John S. Roberts dried fruits

Summary

Business	Dried Fruit Packer
Main Location	San Jose
Active	1934-1945
Predecessors	Higgins-Hyde Packing Company

Dried fruit packer, active in San Jose from 1934 to 1945. J.S. Roberts had worked for Higgins-Hyde Packing Company in the early 1930's. He appears to have restarted the company in the same plant after their disappearance. PHotos of the building in 1934 (after the San Carlos Street overpass was complete) show the J.S. Roberts name on the building.

Robert's plant was a large, barn-like structure wedged between the Southern Pacific Los Gatos branch railroad tracks and the new San Carlos Street viaduct. The building, built for Pacific Fruit Products in 1902, was three stories high with grading machinery on the top floor, storage bins in the middle, and packing rooms at the bottom. Abinante and Nola would use the same building after World War II.

Locations

Location	Years	Address	Details
San Jose	1934-1945	750 W. San Carlos Street

Photos

Del Monte and J.S. Roberts dried fruit. From John C. Gordon Panoramic Collection, San Jose State University

Details

Active in San Jose from 1936 to 1945. Appears in 1940 NLRB decision.

Small fire in sulfur room in Sept. 2, 1942 San Jose Evening News.

Hints at a Robert packing house in Fresno - perhaps a Fresno-related business?

Roberts had been a Vice President for Higgins-Hyde packing, and occupied their former plant.