The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-07-04
Our Fcod-How 70 Cheap<n n.
TO ruR xprrox or THE UkxxLp.


nercial position has been greatly assisted by the
regular and cheap supplies furnished II of two in
dispensable artcles--wsser and fuel II Is not pos
sible we could have attained present numbers II
water was still sold by the pailful, - II was not
many years since from the tea water pumps or If
English coal, OF wood brought haelreds Of miles
from vanishing forests in the interior, were our
only reliance to keep ourselves warm Daring two
thirds of the yesr.
The Erie CAnal unquestionasly gave the great i'm
pulse TO our prosperity, extending our water com
munication from Albany tfor that ty the Mohawk
beycod was scarcely worthy of the nancy to Buffalo
and Detroit; and the population which had been one
hundred and sixtynine years in reaching from LOCO
10 l66FS9, then began its subsequent enormous
strides. 1t was soon perceived, however, that to
make this prosperity permanent full supply OF
pure ana wholesome water was necessary. Ihis
not the place to compliment tn9se
sasacious men and patriotic citizens VINO
suggested, sustained and carried ont TIE
Croton water system, and who began it and nnishea
II with pure hands, without stain upon sneir chsx~
zcter motives but if the city ever DEGREES statues
20 its most meritorious citizens it will he 20 those 70
whom the incaloulable blessing of pure and whsie-
some water are attributable
The orcuing of the coal mines IN fenESyNansA, In
which the company of John Wurtx 80 splendidsy ed
the way, YVES another boon to New York. Il gave
enormous impulse teeur manufactures, unhmted
10 the homes of the lssoring classes. The capit&
employed in manufacturing in this city has become
greater than that of the shipPing OF the port by
hrre difference. Thus water and fuel have birth
eopsrsnted their mighty aid to build up this g1eat
city. What else do we require to secure our ascen
dancy. The answer is simple-cheap and abundant
food.
1t is well known that the price of our fsod is
steadily increasing. Modcrsse salaries, and incomes
formerly deemed ample, no longer sufficient This
rs the excuse given 10 the public for the enormous
tlxy
advocated and taking place in the City Hall, and
which cannot well be reieosed by the taxpayers who
experience the pressure of the prices of food in their
own families. 1t is, indeed, the general excuse for
high salaries. Cannot something be done to remedy
this state of things? imagine there can, and with
simple directness which invites an immediate
attempt Let us, then, first bear in mind that the
population of the city il now greatest in the upper
wards and that, in fact, below Canal street 1t Is
comparatively small. Next, that the configuratiOn
of the island is such as TO impe its future increase
in the drection and also {and this is the turn
ing point that the transportation of food for our
adaily consumption from the lower totke upper parts
f the city almost the chief cause OF the high prices
of food paid by uptown housekeepers For example,
il is cheaper to transport barrel of -four from
Rochester TO New York, than to cart it from South
street to Union square, And 1t is equally true that
those living in the neighborhood who able to
market at the Fulton and Washington markets, find
a material difference in prices in their favor.
On the contrary, it is well know that families in the
most populous upper wards are charged by the re-
taller an exorbtant advance upon the down town
prices. Thus for months after -four had fallen Sc
veral dollars barrel all through the country and
could be bought of good quality at the Wholesale
stores down town at from 81 rs to Sc per barrel it
still retailed up town at from IS to So at which
price il remains. While anthracite coal be
bought in the lower part of the city for q 30 per
ton at many of the upper yards IS so is still asked,
and ordinary consumers are obliged to pay it.
Ii thus appears from these few examples, which
illustrate the entire state of things that the price Of
food is enhanced by local transportation in a very
degree.
the price charged by the retailers every time an
article of food passes from deaear and place to
another. And though we have twelve public mar
kets, the evil is irremediable without a change in
the system.
The two great markets are the Washington and
the Fulton. The wards in which they situated are
the two smallest in the city and miles distant from
the more populous, which being the largest are Of
course the best consumers. The Centre and the
Jefferson the next most important, and in many
respects more useful for they can be reached by the
Fourth and Sixth avenue railway. The Franklin,
the Catherine, the Clinton the Essex, the Union and
the Harlem, useful only in limited degree. The
Tompklns is in progress of reconstruction on libe-
raj scale and trust it will be worthy of its loca.
ton.
NV suggestion then is as follows:-To reorganise
the whole market system, as to secure to every
ward in the city a market house OF the very best
description. The new structures should be located
20 as especially to accommodate the inhabitants
respectively, and at points most accessible to the
greatest number Wherever practicable, they should
be placed the lines Of the city railways,
and on streets connecting with the East and North
rivers. We might then expect 70 see the craft
usually engaged in bringing farm and garden truck,
fruit fish, &c, lying at the wharves most conve-
nent 20 these markets, thus greatly shortening the
distance of city transportation, and lessening the
expense TO the consumers.
We should then have twenty-five markets of
which twelve, If not more, would be new structures;
and there Is no doubt hut honest application OF
the rents Of the stalls and cellars would not only
pay the interest of the cost Of construction,
but produce sinking fund TO extinguish the prin-
Cipal Of the cost As our markets are now managed
they are downright swindle the public-rnere
monopolies in the hands Of favored parties. The
receipts from them are very trifing. although the
valne Of the property which they stand is large.
The Washington and Fulton are estimated at six
hundred thousand dollars.
AS the business Is now conducted the producers
of market truck have but little chance. They have
only two or three markets where they can readily
dispose of it, The forestalers first make them their
prey; the up town dealers then add considerable
advance, and by the time the consumer has pur-
chased profit Of from twenty 20 fifty per cent has
been made at second aud third hands most Of the
articles usually consumed in respectable families.
Vegetables Of all kinds fish, hams, tongues eggs,
foreign fruits, oranges. lemons, bananas, pnespples,
are all admirably adapted TO the operations Of the
epeculators. | have known difference of three
hundred per cent on some OF these articles ON the
same day, according TO the locality where they
were offered for sale.
extoriion. II we have but one party between
the producer and consumer may easily save
twenty per cent in the expense Of our food and
this saving would soon lie perceptibe In the i'm.
proved condition Of many hundreds. nay Thousands,
OF families, who find themselves sorely punched
TO meet the daily outlay for food alone.
IL is the habit Of some dealers up town TO lay in
small daily stocks from the lower markets, and as
they sell off 10 their customers 20 raise the price on
what remains, under the plea of scarcity. A good
market in such a neighborhood would indeed be
blessing
In short, we want twenty-five first class markets,
with all the modern improvements, the old ones 10
he reconstructed. 10 have them placed in the very
best positions In each ward Tor the public accommo-
dstion, and properly controlled ana regulated. The
farmers Of Jersey could sell their products at one
place Of Long Island at another, and Of westches-
Ter at another These would pass only through one