, 1877-06-14

There aro two city onitnanccs, both Of whicl,
arc legal, both Of which are tn force, md neither
Of which is enforced. Tho ono ID To secure fntr
dealing In tho sale Of fruit nnd berries, tho
other fair tlcallngn tho sale OF bread. The berry
ordinance provides lint berries and certain
classes Of fruit that are sold in baskets, lttSp
peaches, shall be sold by tho quart, or propor-
ttonatc parts Of quart, and that the condition
Of tho berries or fruits shall be good all through.
The other ordinance provides tint bread shall
bc sold by weight, loaf weighing pound or
some proportlonato part OF pound. It has
l,crctoforo boon tho praetiee to sell berries in
boxes that 10 not represent any particular meas-
urc, and 80 constructed that tho buycr rarely
gets box full, owing TO tho peculiar construc-
tlon OF It's sides and bottom, and III addition to
tIis ho often finds himself tcfraut1c.l In tho cor,-
dftton OF tue berries, tho Top ones being sound
and good, but covering decay and rottcnncss
beneath. Tho sasno holds true Of peaches.
Many liousckcopcr can bear ew'ft witness to
the remarkable manner In which ptach-baskcts
have shrtlnk up from year to year, and Of u.i-
pleasant surprises utter sho llaa removed tho
gauzy illusion that llas hidden from view u.l-
ripo wlntlfalls and dccaysng realities bclor e,1-
pori1cjal soli,tincss. Tho bakers linvo had an
claally good opportunity to squeeze their pur-
chascfs In Hight weights. A liyc-ccnt loaf Of
bread should wctgi, pound: In reality 1t weighs
ten or twelve OUNCES. Prior 10 tho passage Uf
the bread ordinance there Was no relief lor tho
victim. Another baker might como along aud
offer to uudcEscll his rival by furnishing lonf
for four cents, but tho purchaser got no mors
bread, because tho cheaper baker would rcdurc
tue weight proporttonatcly. At last. two
ordinances wcrc passed which promised
to rcliere tho whole community. They we're
explicit In terms, without lcgal tlaw, and pro-
yl1cd aoYcrc penalties Tor their tnfractlon. pco-
plc hailed Their passage with full breath Of re-
lfef, md looked forward con,placcntiy 10 full
measures OF berries, full baskets Of peaches,
and loaycs Of bread that weighed a full pound,
in line, u q4id pro quo md q refreshing cQulya-
lent for tllor money. They hailctl It with
special delight tccausc brca1 ID not onl5 tho
staff Of life, but berries and fruit in their scason
also, and even out Of their scaso1,. Bread must
bo had every day, and tho majority OF people IN
this city buy their bread Of tho altcrs. Nearly
every ono wishes to tlavo berries and fruit In
tho summer season because Of tllcir hca!thful-
ness, and to put them up in tho form Ut jcllics
and preserves as dcttcaclcs for tho winter. They
mnY 10 -elasscd aa absolute necessities. Tho
50y Of the housckcopcr, however, has been
cfouicl with disappointment. These ordinances
~sero passcdlnAlay and wcnt effect on th. st
Of June. but still aha buys licr scant boxes at TILL
wholesome bcrrics and hor 1Ight-wc1ght bread,
and, as she looks forward to tho scason for put
ting up peaches, pears, pluHls, cherries, toma-
toes, and other luxurics that como In boxca aud
baskcts, sho has no better hope Of full measure
nud sound goods than she had last summer.
Tho ordinances arc not enforced, md there Ia
evidently Ito Intention OF enforcing them. Thcy
tn&R 1x1Et1