Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-22
The Produce Trade ,e Washington.

A CHANGE WHICH PROMISES GOOD RE-
sULTs-oRGANIZA11oN OF A PRODUCE
EXCHANGE.
The steadily increasing activity in the pro-
duce trade in tliis city for the past five years
Is a matter OF importance TO our citizens. For
many years this branch of trade was confined
principal to market hucksters of limited
business, capacity, whose chief aim was to
make all they could out of the countrymen
on one hand and the consumers on the other.
TN account Of their selfish notions as to the
nIanner of doing business, no inform sys-
sem of prices could ever be agreed upon, ard
every one was for himself. The growing pop-
9lation, together with the increased facilities
Tor transportation by steamboat and rail-
road, has drawn men of more liberal ideas
into this traffic, and now there are wealthy
ana respectable firms engaged in this bust
ness, the scope of their shipping operations
taking in the states of Virginia, Maryland,
West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina,
ami some of the western states. Some of the
houses on Louisiana avenue, between 9Th and
10th streets. do
HEAVY WHOLESALE BUSINESS
in -four, grain, green and dried fruits butter,
eggs. poultry, vegetables, &c, and will COM
pare favOrably with similar houses in other
cities. The necessity for produce exchange
has long been felt among the jobbers in this
line of trade, and an organization was
effected ON the 18th instant, constitution
and rules adopted. and officers and standing
committees elected. The membership con-
templates only those engaged in jObbing
commission business, and all retail dealers
are excluded. The meetings thus far have
been held in the counting room of Messrs
Beidler, Howard & Co, No. 932 Louisiana
avenue, but arrangements are being made to
lease large room in the warehouse on the
corner of 10th and streets for a headquar-
tiers and reading room. where the stated
meetings VIII be- held. The headquarters will
be ftted up with every necessary convent
ence, and official prices current from similar
organizations OF other cities will be received
daily and made accessible to the members.
THE OFFICERS ELECT
are john A. Baker, president; James w.
IL ii 4. nV,r,.
secretary, and j. f. Saum, treasurer.
The standing committees are as follows -
On TranspOrtatiOn-Messrs ID. NJ. Ream, c.
r. smith and Il. +. Anderson. On Finance
Messrs. {: F. DutrOw, +. III. Chamberlain
and c. r. Wilkins. On observation-disclosures
j.. :; Miller, III G.; Jones and ]. F. Saum. Or
4ArbltratlOn-J. +. Saum, +. G.. Webster and
A. j. Beidler On Observation-Disclosures.
Kelly, Spindler and Sands.
The entrance fee is SO, and monthly dues
81. Meetings are To be held every Thursday
for the transaction of business a general
interchange of views, and 10 correct and
make up the official price current, which is
prepared and submitted by the committee on
quotations, and based on actual and legiti-
mate transactions, and not figure i'm the list
can be altered without a twO-thirds vote of
the members. 1t will thus be seen that the
prices promulgated will be reliable and meT-
chants and shippers can base their opera
tiOnS on 10.
AT THE REGULAR MEETING LAST NIGHT.
IN the absence of the president. Mr.. w. -.
Hogue, of the firm Of Janney & HOgue, pre-
sided, with Mr.. c. A. Huntington as secre-
tary.
Several names of our most respectable
commission merchants We're handed in for
membership and referred to the committee.
Mr. Ream, from the committee on trans
pOrtatiOn, made report setting forth the
difficulty merchants have experienced in
getting their packages from the Baltimore d
Potomac railroad, in consequence of it
being entered in bulk upon the manifests
from the point where goods are shipped on
the Virginia 4 Midland railroad, and con-
signed to various merchants here, and the
freight not being properly divided among the
consignees. He suggested a remedy. The
report was adopted.
The special committee, to which was re-
feIred the matter of charges on the moving
of flour, reported a list of rules, as follows;
Drayage,1 cents; coOperage, l cent; storage
and labor, cents; insurance, / cent, and
commission, p cents.
Some debate followed, some Of the mem
berS taking the ground that1 cents was too
high for drayage, but the report was adopted.
Mr.. j. $. Miller, from the committee on
quotations, submitted a list. which was con-
sidered Seriatim. and after some alterations
IL was adopted, and the board adjourned.