Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-13
Vii B

NOnlDlnt 10 HUN I'D inc EIlGCA Oh
Vegetables y authorities are
Invited 20 Step I'm aud Protect the
Public from ExtOrtfOn,
1t is a well known fact that many city
ordinances are violated daily with per-
feet IMMUNITY, and for the reason that
those whose duty it isto enforce the ordi'
nances fail to perform that duty for some
cause or other, too often from pure lazi-
ness, and often from Indifference and a
desire not to make enemies. The viola
tons Of the ordinance with reference to
public markets and market regulations
has become SO glaring, and is working so
great a hardship upon the citizens who
have to purchase provisions at the pub.
lie markets that it has become necessary
for the wide.awske LEDGER to notice it
and show it up SO that the remedy may
be enforced strickly without fear, favor
or reward.
On page 1913 Of the digest of the char
ter and ordinances of the city Of Mem.
phis, compiled and revised in 1876, ap
pears the following:
Sec. 900. No person shall forestall the
market by buying during market hours
any article commonly sold in market, ior
the purpose OF ceiling the same again,
oor shall any person offer any such sIti-
Gle for sale in the city during market
hours, except at one of the stands or
stalls provided for hat purpose, in or
near the marset-house, and all combins.
tons to influence in any way the price OF
articles offered in the market, shall be
unlawful
Page l25, section 295, prohibits the
peddling or sale by resaii through the
streets OF the city, or any place therein
except at the market-houses and at regu.
lar licensed provision stores, any butter
eggs, lard, or other article of country
produce or other vegetables, excep'
strawberries, raspberries, black5errie'
and the various kinds Of melons, whict
may be sold at any hour and at any
place in the city"
Page l2j, section 295. prohibits thu
huckstering or peddling through thu
streets, or at other places in the city, ex
cept at the market'houses, from wagon.
or other vehicles, live turkeys, chickens
or other fowls or the like, or any othe
living animals intended for food what
ever
GPage l27, section 3OS. instructs tn
market master ITO exercise q genera
supervision over the market-house an.
market-place, and TO enforce the regull
tons established for the governmen
thereof" and on page 1873, section 30I
| he is instructed ito generally do an
perform all acts necessary for the props
, regulations of the markets and the CT
, forcement Of market regulations"
: The penalty for violations Of the pr
! vious sections is provided for in pas
rs, in section $40, which says;
Any person violating the provisions
this ordinance shall be deemed and be-
, guilty Of a misdemeanor, and on convi
: ton thereof before the Recorder, sha
! be fined not less than five nor more tina
City dollars for each and every ofense
In the Police Manual" these misd
! neanOrs are all laid down under Il
head Of markets, on page IS,
=, The foregoing provisions with refs
!, ence to f~orestalling the markets OF
combining to influence the price of ar.
cles, vegetables and other n~eceasaries
life, are violated almost daily by persol
a who are known as hueksters. The farr
n. ers and market gardeners bring in the
lie produce in wagons to market, out Il
& hucksters form a combination, purcha.
a the vegetables by the wagon load, al
u then when market opens charge the
le ewn prices for the same. This works
re great injury and is a great injustice
al the citizen who wishes to purchase We
IS etables for his or her family. For i
stance, tomatoes of the first class We
W worth last week two dollars psr bash
Or in market, but yesterday they we're wer
Of four dollars owing to the lorestalliI
and combinations, Corn in the ear W
worth eight cents per dozen last wee
yesterday it was worth fifteen cents p
n dozen, aud for the same reason. Corne
are gotten up on other articles Of food
N the same manner, and most exOrbita,
al prices are asked for such by hucksters.
is no use for the housekeepat 10 attem
10 to purchase q small lot Of vegetables fro
be a wagon; the owner sells out at wholes.
=, to the hucksters and the hcusekeep
al finds the market "bulied" in a few mi
utes. Hucksters have been known
buy a 10 ID OF tomatoes at three dollars
bushel and TO sell out at FIVE dollars .
bushel in a short time. The huckste
80 admit that they do'this illegal busine
:. but they say nobody pays any attenti,
to it. Toe market-masters mast knt
that this is going on; if they do not it
NJ strange, because scores OF other peoI
he who have to pay dearly for it well knC
.ss it. An amusing incident occurred /
10. many days since which shows how t
combination is reduced to a system.
housekeeper found the price Of tomato
at the North Memphis market to be t
HI dollars aud a half per bushel, an advAr
hit Of a half dollar from the previous ia
he He drove rapidly to the South Memp'
a market and found tomatoes priced
90 four dollars per bushel. He drove ba
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