26 PROCEEDINGS OF NINETEENTH FRUIT GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



firms to have the right and the say pertaining to how these fruits shall 

 be disposed of. If we knew our duty and acted accordingly, and did 

 without these men, it would very nearly build us a line to Ogden by the 

 sums they have taken at interest. They have left us stranded finan- 

 cially. Mr. Weinstock deserves a great deal of credit, but I will say, 

 gentlemen, let us take action and do our own business in the future, and 

 not let others do it for us. 



Question: How many directors are there in the California Fruit 

 Growers and Shippers' Association? 



Mr. Weinstock: Nine. 



Question: How many of these are commercial shippers? 

 Mr. Weinstock: Three. 



Mr. Zimmerman: I have traveled over ten thousand miles during the 

 past year in order that I might see what the future prospects of Califor- 

 nia fresh fruits might be. I went to every large city in the East to look 

 into this auction business. The auction business, as conducted in many 

 places, is a farce. There are other ways of selling our fruits. I found 

 that where there is an auction room in smaller cities, like Minneapolis 

 and St. Paul, that they frequently unite. In Chicago, where they make 

 that business pay, the prices realized frequently did not pay the freight. 

 I shipped one carload of plums that cost me nearly $400 to market. I 

 shipped another carload to St. Paul, and all I got out of it was $24. 

 While I was there they had a fall in prices. I found that ten cars were 

 there at the same time as my own. Every section of the coast to Oregon 

 and Washington is increasing its green fruit shipments in great quanti- 

 ties, and this fruit is coming into competition with California fruit. 

 Many thousand acres of fruit trees have been planted in Southern Cali- 

 fornia, and very soon, probably next summer, large quantities of fruit 

 will be shipped from there to the Eastern markets. Now, gentlemen, 

 that is going to be a large factor. The question is, " How are we going 

 to combine?" We must look into it. I find that shipments of green 

 fruit are increasing very rapidly, but there is a big competition all 

 around us. I do not see any way to market this fruit, except, as has 

 been said, to market it in one auction room in each of the larger or 

 smaller cities, as the case may be, or in carload lots direct to the whole- 

 saler, or else to some city which has an auction house; but this compe- 

 tition amongst auction houses is certainly a curse. Three years ago Mr. 

 Goodsell came to California, and at the time I had a misunderstanding 

 with Earl. He suggested to us that we ship directly to him. He said 

 that, of course he would charge 7 per cent, which was the regular charge 

 for selling. He said, " Ship direct to me, and I will receive the goods and 

 sell them." This is to show you that there is no difference between 

 those high-toned shippers. 



President Cooper: Is it the desire of the convention that the resolu- 

 tions shall go before the Committee on Resolutions? 



Mr. Weinstock: I believe that the members of this convention are 

 ready to vote on those resolutions now, so I move that a vote be taken on 

 thorn without reference to the Committee on Resolutions. 



Carried. 



A vote on the resolutions was then taken, and they were adopted by 

 unanimous vote. 



