New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-18
OUR LOCAL MARKET LAWS.

Two hundred years ago one market-day in the
week sufficed for the accommodation of the in
habitants of this City, and that day was desig-
mated by the Governor or Common Council.
Articles of produce were displayed in the open
air, on the strand, and producer and consumer
were thus enabled to meet on satisfactory terms.
There were no market-houses in existence at
tb,s period and there was consequent absence
ofhucksters and middle-men. 1t was not until
the year 1856 that public market was estab-
lshed, when, according to Valentines History,
it was enacted, that,
" Whereas divers articles, such as meats, PORK,
butter cheese turnips, cabbages, and other country
produce time TO time brought here for sale by
The people living in the country and oftentlnes wait
at the strand foot OF Whitehalstreet) without the
people living out of that immediate neighborhood
knowing that such things for sale in town. There
fore Saturday in each week is fixed as market-day,
when the stices to be brought the beach, near
Hans Kiersteds house Of which ali shall take notice
From 1863, when the first small house was
built for meat market, to 1872 inclusive, the
practice of building market HOUSES was con-
tnued at the expense of the inhabitants of those
localities in which they were erected, and of
private individuals The dealers in meat and pro-
duce put up their own market hoSscs, managed
the Blu .iness among themselves, and collected
certain market fees as q compensation to the
Mayor. TWAS in the year 1912 that the Corpora
ton interfered with this department of trade.
and the result was the building Of that triumph
ofhuman intelligence called Washington Market.
Since that time the bunging hand of Govern
ment has constantly struggled to maintain by
statute laws ana municipal regulations state of
Thugs which comes 10 conflict with the rights of
person and teachings Of common sense The re-
moyal of the corruptmcDopoy system IN 1888 was
not NOR essential to the requirements ofthe City,
than is the immediate removal OF Corporation
influence from the markets at the present time.
To render the system acceptable, it is necessary
that the agency of the Municipal Government
be withdrawn, and our markets be conducted on
ordinary business principles, by being placed IN
the hands OF individuals aud associations. Such
a change would save the inhabitants OF this
| City million dollars annually, and relieve them
Of the thousand annoyances aud exsctions which
are produced by osic al agency in affairs of a
| purely business character.
But in no other particular is the immediate
action Of reform more necessary than in respect
to the laws regulating the supply Of country
produce. As the laws at present exist the pro-
Queer is compelled TO be on the market ground
by o'clock A. NJ, and the time given him to
dispose Of his stock is three hours. Thus the
huckster is enabled to purchase at moderate
prices large quantities Of provisions, and retail
the same to our citizens at IN advance frequent
ly amounting TO 100 per cent. The huckster
and the miidle-man become rich, and retiring,
make room for others of their class, while the
aboring poor sre compelled to do without many
Of the necessaries Of life under this monstrous
system of petty monopoly. Surely it is time
that the prohibition which prevents the farmer
from selling his produce where and when he
can was removed, and that the restrictions and
! disabilities which have checked and annoyed
our country dealers were taken away The
narrow limits of Washington Market will not
suffice for the wants and necessities of our pres
ent population, any more than the brief period
allowed TO the producers will aid them in break
ing up the pernicious system of speculation and
iobbery. 1t would indeed seem that the buck
STEERS were sustained by the Common Council,
when it is remembered that the City Ordinances
in relation TO markets might be repealed By that
august body in half an hour.
Give us reform in this branch of our munich
nal government, and rid us of that pernicious
system which enriches knayery by increasing
| the miseries of the poor