Imperial Valley press., 1923-06-18
FIRST CAR OF PRE-COOLED VALLEY
CAN1'ALOUPES REACH CHICAGO AND
BRING FIFTY CENTS MORE CRATE

The first ear of vine ripened,
water preceded cantaloupes ship
ped by The Imperial Ice and De
velopment Company $aom its Ell
Centre preceding plant to Chicago
arrived Saturday in perfect condi-
tion and sold at so cents above the
market.
A wire to tina teffect was receiv-
ed Saturday by R. p. Moore, sup
, erintendent of the company, from
j. E. Collins who went to Chicago
to inspect the car on its arrival
The telegram dated Chicago, June
16, reads;
"Car in and sold this morn
ing. Condition perfect. Sold
at S4.25 to $3.50. Market
1915 to $4.0O. Leading receiv-
ers on South Water Street un-
animously pronounce them the
best melons ever received here
from western markets. All the
trade are looking for more
In this brief dispatch is told the
story Of an achievement of the ut
most moment to ,the growers and
shippers of the valley, which will
in the opinion of many, extend and
increase the demand for Imperial
Valley cantaloupes incidentally.
Back of the telegram already
quoted there is a worthwhile story
Of steadfast pursuit of big idea in
the face of difficulty and discou-
ragement, and a general prophecy
Of failure.
Ripe Cantaloupes Demanded
1t has long been obvious that if
fully ripened cantaloupes could be
delivered to the eastern breakfast
table at their best as they come
from the vine here in the valley,
demand for them would be tremen-
dously increased, and profits to the
grower correspondingly augmented.
If, too, on top of that, the keep
ing quality of the melon could be-
improved, so that better dfstribu-
tion over wider area was made
possible, there would be an added
advantage all round
Preceding has effected these
improvements in the case Of berries
and small fruits to some extent,
but the method employed, storage
in refrigerated air for considerable
. periods is not adapted to either let
stuce or melons as they are grown
and handled here.
About a year ago President A. p.
West, of the Imperial Ice and De-
velopment Company became inter
ested in the possibilities of pre-
cooling in the Imperial Valley, if
water could be successfully en-
ployed for the purpose instead of
air. On the face of it, this was de-
clared impracticable by the experts
but as, any other method known
would prove too slow and cumber-
some to meet local requirement, he
determined to try it out on scale
that would show conclusive results.
An organization was effected, of
which Superintendent R. p. Moore,
c. L. Lothrop, j. E. Collins, and
later, Fred w. Waite, former coun-
ty commissioner of horticulture,
formed the backbone.
Have Spent $4,000
While, of course, an increased
demand for cantaloupes and lettuce
would mean more business for the
the four big icing plants maintain
ed in the valley by the company Of
I,.h r., -,
was also back of the effort q genu-
Zine desire to help build up and in
crease the prosperity of the valley
as whole, and into that effort
there has gone during the last six
months or so, close to $4,000 in
actual money.
An experimental plant was erect
ed and apparatus installed in time
to prove out the soundncss of the
water preceding idea as applied to
lettuce this season. Cars of let
tuce so treated arrived in Chicago
crisp and fresh, topping the mar
ket, and by appearance and quality
creating an instantaneous demand
which could be met on only small
scale. This proved the. theory so
far as lettuce was concerned, but
there was almost universal doubt
that cantaloupes, subjected to the
same process, would show the same
results. Experiments with Mexican
melons, water preceded and then
stored for periods up to % days
showed no signs of mould or decay,
but an actual demonstration could
only be had by shipping to Chicago
in carload lots
Finishing the experimental
plant under rush orders by
night and day work on June 6,
the first car of full slip, vine
ripened can taloupe was
bought from The American
Fruit Growers and dispatched
from the company's preceding
plant at Ell Centre June 9, j.
E. Collins having been sent to
receive them and report on
their condition on arrival.
More Cars Enroute
The foregoing telegram received
from Mr.. Collins late Saturday tells
fha etnry. ssConJi+i,n ,o,fo.+ -