Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-11-29

Street ThrongeA with Buyers and
Sellers-A RusA after Tarkeys-Thas
Fowl 0iSh and not Over Plenty
81 the street-Prices In General-Ne
Ranpkin Pies.
Thanksgiving week has arrived. and to-
morrow is Thanksgiving day, the day when
everybody is expected to be OVERLOOKING With
gratefulness, the day of family reunions, the
day to give thanks TO kind and merciful
Providence. But after all, the great absorb
ing feature of this time honored festival to
the average family is the dinner, which is
supposed to be made up of the fat of the land.
As all or nearly all feast, 30 they must buy,
and the producer realizing this rushes his
commodities into market a. Thanksgiving
day approaches. Never WA there q finer
November day than yesterday. The air was
sharp and bracing. the roads we're never
better, and in the forenoon scores of country
teams, groaning beneath their weight Of
produce and poultry, rolled into town.
Water street was alive with teams, and in
the squares stood many carts and wagons
freighted with hay and wood.
THE TURKEY.
"Have you got your turkey?' is nov the
familiar question every third man you meet
is asking his neighbor. To large share Of
our citizens Thanksgiving dinner without =
turkey would be delusion and snare, and
accordingly yesterday many were seeking for
that bird with excessive eagerness. Turkeys
appeared to be high and rather scarce, and in
the words Of 8 grocer, ''there was the
darndest circus after them you ever saw"
Ever and anon along the street we're sta
toned country wagons with batch of the
coveted fowls tucked under the seat. Around
these were grouped little squads Of earnest
citizens and dealers bargaining for ard laconi
callv discussing the merits of the birds ex-
hibited for sale.
"What do you ask for turkeys7" asked q
citizen of man with butchers frock on and
some fine birds in the back part of his cart.
Thirty cents . pound" was the reply.
"But / suppose would take %. Them is
the boss turkeys; they take the premium !;
they are extras"
1t is needless to say that no trade was made
At this price. At one time q lot of the fowls
for sale and owned by two women rested in =
wagon near the postofice. crowd soon
clustered around the vehicle. Nineteen
cents . pound was asked for the birds which
were rather ordinary looking. The bystanders,
among whom were several dealers, soon com.
menced bidding, the bids starting At 10
cents. II was kept up for upwards
Of half an hour Causing much
merriment and laughter, the owners
mean while descanting on the excellence of
their poultry. A butcher finally carried of
the turkeys in triumph at l94 cents a pound.
All day there was more or less peddiing from
the carts, much to the vexation of the mar
ketmen who vented their spleen in muttered
curses. The majority Of dealers engaged
their poultry ahead; but several who
did not look out in season, were flying around
to get 4 supply. Two Hallowell marketmen
were up, endeavoring to pick up q few
turkeys, which it 10 said are higher in that
city than here, retailing from the shops At
27 cents. and from the carts 1t
Is cents. The average price paid at
the stores in this city for frst
class fowls has been 20 cents; for inferior,
Is and Is cents. They retail at 20 and %
cents. One fine collection Of POO pounds
went to the Hospital At Is cents pound. 81
should have been glad to have bought them
At 20 cents" quoth a dealer.
PRICES IN GENERAL.
Thanksgiving prices IS rule are dearer
than those Of last year. Chickens do not
appear to be plenty and are off in quality.
much difficulty being experienced in getting
good ones. They retail at Is and 20 cents.
chase chickens. Many buy them in prefer
ence; they are equally As palatable
A stray ducx is occasionally seen in the mar
ket and retails At Is cents. The demand for
mas. Some prefer sparerib for Thanks
giving dinner. They retail at Is cents. Eggs
cell at 50 cents a dozen. One dealer laid in
800 dozen for tomorrow. Apples,as has been
the case for many weeks,are not abundant and
are sold at % and IS cents peck. Potatoes
retail at 81. 90 . bushel cranberries at II
cents quart for home raised and 10 cents
for Cape A hind quarter of lamb costs q
ninepence pound. He who has = tooth for
Thanksgiving pumpkin pies must forego that
dish for there 10 hardly a pumpkin in the
market. What few there are retail at three
cents pound.