an oppor-
tunity was given to express them
selves in dollars and cents, with the
very gratifying results that 1900
was pledged, with less than one-third
of our membership present owing to 2
the disagreeable; weather which pre-
vented many from coming. The re-
suit of this meeting was known at the
annual meeting Of the association held
at Yakima last Tuesday and was
hailed with enthusiasm and promise
of liberal support. IN KS u tas
''It has long been the plans of the
association to build cold storage
plant at Kennewick and has only
awaited the time when Kennewick
growers were willing to back the
in earnest. That time has
arrived. The growers are fully con-
vinced that they no longer can take
the risk they have carried the past
two years. A safe place for housing
the fruit must be provided. While
the association has the best equip
ment in Kennewick at present, it is
far from adequate. The past season,
twice we came desperately near
sustaining severe losses. When the
cold spell came we had
more than 100000 worth of fruit in
the warehouse. Fortunately we es-
capped without loss but one slip would
have resulted in thousands Of dollars.
Our cold storage plants at Yakima
and Zillah have proven great help
this year allowing US to clean up the
most of our dry storage stock before
the slump in the market came and the
stuff in cold storage will readily hold
until the market will recover.
"The Kennewick growers have
double interest in this plant. First
it's provides a safe place for keeping
fruit. second, good safe invest
ment. Many growers up the valley
are seeking investment for their SUI.
plus cash and this plant will also
serve to relieve the congestion Of
some points in the valley as fruit can
be shipped here for storage and later
continued to the market without any
additional freight charges. This fea-
,ure makes Kennewick an ideal loca-
ion for cold storage plants.
sour present plans contemplate the
of some S150,000. This
should construct plant of sufficient
to meet present needs. Last
all / was obliged to turn away some
10000 boxes of apples offered late as
,ur facilities for handling would not
.llow me to take them. We are now
,eady to welcome any growers organi-
alton which has stood the test of
ime and proven its worth, and ample
provision will be made to take care
# the tonnage"