Porter Brothers

Summary

Business Details
Dates	1869 - 1903

Locations

Location	Years	Address	Details
Chicago	1903	97 South Water Street
Chicago	1903	46 River Street
Newcastle	1891
Red Bluff	1900
San Jose	1884	Julian Street at Bassett
San Jose	1898	Taylor and San Pedro
San Jose	1898, 1900, 1902	385 North First Street

Details

Fruit wholesalers based in Chicago, founded in 1869. History of Santa Clara County cites that the San Jose packing house have been shipping about 100 cars of green fruit and two to three of dried fruit, and two carloads of nuts and almonds east each year.

Fire destroyed packing house in 1898 according to September 28, 1898 Los Angeles Herald Evening News reported 260 tons of prunes burned.

Porters left the company in 1895, and corporation was formed. Company went bankrupt in 1903 according to May 20, 1903 New York Times article. Cites branches in New York, Boston, Minneapolis, and in several places in California.

Managed by J. W. Chilton. Packers and shippers of California fruit.

Porter Brothers declared bankruptcy on May 12, 1903. An article on May 20, 1903 in the Evening News quotes the surprise from local fruit men. J. W. Chilton, the local manager, knew little about the problems, Rumors that the plant had been padlocked were incorrect, but local office had been taken over by receiver at 6pm the previous night. "One dealer asserted that Porter Brothers had... sold fruit on on the market at the actual figure which had been paid to the grower." An article on May 21, 1903 in the Evening News noted that the company owed $400,000 to San Francisco banks. According to rumor, the business went under trying to corner the apple market - they'd bought 300,000 barrels at 2.50, but could only sell at 50c

San Jose branch wound down in 1903. Porter Brothers Plant for Sale, September 12, 1903 Evening News Post-mortem from San Jose Evening News, May 22, 1903: "Started in this Valley: The failure of the Porter Brothers company recalls the rapid rise of the concern after the originating of the idea by Washington Porter, who at the time was a ranch hand in this valley. Old-timers here remember Porter and his scheme of shipping fruit and how the idea was ridiculed. The true story of the big firm is interesting. Washington Porter who started the business came to Santa Clara county for his health in 1868 and secured work with Mr. Gould on a ranch near Santa Clara. While working for $30 a month he conceived of the idea of shipping winter pears East. After being informed that the railway company would not ship pears without prepayment of freight charges, he wrote to his father asking for money.

FATHER WAS DUBIOUS

Mr. Porter Sr. refused to make the advance, as he failed to see any profit in the scheme. Then Washington Porter wrote to his brother Fred, who was running a livery stable in Chicago. Fred immediately mortgaged his stable to get the money required. When it came to Washington Porter, he left Gould's employ and started to buy pears throughout the Santa Clara Valley. Fred disposed of his livery stable and devoted his time to the selling of fruit shipped to Chicago. Porter Brothers started in this way over thirty years ago. Fred Porter died in CHicago several years ago. Washington Porter has retired from business and is now a resident of Chicago."

In 1896 and 1900, the California Dried Fruit Agency was in the "Porter Building". Multiple other businesses in 385 North First at same time.

Red Bluff in San Francisco Call 1900 list of delivery spots for [California Cured Fruit Association])

Newcastle presence from lawsuit in 1895 San Jose site: Julian Street at Bassett (southeast corner) according to Sanborn map. Just sheds on 1884 Sanborn map.

385 North First Street in San Francisco Call list. Not on 1884 Sanborn map. Burned September 26, 1898 according to September 28, 189 Sacramento Daily Union . Report on Vendome fire in September 28, 1898 San Francisco Call confirms pre-1898 location was on North First Street.

Taylor and San Pedro according to SAn Francisco Call September 28, 1898 report on fire.