History of Early Pioneer Families of Hood River, Oregon.
Compiled by Mrs. D.M. Coon
HOOD RIVER FRUIT GROWERS UNION
Eas. 1893
What it accomplished in shipping strawberries last year.
Hood River, 1896
Mr. Editor:
Please allow me space to give inquirers and others some
account of the workings of the Hood River Fruit Growers Union, which is a
local association and man-aged as a cooperative concern, no attempt being
made to do a commission business. We ship strawberries in carloads. We own
a warehouse on the sidetrack and boxes are kept on hand for the accommodation
of our members. The success of last year's business may be judged from the
following statements of average net returns, in periods stated as follows:
May 14-19 $4.15; May 20-24, $3.03; May 25-29, $2.45; May 30 June 3, $2.03;
June 4-8, $1.77; June 9-13, $1.51; June 14-18, $1.75, June 19-23, $1.10;
June 24-30, $ .98.
The total average for the season was $1.85 3/5 per crate.
This is about 33 cents per crate better than the average secured by the Oregon
Fruit Union for the Hood River berries handled by them. Had we quit shipping
at the same time with the Oregon Fruit Union our average would have been
about twenty cents better. Our Union expenses amounted to 5 2/5 per cent
on net returns. A good share of this went to pay for warehouse and to create
a reserve fund of about $300 with which to start next season's business.
The writer was sent east to make disposition of car load shipments. The expense
of agent did not exceed 1 1/4 percent on net returns. A single day's work
in Omaha is known to have saved more than the entire expense of the trip
through Utah, Colorado, Nebraska and as far as Sioux City, Iowa. The whole
amount lost by failure to collect was less than $20 and this was made good
to the growers out of union funds. Mr. H.F. Davidson is the efficient secretary
and shipping agent. A Portland bank is the depository of the funds and growers
receive checks at any time for amounts due them. Shipments are usually billed
to the union itself and it would puzzle a bureau of information to know the
final destination as a car may be diverted at any time. We prefer to get
our own information and try to see that "our folks" are not out-generaled.
Our experience goes to show that a local union is all
there is any use for. It should maintain its own individuality and independence
and "refuse to surrender" and a great majority of our new members now believe
in the local union. We were incorporated in 1893.
Of course nothing succeeds like success.
T.R. Coon, President
Hood River Fruit Growers Union
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