The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-01
POTATO DEALERS GRIEVANCES.

To THE EDIroR or TgE HKRALD:-
Iwish 40 attention 10 grievances which the
potato dealers doing business at the depot twonty-
ninth Street. between Ninth ana Tenth avenues, arc
compelled to suffer at Tho hands employees
or agents OF the New York Central ana Hudson River
Railroad Company. These grievances ara quite nu-
lnerous, and, ,hink arc not wholly unknown tho
officials OF tho company; yer despite tho many pro.
testatons ana complaints which W. have from time to
time made nothing has yet been dono amcliorato
this state OF AFFAIRS, and IRON present Indications
not likely TO DO Tor some timo
1 am potato dealer and Ia behalf OF those engaged
business myself call attention to this
state Of Affairs Tho depot rather yard which tho
railroad company has devoted to the purposes OF .
potato market is narrow, muddy. miry place, when
could not, IN common docency, DO used as piypcn
IL Is forever covered with n layer mu1 mover
than four or nvc inches aad oencr moro than
one foot In depth. The yard rs moreover niied Win
pools oil sagnant water and heaps OF pvtrd vegctacc
matter the doors from witch arc scnsbiy offensive
and sickcning That these doors have noticing since
bred an cpidctn,c IA the naighborhood is nothing
short OF miracle, Tor they are very pcrccptlDis
blocks away IRON tbs locahty. Since this Is
IL Is very easy TO understand what we, who breathe
these pestential odors from morning nghs have
suffer. hut have suior moro Than this. We
obgcd transaction Of oar business TO be walk
ma from one point another tac yard al all hours
81 the day, anu lben wado through perfect miro
OF mad, slush and stagnnnt nthy water. Very often
wagons which come TO tho depot Tor load Of potatoes
become embedded In this mud, q block cDsuos aud
business 10 at standstiL We might Just as well 10
located IN cutoithcway Wilderness tor thcre arc
no accommodations IN tho yard, not even sncd
under wUicn We stand 10 escape che drenchlnR
rain or the screening rays OF the sun. Summer aud
winter ~ tho same tho yard Is never cleaned, and
have no hesitation IN saying that the pilcs vi mud
aud h now IN the yard nave been there since rs cs-
tnbiishmcn
IN addition TO all this subjected a sort OF
petty cxtorticn which, TO speak miiiiy IS contemp-
Ole IA the extreme. We buy our potatoes Nv tho car
load anu the cars upon the track We are nos
charged anything tor this nrst day on which a car
stands a track but n We shouid DO unucky ugn
TO sell out the urst day ure compelled TO pay
81 Tor every additional nav during winch our car
stands tue track TINS ~ called ucmurrnge and ~
only prac,iscd by the New YORK Central and HUDSON
River Railroad. Now, the Eris Railway Company
have splendid yard Tor their potato dealers, do nos
PRACTISE denurrag, and the result Is that the vast
lority Of tue custom which wo onco enjoyed now
crUsses the TO Jersey CITY. when u IS coLst-
ered sell now nearly S250,0vo worth OF pota-
tocs In year pretty accurate estimate OF our by.
zone PROSPERITY can easily DO made.
We have complained about this state OF affairs TO
the officials Of the compsny but as they hav. paid no
attention TO our protests 40 constrained 10 ask
your indulgence that we may expose these abuses
through the columns OF your valuable Journal Tho
company, however. are not TO blame wholly IN tho
matter Tor Understand they have Entrusted the care
OF me yard agent, Who mus, say, seems 10
perfectly iusensibie the disgusting OF urs
| depot ONE OF lAk DEkkEKa