West Side Fruit Growers Association
| Business |
Fruit Dryer Cooperative |
|---|---|
| Main Location |
West Side |
| Active |
1891-1916 |
| Successors |
Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange |
Grower's association in the West Side (Cupertino area). Drying yard and packing house was on Stevens Creek Road near the current Woodham's Road. The association was founded in 1891[1], and was merged into the Santa Clara County Fruit Exchange with the other local organizations. Charles W. Cutler was the first manager[2]. Colonel Philo Hersey was president from founding through at least 1896[3]. A.P. Saunders was president in 1902.
Supposedly, the group disappeared in 1916, but the 1922 list of fruit packers in a Santa Clara County history continued to list them in 1922.
The union had a large drying yard and processing plant,and handled 3,650 tons of fruit in 1893. In 1917, a huge rush of fruit required 23,000 trays to cover 20 acres of ground[4]. The company may have had a siding to the interurban line[5].
The Union also had a mechanical dryer; this was only to speed sun drying, and was not intended to fully dry fruit[6]. The plant was taken over by Abinante and Nola] in the mid 1930's; the buildings burned down in a fire on May 19, 1940 according to the May 20, 1940 San Jose Evening News.
Locations
| Location | Years | Address | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Side | 1891-1916 | Stevens Creek Road at Woodhams, Santa Clara |
References
- ↑ West Side Fruit Growers: March 20, 1891 San Jose Evening News. Articles of incorporation filed. Directors for first year are D.H. Blake, A.C. Lydhard, E.G. Hall, Philo Hersey, E.T. Petit, A. R. Woodhams, and S. P. Saunders.
- ↑ Robert Couchman, Sunsweet Story
- ↑ Sunshine Fruit and Flowers
- ↑ Dry-Grounds Saved By Heat From Deadlock. September 16, 1917 San Jose Mercury Herald.
- ↑ Supervisors in Regular Session: March 5, 1906 San Jose Evening News. "A delegation from the West Side Fruit Growers union was present and requested the right to lay a railroad switch from the drying plant to the railroad. The switch would cross the county road. The application was referred to Supervisor Roll with power to act."
- ↑ The Evaporator and A. W. Hudson, Rain-Damaged Prunes: http://books.google.com/books?id=-ZkmAQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA118&ots=7T9PiI4Klf&dq=september%201918%20rain%20california&pg=PA118#v=onepage&q=september%201918%20rain%20california&f=false