The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-28
THE RETAIL MARKET.
What the Season Affords and the Retail
Prices Asked by the Grocers.

Yesterday Journal reporter took tour of
inspection among the retailers. First to the fish
dealer: There are only four grades of oysters
now being handled, and these are canned, as the
weather is too warm to handle bulk oysters
and prices per can are as follows Extra select,
COO; standard, full packed, SOC; standard, AGO.
medium, 25c. Fresh fish quoted per pound
brook trout, SOC; California salmon, 45c; halibut,
1Sc; blue fish, sc; steak cod, 15c paddock, lie;
white-fish, trout and salmon Qake), lie; bass
(scarce), l5c.
In fruits it is unfair to the retail dealer to at
tempt to give prices variable and perisha-
bile a fruit peaches; prices range, however,
according to quality, from 60c to $3.50 per box;
oranges, soc to 75e per dozen; lemons, 25c to
4Oc per dozen; pineapples mearly out of market),
$50 to SOC each; bananas according to quality)
15c to soc per dozen.
WatermelOns are arriving in large quantities
with sales slower than expected. Jersey
melons command the highest price; domestic
Southern Indiana and Illinois), according to
size, 15o to 40c.
Prices for fresh meats (first-class) are as fol-
lows: Loin steak per pound, 15c to II lsc; porter
house short cut zoe TO 2212e; poit ter house long
cut mot true porter-houseJ, loo round, 12lsc to
15c; chuck, 12lac; rib, 17iec; rib roast 12isc to
17lac; veal roast, 15c to II l2c veal steak, zoe;
veal chops, 15c to lie; lamb roast, SC; lamb
chops, 15c to II l2c; pork, 12lac TO 15c; ham,
l6c; rough meats, such as plate meats, briskeJ
and shoulders, breast OF mutton, ETC., &c to Sc
per pound.
Grocers in giving the reporter retail prices de-
sired the explanation TO be made that Is unfair
for customers to compare retail prices with
wholesale prices given by commission men, This
has particular force 10 the vegetables and perish
able fruits and melons that now form large a
part of their trade. For instance, nthe matter of
peaches, as leading grocer informed the
porter, he went through a carload lot and
selected number of baskets, paying for choice
a round price. Afterwards another dealer went
over the stock, picking out a dozen baskets, or
more, at 8 further reduction III price, and so on
until the refuse is left and the suff IS sold at @
low price, quoted in the papers, and thus false
value is given, and the customer gets the i'm
preston the retailer is skinning him.
''rhere over four hundred grOcers in the
city," said a downtown dealer to the reporter,
land they all doubtless have the same losses on
summer trade that have Profits on fruits
and vegetables too small TO cover the losses
that we incur in handling them. Every day
send off barrels of spoiled vegetables, melons,
ETC., to the garbage heap, and it would he money
July l to Sept /. In winter my percentage OF
profit is smaller but there is little loes, ana
can make some money. Now you can see the
stuff perishing from hour to hour, and we rush
it off at any price to get rid of it,"
Here are some prices: Chickens, dressed, ac-
cording TO size. 25050c; plums, per drawer,
IS 25: per quart, 20o25c; apples, per peck
3O04Oc; tomatoes, peck, Zoe; grapes, Ives and
Concord, per pound, 10015e; potatoes, irish,
per bushel, soc; sweet potatoes. per peck, 75c
egg plant, l0015c; beets, 203c per bunch.