My wife Mildred and I attended the Felice and Perrelli Cannery site reception on May 13. It was very well arranged and there were quite a number of historical facts and pictures presented.

I was quite young when the F&P Co. leased an acreage of land from the Thomas Rea heirs; adjacent to our property south of Gilroy. It extended from U.S. 101 highway, along the creek, across the railroad and to the pole line.

They transplanted peaches, apricots and planted row crops. They had no water for irrigation so they got water from my father until such time that they got their own wells. Mr. Felice, the ranch superintendent, used a horse and buggy to oversee the ranch.

On our ranch, adjacent to the F&P ranch we had four acres of Tuscan peaches. When I was old enough I used to make trips to the cannery with our peaches with a horse and wagon.

On one occasion on a hot summer day the weigh master refused to let me unload my fruit since I had on a sleeveless undershirt. His reason was that it would shock the ladies working there! My dad came in and talked to the weigh master and my load was accepted!

After I grew up and had my own business, an iron worker shop, I built a 20-foot diameter by 30-foot tall water tank for F&P cannery.

Since the tank was overwidth I delivered it with a special DMV escort to the F&P cannery in Gilroy. The tank is still there awaiting demolition? Or possibly resurgence?!

Sandoe Hanna, Gilroy

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