The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1921-12-16
BIG SUMS RECEIVED FOR FRUIT

Wenatchee, Dec. 1T has been but
a few years ago that the Wenatchee
apple district celebrated because it.
apple crop reached value of 81 ,00O,-
900; it has also been but a few short
years that the bank deposits of this
same district had reached the million
dollar mark. Since that date the in
dustry has jumped by leaps and
bounds. There was great rejoicing
and advertising over the fact that the
district had reached the 900 car ton
mage. This year the tonnage will run
$4,000 cars, with = value of SIS, 900,
600 and the bank deposits the great
est IN their history.
Notwithstanding the car shortage
early in the season and the over-ripe
condition of the fruit on its arrival in
the east, money has been flowing in
to the fruit centers at an unprecedent-
ed rate. Here is one illustration
The Northwestern Fruit Exchange.
sales agents for the Skookum Packers
Association, with units in every ship
ping point, has again broken it's rec
ord in the matter of the total amount
of money paid to its shippers in one
day end broken still another record in
total payments covering a term. On
Nov. 15, the Exchange paid to its
shippers $240,507.18, thus exceeding
its former record for one days pay
ment of 1921 ,6SO.3O made on October
2S.
For two weeks, Nov. 1 to Is, total
payments by the Exchange to its
shippers reached the sum of SS14.
1882. thereby exceeding in the two
weeks the amount paid out by the
Exchange during the whole month of
October, which was 1901. .773.11.
For the forty-fve days from Oct
to Nov. Is, the grand total of Ex-
change payments was $1,615 ,931 SO.
Of this six weeks total over $1,000,
600 went to the Skookum units in the
Wenatchee- -Okanogan section, reach
ing from Leavenworth to Omak, the
exact amount paid to these units be-
ing S1,012, ,146.09. This is wonder
full record considering that the ship
ping season did not begin until close
to September 20.
The great bulk of the early and in
termediate varieties has been safely
turned into cash. Weather conditions
have been favorable, no losses by
freezing in transit having as vet been
recorded and the unsold remainders
of the crop, consisting mainly of
Winesaps, are safely in storage prac-
tically entirely at shipping point and
if weather conditions continue favor
able during the winter the remainder
of this crop should return the growers
even more money relatively than the
early varieties as Winesaps are in an
extremely strong position staisticall!y
and technically and there is every
reason to believe that once the pres
ent congestion of early and interme-
diate varieties is cleared up the mar
ket or Winesaps will come back with
a snap.
Skookum shippers having accon,-
plished such an unprecedented rapid
liquidation of their early varieties
and gotten themselves into a strong
financial position are now in shape 20
withdraw pressure from the spot ma
ket and wait until the market rallies
and prices are obtainable on Winesaps
which are in line with their correct
market value. The Skookum policy Is
a very conservative one. The gro -
ers have been trained not to speculate
with any portion of their crops. Con
siderable quantities of Skookum
Winesaps are already sold and on
substantial advance cash payments
made by the buyers and strong CON
tracts providing for inspection and
acceptance of the fruit at the shipping
point, which obviates any reasonable
possibility of subsequent loss or re-
duction in price. With the revival of
the market it is expected that prac-
ticallv all of the Winesaps in store
out here will be sold on similar
terms.
The Wall Street Journal in recent
article commented on the much better
position occupied by the apple grow
ers in the Northwest than almost any
other agricultural or horticultural
group in the United States, saying
that the prices to the apple growers in
the Northwest are profitable, the crop
is being liquidated at unprecedented
speed, growers are paying off their
bank loans and the financial position
of the industry is most encouraging
In contrast to their position, wheat
growers in eastern Washington and
elsewhere in the country are CON
fronted with prices ruling on grains
which represent an actual loss under
the cost of production.
JUST BREAD.
D,.nnl i Al