New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-01
HOW THE COST OF LYING IN THE
CITY AND COUNTRY MAYBE EQUAL
TZED
FROM TAe Erenfne Post.

From TAe Treating Post.
Every head OF family in this CITY asks biuseIf nj
least once every Winter why it is tina. household mar
keting here il 70 enormously high while we are con-
SANITY hearing Of the articles being sold AZ va
rous places in the country at almost nominal prices
The question Is daily csnvassed nov by some of
our city readers, aud with good reason We are
obliged pay at either of our largest mark et.-and
more at the corner groceries-from 2l6 70 81 per
pound for butter from I'D. to 1sd pound for chick
quails 60 dozen, beef and venson I'D. pound
potatoes 81 bushe apples 81 to 80 so barrel &c
Now we will contrast these rates. taken from our
Household Market Reports Of last week with the
prices quoted in The Express Messenger Of same date
from various towns in the State Of Pennsylvania
Michigan Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin Iowa
and Canada West-al places within reach of some
great channel Of communication with this CITY. and
all places at which the New-York Express Companies
have agencies, fact Of which our readers will see the
bearing presently
In Monroe County, in this State potatoes are selling
at 81 and - cents bushel-in st. Joseph's County
Michigan, for 30 cents. Butter is selling at several
places In Ohio and Michigan at &c., 16c. and lie.
pound. Chickens are quoted in Bloomington, Ill., at
IS cents pair dressed pontry in the greatest sbund
aDce at &c. and &c. pound, all through the West;
and eggs, which are selling in New-York five for
shilling are selling in any rural districts for loo. and
l2c dozen.
The Lancaster Wisconsin, Herald says:
We notice from the papers that game is over common
plenty In all parts of the State We venson is sold daily
in our street pork and beef and about the
price. Prse chickens pheasants, qua &C., Of
fered by the boys DOORS chickens and pheasn
81 70 = dozen; quail al &c. rabbits, 81, &c.
Now the question arises, why should the citizens Of
New-YOrk be kept at starvation prices, with such
abundance around them on every side Where is the
great advantage promised ourselves from rail.
roads, if contguity with the markets of the West
only raises the price of our provisions?
The difficulty always has been--thOugh We hope, at
least partial remedy has now been found for tin
the necessity of employing 40 many middemen before
the commodity reaches the consumer that its cost is
more than doubled in time of comparative scarcity.
The people in the country, who have small supply of
chickens, eggs butter, cannot afford TO bring it
here themselves, even at present prices; they are
obliged to sell to the agents of the country dealers,
who the country for the purpose. These sell to
the agents of the NewYork wholesale dealers, who,
in turn, sell to the retailers who have to charge the
at least four distinct profits upon the original
cOst.
To avoid this taxatiOn, which weighs equally heavy
upon the rural producer and the urban consumer,
plan has been projected by one of our enterprisng
citizens, which appears TO be full of promise, of
which we know at least enough to justify in
mending our citizens to look into it.
Mr.. Simpson the editor of The Express Messenger
periodical devoted mainly to the interests of the
express companies of the United States and published
by association of which he il the president-has
opened depot at No 80 Broadway, where he pro-
poses to supply household produce Of all kinds without
the Intervention expense, either to himself or his
customers of supeifluous middle men, As officer
of the Express Messenger Association, he is in
slant correspondence with several hundred agents of
the principal express companies who advise him Of
the state of the markets in their respective neghbor
hosds and when directed, buy for him whatever they
can buy advantage ously. This they can attend to
without interfering with their paramount duties
express agents. and with the cheerful cooperation of
the express companies, whose freight receipts thus
materially swollen. For this service they receive five
per cent upon the amount of their purchases. The
companies charge an average of 81 20 hundred for
transportation, and Mr.. Simpson for receiving and
selling five per cent mOre-in all, say twelve per
IL Re- 40 nnnt
dressed poultry which is selling in the country eight
cents pound, may be supplied to the consumer at
eleven cents instead of eighteen cents pound, and
the best table butter at twenty-four cents instead Of
thirty to thirty five.
Mr.. Simpson engages, as understand by his adj
vetisemen to sell to hs regular customers at the cost
price of the articles, plus these commissions so that
every one has an opportunity OF knowing whether he
If dealt with in good faith or not.
To supply him with the capital necessary to make
Lis preliminary arrangements and to secure reliable
body of customers at once and without wafing tor hs
plan to become expermentally known, Mr.. Simpson
requires those who buy of him al the rates We have
mentioned to deposit with him s25. Tsis can be
taken up at any time after sixty days in produce
from his establishment. Those who do not subscribe
will be charged such price ms the commodities VIII
bear in the market
The merits of this plan if faithfully carried ont
and Mr. Simpsons personal vouchers are OF the most
respectable character-are, that 1t gives the puoc the
benefit of an extended agency ramifyng through the
whole country; to which the projects of Mr. Simpson
are only incidental and therefore inexpensive, and
which is entirely beyond the reach of any other pro-
duce dealer. The cost of such an agency as the ex
press companies can furnish at commission of only
tive per cent would eat up the profits provisions and
all of any one who attempted to organize 1t for this
business alone. Hence the delay for so many years,
since the necessity for il felt, of perfecting plan
which should tend to equaze the prices of farm produce
in the city and the country. If it is to be the mission
of express companies to accomplish this their use
fulpess, highly has been appreciated, has been as