Chicago Greenhouse Growers

Several of the directors behind the startup of the Vegetable Growers Supply Co. were already engaged in directing farmers’ associations. In the 1913, J. P. Wagoner, J. P. Molitor, Frederick Weber, J. P. Smith, Chas Hengesch, Robert F. Dilger, Peter Schumer, Micheal Leider, John Becker, Nicholas Platz, and Paul Nazig were elected the directors of the Chicago Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association. The names highlighted here are also original stockholders in the new supply company.

The greenhouse growing business had no shortage of industry associations and industry publications. In addition to vegetable growing associations, associations for carnation growing appeared in major cities in the United States as well as a national association for carnations. Similar associations existed for chrysanthemum growers. The Florists Review and the American Florist were two publications out of Chicago (both on South Dearborn Street) and had great readership by Chicago greenhouse growers. The Market Growers Journal, out of Louisville Kentucky was focused on commercial vegetable growing nation-wide. Chicago became a great location for some of these industry publications because it had already established itself as printing and publication center. Lumber shipped from the north by rail makes large-scale printing possible. Between the industry associations and the industry publications, greenhouse growers and agriculture in general have a long history of best practice and information sharing.

With the consolidation of all forms of production into fewer and larger companies, there is less of a need to widely share (and profit from the sharing via publications) information and practices. In this regard, turn of the 20th century greenhouse growers were more avid communicators, perhaps, than most today. And as I have found out in my own family’s genealogy and immigration patterns, these associations formed the basis of a community, where extended family members and fellow immigrants can meet, conduct business and socialize.

At the time of the founding of this new supply company, a couple of critical market issues were fermenting. The first is that those greenhouse growers who transitioned to flower crops made more money. As early as the 1880s or sooner, greenhouses were not just producing vegetables, but flower crops. In the coming decade ahead, vegetable growing under glass shifts entirely to new and more profitable flowers such as carnations and chrysanthemums. Moreover, the need to control the escalating costs of doing business are eternal. At the June 1, 1913 Chicago Greenhouse Vegetable Growers Association directors, the directors were concerned that the size of the boxes used to transport lettuce was too small and hence too expensive. The issue of box size and cost was placed as an item to be addressed in the next year. Well before the forming of this new supply company, boxes to ship produce were a problem.

At the Vegetable Growers Supply Co. directors meeting on December 30, 1918, at 8 PM held at Arcanum Hall 7013 Ravenswood, Chicago, the directors awaited the report from their two committees — one on a source of lumber supply and the other on looking for space. Nic Schmidt and J. P. Molitor reported that they visited Bellinger Mills in Bellinger, WI and S. Gruzenski, the owner of the mill. They also met with Mr. Stryks, the owner of Stryks Mill in in Sublin WI and J. H. Hill Box Co.. All three suppliers (of course) expressed eagerness to supply the new company with lumber.

The committee on space reported that they saw several locations for buying or renting and recommended renting from Wm. Becker’s shop space on N. Clark Street for $40 ($640) a month as they felt this was the “best and cheapest” place to locate. After a long discussion, the directors approved the recommendation and gave the committee the power to rent the space and purchase machines and trucks from Wm. Becker as they saw fit.

The directors also approved expenses of $70.13 ($1,122) for rail fare and the hotel room for six days, and of course the $6 per day pay for their efforts, $72 ($1,152). Additional expenses of $40.05 ($642) for hall rent, postage stamps, printing and envelopes were approved.

The directors also approved a motion to begin looking for a “good manager” for the company and what he salary he would need.

Over the next few months, the new company will continue to deal with machinery costs, labor costs and space costs.

All dollars are followed with 2021 adjusted dollars in parentheses