The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-04-24

if we will, secure to ourselves almost exclu-
sively.
A review of the market ordinance is imper-
atively called for. They are worse than
dead letter, for the means resorted to with
IMMUNITY, to evade them effect great inius-
tce and inconvenience to the majority of the
people than could be effected if we had no
ordinance on the subject A few individuals.
principally connected with the wharf boats,
manage by lorestaIling and secret offering
shade above the market price for large
quantity, to monopolize the best articles at
all times, and to secure the whole of any
choice article or decacy that happens to be
scarce. A means frequently resorted to is
the following. A man is in market with a
few dozen chickens, which happen to be
scarce, and the market price is say 81 25 per
dozen. A wharf boat purveyor or a provis-
ion store keeper, privately agrees with the
market man to pay him after market hours
/ 81 80 or S. 40 per doz. for all his chickens,
provided he cannot sell them for more during
market hours, during which time he will set
in his wagon, asking 81 IS or 81 As, as the
case may be, and sell none, and after market
hours delivers the whole lot according to
agreement. The wharf boats secure also
most of the best beef, mutton and veal. AS well
as venison and other game; and, of the infe-
rior meats taken to the market, the tavern
keepers, and a small number of other favor
tie customers who never go to market at all
secure the greater part of the choice pieces.
This is usually effected by informing butch
er or two, on the day previous to the market
that certain pieces of meat are wanted In
the mcrmng they are first laid aside, perhaps
in a basket, to be delivered some time during
the morning, and if any person wishes to
purchase them the reply is they are sold.
! The general result ofthe various infracions
of the market ordinance is that very large
: majority of the people have to put up with
inferior articles, and pay for them in the course
of year, several thousand dollars more than
r they would otherwise have 10 do.
As remedy for this evil, would suggest
: the propriety of passing an ordinance con-
: tanning substantially the following provis-
ions:
t 1st Extend the market hours to l O'CLOCK
t P. NJ
: ID. Prohibit the sale of provisions of any
t kind on wharf boats.
r Sd. Prohibit all huckstering on wharf o.
1 steam boats.
4th. Prohibit the sale of fresh meats at re
e tail at any time, at any other place than tn,
d market house or licensed shop, and prohibi
r the delivery of the same at any place excep
e that at which it is sold.
5 5th. Compel butchers and others havin!
e articles in market foF sale to sell to any per
r son wishing to buy, at the far market value
y a reasonable quantity of any commodity no
t sold and delivered into the actual possession
J. Of the purchaser.
t 9Th. Prohibit persons from purchasing, tc
= the exclusion of others wishing to buy, any
s more of any article than may be reasona
: bly, required for his own use and consump
d ton
7th In order that purchasers may have
d choice, compel butchers to cut any piece o
2 meat provided the purchaser is willing It
n take at the market price and will tender thu
money for some reasonable quantity to b.
e specified in the ordinance.
= 9th Provide standard weights and meas
c ures, and make it the duty of the marke
81 master from time to time to test the accuracy
l. of those used in market and to seize ant
e keep such false ones as are frauduently o
e knowingly used.
r 9th. Require the market master to seiz
/ and corfzcate butter and other commodtie
e put up in parcels lighter or smaller than they
i purport to be.
10th. Compel butchers to weigh all mea
n sold in market and truly inform the purchase
r as to the weight when requested.
II Concluded to-morrolo.)