Castle Brothers
| Business |
Dried Fruit Packer |
|---|---|
| Main Location |
San Francisco |
| Active |
< 1893-1918 |
Castle Brothers was a San Francisco-based grocery wholesaler which turned into a significant dried fruit packer, operated by Albert N. Castle and Arthur H. Castle. In operation from the 1870's through 1918[1], Castle Brothers was one of the big independent packers at the turn of the century along with Guggenhime and Company and Rosenberg Brothers. Castle planned on a merger with Guggenhime and Company, Rosenberg Brothers, and Phoenix Packing in 1905, but Rosenberg reneged on the deal; later lawsuits claimed that Rosenberg Brothers used the merger as a ruse to gather competitive information[2]. Castle Brothers partially pwned Pacific Coast Seeded Raisin Company with Phoenix Packing in 1905. Castle Brothers also appeared in the news for selling fruit to Armour during the anti-trust case in 1919 along with Phoenix Packing[3].
[[William Francis Tooney worked for them between 1893 and 1895[4]. George Rogers was general manager in 1901.
The company retired from the dried fruit business in 1918[5]. Its brands carried on by Harry Hall and Company.
Castle Brothers in San Jose
Castle Brothers had several plants in San Jose at various times, and suffered more than its fair share of fires. Their first plant was a brick warehouse on San Carlos Street near the South Pacific Coast railroad tracks. The warehouse was a brick building initially built as a grain warehouse, and owned by I.G. Knowles. That plant burned in 1899 along with the Zicovich Winery[6]Castle Brothers had another warehouse on Ryland Street near Inderridden which also burned in 1899[7]. That warehouse was corrugaged iron, 100 x 55, and was formerly a warehouse for E. B. Howard. The SP's car scale also burned in that fire.
Castle Brothers next moved to Cinnabar and Montgomery Street. In 1903, it was the site of a nasty accident where an employee was badly injured by elevator while working at the plant[8]. The Cinnabar Street plant burned on October 19, 1913[9]. A new concrete plant started in 1914. Designed by William Binder and built by Z. O. Field, the building would be 110 feet square, and the "best equipped fireproof packing house in California."[10]. That fire also burned the Haven and Company packing house; the fire chief believed the fires were intentionally set because the blaze started in so many different parts of the building[11].
Locations
| Location | Years | Address | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno | 1900 | (In San Francisco Call 1900 list of delivery spots for California Cured Fruit Association) | |
| Marysville | 1900 | (In San Francisco Call 1900 list of delivery spots for California Cured Fruit Association) | |
| Sacramento | 1900, 1905 | (In San Francisco Call 1900 list of delivery spots for California Cured Fruit Association) | |
| San Francisco | 1908 | 149 California Street | |
| San Jose | 1899 | 740 West San Carlos Street | Directory reads "West San Carlos at Narrow Gauge" - probably west side. |
| San Jose | 1900 | San Carlos at Race | City directory. |
| San Jose | 1901-1930 | Cinnabar Street at Montgomery | |
| Selma | 1905 | ||
| Visalia | 1900 | (In San Francisco Call 1900 list of delivery spots for California Cured Fruit Association) |
References
- ↑ Grocers by that name in SP's directory of served industries, 1872
- ↑ October 6, 1905 San Francisco Call.
- ↑ Subcommitte on Agriculture and Forestry, United States Senate, Hearings on Senate Resolution 211 against Swift & Co. et al. Shows Castle Brothers sold raisins to Armour.
- ↑ Prof. James Miller Guinn, History of the state of California and biographical record of the San Joaquin Valley, California, Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1905. Biography of William Francis Tooney, p.1175.
- ↑ Harry Hall Starts Business As His Own Account: July 6, 1918 California Fruit News.
- ↑ along with Zicovich winery
- ↑ Prunes May Go Up: The Big Fire Complicates the Prunes Situation: August 1, 1899
- ↑ October 29, 1903 San Jose Evening News
- ↑ Two San Jose Packing Houses Burn: Loss Put At $175,000: October 20, 1913 San Francisco Call
- ↑ Castle Brothers Will Rebuild Packing House: May 8, 1914 San Jose Evening News
- ↑ October 21, 1913 San Jose Evening News