Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1921-06-03
COVE COMMENTS

purpose Illhl us lhctllilB plhcc
TO forward the interests Of the
berry growers it would have
fully justified its existence.
This past week will be n not
able one in the history Of this
community as it has witnessed
the conception and birth Of the
Cove Berry Growers Association
of Vashon Island, Washington.
During the week a tentative or
gani2ation was formed and the
Messrs Findholm and Lilly Of the
Olalla growers association came
over to address the meeting. At
ter n brief outline Of the Olallla
association business, Mr.. Find
holm took the floor, and il would
be impossible without short
hand transcript to give in detail
Of Mr.. Findholm's speech, who
without the slightest reservation
fully informed the meeting of
the innermost business tranSac.
tons and reasons therefor Of the
Olalla association. AS Mr.. Find.
holm said the Olalla association
had nothing to sell us, nothing
to buy from us, and no desire to
interfere with our policy but
simply to cooperate with us for
our joint interests. He showed
that after some four years Of CO.
operation the Olalla people had
achieved and were fully satisfied
with the results such as could
not have been attained by in.
dividual effort.
They have done business thru
a Mr.. Grossman of Seattle whose
commission is fifteen cents per
crate, as compared with the 1870
commission of Western avenue.
Five cents per crate water trans
p0rtation and a fixed small
charge per crate for the associa-
ton which has, after four years
amounted to some four thousand
dollars in their treasury.
The first years Of their opera
ton the negotiation and sale Of
their berries was conducted by
telegraph and price set was f.
o. b. Seattle covered by a wired
bank draft on Seattle, so that
the Olalla people had their cash
returns from day to day.
At the present time the buyers
Of berries from the various points
come to Seattle and the prices are
based on Western avenue quota
tons but that they inva, iably
get from 25 to so cents more
per crate for the reason that all
their berries are inspected aud
strictly up to grade which is not
the case with berries on the ave-
nue..
The objective of the Olalla
association is to encourage other
localities to market their pro-
ducts comparatively and by so
doing maintain a higher level on
Western avenue, thereby enhanc-
ing the value Of the association s
products. OF course this will
benefit those who for any reason
market their products independ-
emily, but it is a safe bet that
such persons will at the end come
out Of the small end of the horn.
There are many ways in which
the association members will ben.
eft in the collective purchase Of
their crates, shipment, hauling to
the dock, etc.
Mr. Findholm showed where
the Kitsap and Island folks had
an advantage over Puyallup and
other inland localities by the
cooling of the berries by night
transportation on the water, put
ting them in first class shape for
shipment by rail.
Olalla pools their berries so
that each grower gets exactly
the same price for the same
grade of berries and it is the
intention of the Cove association
to do likewise.
| consider We are extremely
fortunate to have the experience
Of the Olalla association to 90
by, and it will be common sense
and good business to follow the
lead which Olalla has so ably
and successfully set, Olalla is
to be congratulated in having the
services of Mr.. Lilly and Mr..
Findholm whose knowledge and
of the business has
been freely placed at our dis
posal A hearty vote of thanks
was given them for their pres
pncp and information imnarte1