William A. Burton of Virginia
The last several years is not the first time that the Eastern Shore of Virginia has seen cheap Irish potatoes. There are quite a number of farmers living today who can tell you about the late 90's when they shipped potatoes and received payment in postage stamps. This is not a fabrication. There was no Surplus Commodities Corporation in those days to place a bottom under the market. Every commission merchant, who could handle Eastern Shore potatoes, had a representative on the Eastern Shore during the marketing season, who met the farmers at the station with a marking pot in his hand as they delivered their produce and solicited their business. The state of affairs finally reached the point that Irish potatoes were frequently paid for, as just stated, in postage stamps, and a large part of the sweet potato crop was left in the ground.
In desperation, the farmers and business men of the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 1899 organized the Eastern Shore of Virginia Produce Exchange. William A. Burton, a native of the Eastern Shore, was then working in the produce business for a New York Commission house, specializing in the handling of potatoes. The new venture was a big undertaking and everything depended upon the man placed in charge of its destinies. After very mature consideration the position of General Manager and Sales Manager was offered to Mr. Burton.
With the vision that is the part of every great man, faith in the natural possibilities of his native county and a justified confidence in himself, he resigned a position in which he was then making a name for himself, and undertook the guidance of the new and struggling Eastern Shore of Virginia Produce Exchange.
His knowledge of marketing conditions of the country enabled him in a short while to replace disorganized selling, which had reached a climax during the hectic years just preceding the organization of the "Exchange," as it was known, with smooth organized marketing. The Exchange grew rapidly under his guidance, reaching a volume of approximately $20,000,000 in gross sales in 1920, and handling over 2,500,000 barrels by rail alone as late as 1928.
During the years vast changes have taken place, but William A. Burton, now 80 years of age, can still be found faithfully at his desk; his advice and counsel, as it has been throughout the life of the Exchange, still most eagerly sought by its officers and directors; and it is generally said that in the heat of the marketing season he can be found in his usual chair where the most critical and important decisions are still passed on to him, and still disposed of in his usual calm and efficient manner.
He has not been a prophet without honor in his own country, but his own county probably does not realize the heights to which he has reached in the potato world as a whole. There is not a potato man in the United States, who has been in the business any number of years, who does not at least know of Mr. Burton. He has seen them go and come, and through it all has held his organization together. We predict that he will continue to hold it together and that it will long remain a potent factor in the business life of the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
New problems are now before the potato industry -- problems it has not yet been able to solve, but there were just as grave problems in 1899 when Mr. Burton took charge of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Produce Exchange, and began for the first time in this country to market a graded package. A solution was found and the problems existing in those time were overcome. We believe that the problems existing in these days will likewise be overcome, and we wish for Mr. Burton many more years of usefulness to assist in their solving.
Truly he might be called the "Grand Old Man of the potato industry!"