Difference between revisions of "Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange"

From Packing Houses of Santa Clara County
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 7: Line 7:
 
[[File:Santa_clara_valley_fruit_exchange.jpg | 240px|thumb|right| Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange building, mid-1890's]]
 
[[File:Santa_clara_valley_fruit_exchange.jpg | 240px|thumb|right| Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange building, mid-1890's]]
 
The '''Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange''' was a San Jose-based growers cooperative, started by [[Colonel Philo Hersey]] in 1892<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=hLtBAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA224&ots=T71blouY_G&dq=%22berryessa%20fruit%20growers%20union%22&pg=PA224#v=onepage&q=%22berryessa%20fruit%20growers%20union%22&f=false California State Board of Agriculture report in 1894] </ref><ref>[http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=PRP18920716&cl=CL1%2ePRP&e=-------en--20--1--txt-IN-----# July 16, 1892 Pacific Rural Press ] mentions the founding of the company, as well as the plans for a two story fireproof building.</ref>.  The Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange was the first cooperative dried fruit marketing association in the Santa Clara Valley and was particularly long-lived, lasting from 1892 to nearly the dawn of the [[California Prune and Apricot Growers]] (Sunsweet).  The fruit exchange also swallowed up several other co-ops, including the [[East Side Fruit Growers Union]], [[West Side Fruit Growers Association]], [[Berryessa Fruit Growers Union]], and [[Campbell Fruit Growers Union]].  The Fruit Exchange also banded together with other co-ops to form a common sales agency called the [[California Fruit Association]]<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=pDRPAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA33&ots=g3FVuJ-pHB&dq=%22santa%20clara%20county%20fruit%20union%22&pg=PA34#v=onepage&q=%22santa%20clara%20county%20fruit%20union%22&f=false history of cooperatives]</ref>.
 
The '''Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange''' was a San Jose-based growers cooperative, started by [[Colonel Philo Hersey]] in 1892<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=hLtBAQAAIAAJ&lpg=PA224&ots=T71blouY_G&dq=%22berryessa%20fruit%20growers%20union%22&pg=PA224#v=onepage&q=%22berryessa%20fruit%20growers%20union%22&f=false California State Board of Agriculture report in 1894] </ref><ref>[http://cdnc.ucr.edu/cdnc/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=PRP18920716&cl=CL1%2ePRP&e=-------en--20--1--txt-IN-----# July 16, 1892 Pacific Rural Press ] mentions the founding of the company, as well as the plans for a two story fireproof building.</ref>.  The Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange was the first cooperative dried fruit marketing association in the Santa Clara Valley and was particularly long-lived, lasting from 1892 to nearly the dawn of the [[California Prune and Apricot Growers]] (Sunsweet).  The fruit exchange also swallowed up several other co-ops, including the [[East Side Fruit Growers Union]], [[West Side Fruit Growers Association]], [[Berryessa Fruit Growers Union]], and [[Campbell Fruit Growers Union]].  The Fruit Exchange also banded together with other co-ops to form a common sales agency called the [[California Fruit Association]]<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=pDRPAAAAIAAJ&lpg=PA33&ots=g3FVuJ-pHB&dq=%22santa%20clara%20county%20fruit%20union%22&pg=PA34#v=onepage&q=%22santa%20clara%20county%20fruit%20union%22&f=false history of cooperatives]</ref>.
Directors in 1902 included include [[Colonel Philo Hersey]], C.F. Weyman, Noah G. Rogers, F.H. Babb, C.W. Childs, G.C. Grant, H.A. Bailey, O.H. Shelley, and J.A. Wetmore<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wysiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OKQFAAAAIBAJ&dq=santa-clara-county-fruit-exchange&pg=4130%2C4475589 May 3, 1902 San Jose Evening News] article on annual meeting in the warehouse on Sunol St.</ref>.
+
Directors in 1902 included include [[Colonel Philo Hersey]], C.F. Weyman, Noah G. Rogers, F.H. Babb, [[Charles Wesley Childs]], G.C. Grant, H.A. Bailey, O.H. Shelley, and J.A. Wetmore<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wysiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=OKQFAAAAIBAJ&dq=santa-clara-county-fruit-exchange&pg=4130%2C4475589 May 3, 1902 San Jose Evening News] article on annual meeting in the warehouse on Sunol St.</ref>.
  
