Show I By BERT 1 j I 1 a 9 I I IA A I R. R ALVIN MOSS THIS WEEK Robert Alvin Alvin Alvin Al Al- vin Al Moss retired President President president Pres pres- ident and Director Woods Cross Canning Company Davis County R. R Alvin Moss has long been associated with the caru canning ng industry in Utah He has been in charge of the Woods Cross Caru Canning ng Company for some 38 years PROVING TO l himself that hard work never hurt anyone anyone anyone any any- one he learned as a youth what farm and ranch work involved and as an I adult he has kept busy with business civic and church activities Through example Mr Moss explains my pioneer parents taught me to be a good citizen to to be honest I and to waste nothing saving saving saving sav sav- ing for the future PICKING tomatoes for three cents a bushel box wasl was l his s first experience in the caru canning ng industry He was 12 years of age and during I the next few years he earned some 1 to 2 a day picking picking picking pick pick- l ing in the fields The sudden passing o omy of my father when I was 15 years old Mr Moss admits admits admits ad ad- mits changed any long- long range plans which my parents parents parents par par- had made for me and ushered me into the business business business busi busi- ness field IHS IDS FATHER held moderate moderate moderate mod mod- erate interests in North Davis County and owned farm and range land on the benchland benchland benchland bench- bench land as well as on the mountains mountains mountains moun moun- east of Bountiful His father was manager of Bountiful Bountiful Bountiful Boun Boun- Lumber and Building Association known knO as Bountiful Bountiful Bountiful Boun Boun- Lumber and Supply today today to to- today day Being the eldest son he was called upon to make adjustments adjustments adjustments ad ad- in the panic of 1907 just the year after his fathers father's death He was a graduate from the first high school in Bountiful also the first in Davis County he recalled BUSINESS college seemed the most sure and quickest job fob security for young Mr Moss and he enrolled and was a graduate of the I Business college I After serving his country in the armed services in in world war I he returned i home and became associated I with the Bount Bountiful ul State Bank and Charles R. R Mabey who later became governor of Utah Currently he is a director of the bank IN 1931 he was asked to manage the Woods Cross Canning Company The warehouses were bulging with tomatoes but business was at a standstill because of the depression Mr Moss said Woods Cross Canning group made up mostly of employees employ employ- ees organized three companies com com- companies 1 Woods Cross Heber Canning Company 2 Woods Cross Clearfield Clearfield Clearfield Clear- Clear field Company and 3 Woods Cross Asparagus Com Com- pany These firms leased the plants agreeing to pay expenses and 10 cents per perI I case on all cases packed i AFTER having met with I i every grower and explaining explain explain- I II ing the plan and with the j i spirit of cooperation the growers and management I 1 were able to meet contract prices Within the next few years the three companies were dis dissolved dissolved dis- dis solved and operated again as I the Woods Cross Company I A good deal of pride has been shown in the company as this operation has had products on the grocers' grocers shelves for the past 75 years EVERYONE should have havea a hobby Mr Moss opined and I had several including including including ing horses hunting fishing However some years ago I II I had the misfortune of suffering suffer suffer- suffering ing an injury which prevented prevented pre pre- i vented such activities He has gone back to a I I hobby of his early childhood that of keeping a diary of I important events My I number one book contains short histories of members I of the family from great great- I great grandfathers to a great-great great grandchild Mr l Moss explained I use photographs with a brief history of each THE TIlE SECOND book covers covers covers cov cov- ers more than a year of experiences in France and Germany during world war I. I And the third gives a story I of each of the places where I Mrs Moss and I have visited I since my retirement from fromi i full time duties with the canI canning can can- I ning ping company He uses colored slide pictures pictures pictures pic pic- tures with each report THE MOSS'S use one room in their home for antiques items from the old homestead homestead homestead home home- stead souvenirs rs from the war and features from faraway faraway far far- away countries Although retired Mr Moss continues to serve as president president president pres pres- ident and director and helps to determine the policies of the company with his son Robert and his brother Vern living true his philosophy philosophy philo philo- philosophy sophy that a willingness to work hard to invest time and money and talent for leadership and management in order to make a better I community in which to live |