National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-03-25
THROUGH THE MARKET.
what n "RepubIican" Reporter Learned
Among the stalls.

what n ..RepubIican" Reporter Learned
Among the stalls.
The markets of large city ore, or atleast should
be, places of great interest to the public, as so
much of the comfort and health of the individual
depends upon them; yet probably two-thirds of
the population never enter them, or, If they do,
generally walk rapidly through them without
learning very much about them; and very few
have any idea of the extent Of business carried on
there In the course of the year, the character of
the merchandise sold, and where II Is gathered
from.
knight OF the pencil while making tour OF
Centre Market the other day In quest OF food FOR
the inner man. embraced the opportunity 10 ask
few questions and learned some interesting facts
which furnish food for thought.
One OF the largest butter dealers, in answer to
the question Of how much he sold during the week,
stated that his sales very Often amounted to four
thousand pounds of butter a week; that on the
Saturday previous he had sold one ton of butter.
This of course included every grade, from the
pale uninviting firkn butter, which Is used prin-
cipaly for cooking purposes up to the fragrant
golden print" which is ut present. worth hfy.hve
cents per pound His supplies are gathered from
the West, the finest quality coming from Elgin,
Ill. During the summer months, When the fich
pasture fields of Pennsylvania are In their
|R arge quantities dia'' there T and much of
It finds It's way to this market but through the
the source of s,ipply, This dealer Is only one OF
kmany and II the others sell rs much as he does it
follows that tons of butter must change hands each
market day in Centre Market alone. Oeomar-
garine Is not sold in the market house, but large
quantities of 1t offered for sale in other places
Butterine is later invention than the former, and
is composed of GO per cent of butter and 40 per
cent of lard and IL sold both wholesale and retail
though not by the first. class dealers.
One of the butchers was questioned about his
business and stated that II was very large that he
probably transacted business to the amount OF
100000 each year, His sales were principally In
beef and mutton, and his supply came nom Vlr-
GINA except during the spring months, when he
was obliged to turn TO the West for II.
a large trade has sprung up in chipped beef
One dealer, who makes speciality OF peer tongues
and chipped beef stated that he sold about one
hundred pounds each market day that since w"
machine for chipping beef Yves ,nv"s no soid
Us NUN Al oi'' = .4e formerly sold in two
I..jntDs.
The amount OF lard. bacon and ham sold in
the market Is immense. The figures are so large
one would imagine pork to be the iayorite WAND
OF the population and lard staple article oil FOOD.
Tons of poultry are disposed Of every market
day Virginia furnishes more of II than any other
State and II is usually of excellent quality.
The fish stalls-though not very savory--oc'
cupy prominent place in the market, and the
dealers doa large buslnessinthe course otthe year.
II is interesting TO iote what varieties there are of
the -tnny merchandise. Rock fish, weighing
from half pound up TO one hundred pounds,
plump fresh Potomac sh9d, dainty smelts, shin.
ing perch, everything in its senson, HOLSTERS AMI
terrapns Included, The latter are OF two kinds
" red bellies" worth 81 per dozen, and gamey
diamond backs" worth $40 per dozen.
fruit dealer stated that his business so large
that he frequently sold i've hundred boxes Of
oranges week, and other things in proportion:
that he bought at wholesale In Baltimore, and,
besides selling at retail In the market supplied
hotels and boarding houses aud in the summer
time several hotels out OF the city.
The things that have been mentioned may be
called the substantials, and though they form "a
large part OF the trade are not I'LL of IL by any
means. When one remembers the piles Of fresh,
nptgF nnl
such as Strawberries, raspberries. plums, &C., the
dried fruits cheese, eggs, hominy and other inra'
naeiOuS preparations, canned nults, pickles,
earthenwarc bread, cake. the lowcrsands, candy
stands, tinware, and groceries they can form n
pretty good idea OF tho extent Of the market buS-
ness and how the nimble siXpenec Is kept moving.