 
The organization disbanded in 1916 because of various problems, including farmers selling outside the co-op<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UBlKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LyENAAAAIBAJ&dq=santa-clara-county-fruit-exchange&pg=2343%2C2726120 June 15, 1923 Evening News ]: article on why exchange failed</ref><ref>Jacobson, "Passing Farms".  Notes Olson family members claiming members sold outside the co-op.</ref>.  The Sunsweet Story states the Exchange didn't require anyone to sell to them, and growers were alternately annoyed when the co-op didn't sell fruit immediately so they could get cash, and the next season annoyed because the co-op didn't hold on to fruit to get a higher price.
 
The organization disbanded in 1916 because of various problems, including farmers selling outside the co-op<ref>[http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UBlKAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LyENAAAAIBAJ&dq=santa-clara-county-fruit-exchange&pg=2343%2C2726120 June 15, 1923 Evening News ]: article on why exchange failed</ref><ref>Jacobson, "Passing Farms".  Notes Olson family members claiming members sold outside the co-op.</ref>.  The Sunsweet Story states the Exchange didn't require anyone to sell to them, and growers were alternately annoyed when the co-op didn't sell fruit immediately so they could get cash, and the next season annoyed because the co-op didn't hold on to fruit to get a higher price.

Revision as of 17:18, 21 February 2014

Summary
Business

Dried Fruit Packer, Cooperative
Main Location

San Jose
Active

1892-1916
Predecessors

West Side Fruit Growers Association, East Side Fruit Growers Union, Berryessa Fruit Growers Union, Campbell Fruit Growers Union
Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange building, mid-1890's

The Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange was a San Jose-based growers cooperative, started by Colonel Philo Hersey in 1892[1][2]. The Santa Clara Valley Fruit Exchange was the first cooperative dried fruit marketing association in the Santa Clara Valley and was particularly long-lived, lasting from 1892 to nearly the dawn of the California Prune and Apricot Growers (Sunsweet). The fruit exchange also swallowed up several other co-ops, including the East Side Fruit Growers Union, West Side Fruit Growers Association, Berryessa Fruit Growers Union, and Campbell Fruit Growers Union. The Fruit Exchange also banded together with other co-ops to form a common sales agency called the California Fruit Association[3]. Directors in 1902 included include Colonel Philo Hersey, C.F. Weyman, Noah G. Rogers, F.H. Babb, Charles Wesley Childs, G.C. Grant, H.A. Bailey, O.H. Shelley, and J.A. Wetmore[4].

The organization disbanded in 1916 because of various problems, including farmers selling outside the co-op[5][6]. The Sunsweet Story states the Exchange didn't require anyone to sell to them, and growers were alternately annoyed when the co-op didn't sell fruit immediately so they could get cash, and the next season annoyed because the co-op didn't hold on to fruit to get a higher price.

The Fruit Exchange shipped significant amounts of fruit - 140 cars to Philadelphia alone in 1900[7]

The Fruit Exchange also was memorable for its well-built, fireproof packing house on Sunol Street opposite what later became Del Monte's cannery. The large two-story brick structure, regardless of its fireproof design, burned in 1915 while leased to Rosenberg Brothers.

The packing house burned to the ground on August 4, 1915[8]. It had been rented by Rosenberg Brothers.

July 19, 1900 San Jose Evening News mentions safe-cracking at Standard Oil, "behind the warehouse of the Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange".

The Exchange was one of the fruit drop-off locations for the California Cured Fruit Association in 1900.

Locations

Location Years Address Details
Los Gatos ?
Mountain View ?
San Jose 1896 - 1907 Sunol Street north of Auzerais Street 60 x 150 foot brick warehouse
Santa Clara 1900
Saratoga ?

Photos

References

  1. California State Board of Agriculture report in 1894
  2. July 16, 1892 Pacific Rural Press mentions the founding of the company, as well as the plans for a two story fireproof building.
  3. history of cooperatives
  4. May 3, 1902 San Jose Evening News article on annual meeting in the warehouse on Sunol St.
  5. June 15, 1923 Evening News : article on why exchange failed
  6. Jacobson, "Passing Farms". Notes Olson family members claiming members sold outside the co-op.
  7. Philadelphia Record of December 25, 1900
  8. August 7, 1915 San Jose Evening News report on fire in 1915