The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-03-17
BUSINESS PASSES
TWO MILLIONS
ANNUAL ASSOCIATION REPORT OUT
Manager Stone Urges Retrenchment :
Average Apple Price Placed at SLIGO
Vinegar Committee Reports

May 81 Delng estlamted. IhlS volume
was only exceeded on the year immedi-
ately proceeding. when the district
harvested a record crop which sold at
y high prices, the total having reached
So, 7S8, ,788.0S
Returns of the past year were item
lied by Mr.. Stone as follows: Stores,
$425, 000 apples, 81, 900, 900; straw
berries. 1896, 1867. &c. pears, S91, 03l. 70 ;
cherries, SAG, OBJ. .68; raspberries, $273.
81; loganberries. $764. SO; prunes and
plums, $2904; blackberries. 1897. 84 ;
crab apples, $399.76; ounces, 1925 ;
and Ice, $4,000. Mr.. Stone stated
that no decrease has been apparent in
the proportion of fruit handled from
the valley the past season by the As
sociation. The cooperative organiza-
tion's total revenues the past year will
reach $242, 900, the chief item being
$l05, 900, collected for handling charges.
The total expenses reached $2l2, 900,
the greatest item being represented by
$50, 900 spent for cold storage expense.
The report shows that the sales or
| ganization now has an invested capital
of 1892, 345 itemized as follows: Pur-
chasing fund, Sl64, ,098; building fund,
plUO, OJE anu OOOs
In comment on the object of accumu
lation of capital and equipment, Mr..
Stone said:
with the free use of this invested
capital it is absolutely impossible for
any private concern to furnish the
growers the same service that is furn-
ished by the Association at anywhere
near the same cost. 1t is matter of
fact that the average cost for every
box of apples we could store outside of
Hood River is more than for all the
service we render at Hood River. We
passed the peaks Of our requirements
for invested capital last year. This
year we will pay all but SIS. 600 on the
plant of the National Apple Co., pur-
chased for $65.00 and only the same
indebtedness will remain against the
plants of the old Hood River Apple
Growers Union bought for Sl05. 900,
exclusive of water power system.
''ln proportion as we continue to re-
duce the purchase price of property
bought, will our requirements for THE
purpose decrease and also our cost to
members of doing business.
Mr.. Stone detailed large list of i'm
provements that have been made by
the Association the past year, the
chief of which was the construction of
two story supplies warehouse in the
city. Three cottages have been built
for employees. An old wooden pipe,
used in conveying water of a power
system from areservoir on the Heights
to the city level was replaced with an
iron main. This material improve
nannudspnr tn M Ctnpn mill rn.
lieve dangers of flooding the city from
a possible bursting of the old wooden
pipe.
The Association the past year handled
total of ]. .052, 969 packages of fruit.
apples leading with 942. 458 boxes.
Last year the agency sold 1922, 269
boxes of apples and total of l,460,-
649 packages of all kinds of fruit. But
81 per cent of the apple crop as yet
has been accounted for, and the aver
age, net to the Association, price per
box has been SLIGO. In discussing the
price, Mr.. Stone said:
with AZ per cent of the crop yet to
be paid for we cannot make any
definite estimate as to the amount of
fruit yet unpaid, with the exception
that we are reasonably sure that the
final returns will be somewhat more
than on the fruit paid for up to the
present time.
'The average price received for the
1919 seasons crop was $l.98; for 1920,
SLIGO. There are three factors which
fairly offset the difference in price of
these two years. The proportion of
better grades for 1919 and the proper
ton of smaller sizes in 1920, plus the
extra amount paid for transportation
would. in my estimation, easily over
come the difference in prices. In other
words, if the grade and size of the
fruit in 1920 as in 1919 and the railroad
freight rates had remained the same,
we would have received practically as
much for our fruit. In fairly consider
ing the matter, we must bear in mind
that the average price we received for
our fruit last year was higher than we
had ever received before In the history
of the Association and for at least the
nine years last past"
Mr.. Stone also cited that the large
crop Of the east last year, the largest
in the history of the apple business,
had depressing effect on the minds
of buyers. He also declared the in
crease of % to 25 cents per box in
freight charges tended TO lower profits.
Except for Newtowns, he said Euro
pean prices have been satisfactory
The cotton states. he said, have taken
practically no apples this year.
Zone striking illustration of the
lack of outlet for apples in the manu-
'is exemplified in the city Of Detroit
When the automobile factories in this
city were operating at full capacity.
Detroit used above FIVE carloads Of
five tier apples per day, practically all
for lunch boxes. This season, it has
been authoritatively stated, Detroit
largely on account Of the closing down |
of the automobile industry, has not
consumed to exceed one car of FIVE
tier apples every two weeks. While |
these conditions 90 to show the serious |
obstacles with which our sales depart |
ment was confronted, the prices OBJ |
tained were so satisfactory that it en- |
phasizes cOnclusively that we owe a /
debt Of gratitude TO this department, |
and | take this opportunity OF com
mending all of them. Mr.. Stone ex-
pressed regret at the announcement of /
Mr.. McCullagh. sales manager Of the 4
in rendering his resigna-
ton. Mr.. McCullagh. it was stated, /
will leave the organization April l.
The report showed that Hood River 4
cherries and strawberries were sold be
fore the general period Of liquidation /
struck the country. The average price /
per crate Of strawberries was S4.3S. a 4
record figure. Cherry prices, at an
average Of l6i cents per pound, too,