Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-08-14
The WOOD AND HAY MARKET
Captain Coffinberry Thinks the City
Does Not Need One.

COcS tNOl lNttO OUt.
Have you anything new today" asked a
TELEGRAM reporter ss he put his head through
window in the office of the County Super
intendents of the Poor, yesterday afternoon.
The question was addressed to the venerable
Capt. Cofii nberry, who sat back from his
desk and seemed to be pOndering over some
thing OF great importance. Nothing" said
the genial Captain. unless it may be new to
you to know that there are a great many
people in tins city who think that there is no
use III buying lots for a permanent location
of the wood and hay market. | do not be-
lieve the city needs public market for hay
and wood and have just been talking with
City Attorney Ransom and he agrees with
me-" But what would you do with the stuff
Captain" You would not have IT running
about the streets II did ten years ago
would youY" Not by any means,r said
the Captain. IF there was to be no public
market. there would soon be half dozen
priv ste ones. Private enterprise would soon
establish markets with sises.s or ware houses
where the hay would bstsk. % care Of They
would have power forks Sc handle II with,
and when a farmer cane ~ with a load
and did not aud ready
buyer he could sell il 10 the proprietor of the
ranch, or store 1t until he came again The
place would be provided with suitable scales
and Il would be only a few minutes work to
unload or load up a wagon with the forks
worked 10y steam or horse power" But
don { you think the prOprietors of the mar
kets would be inclined 90 charge farmers an
unreasonable commission or too much rent
for the privilege of selling hay in their
markets and thus oblige consumers to pay
higher prices than with public marketT'
asked the scribe. "NO sir; there would be
plenty Of competition, Just a. there j. in any
other business, and dishonest or avariciOus
prOprietOrs would soon find Themselves
out OF business. OF course the
men who would run the mar
kets wonld have TO have something for
their trouble, bat II would be better for the
farmers to pay fifty cents or a dollar a load
than to spend their time and let their teams
stand ont all day. "a they do on the public
market especially IN bad weather | tell
you It y the proper way TO manage the mat
ter. The city u no more obliged 20 furnish
a free market for has and wood than for
other farm produce. Besides one market
place - not enough. II can not be conven-
lent for All parts Of the city. and the private
markets would be established where they are
most convenient both for the farmers and
buyers II the city buys land for market
it shonld Be placed IN charge of an overseer
who should collect small sum for each load
sold. In that way part Of the
$1,000 might be paid back. and
vii soon want It back
70 buy more land with. Five or even ten
l0ts would not hold half 81 the bar and wood
ihss have seen on Summit street in one
day. lt would spou have % le enlarged. All
thst r. necessary now 70 abolish the Summit
street market "a - post notice that II T. not
% be used for that purpose nd then have
the policemen see that the notice "a OBJ
served. But what would Fou d0 uith the
wood. Captain Send Is "a the WOOD
yards. The farmers can not afford - stand
on The market for hours and often Ell day for
twenty 6ve ~ fifty cents. and that - about
al fhe soonest ones get. more than they
Touid zet az the ys~is. And then poor peo-
PIE Fonid not 20 - tte market ard raF for
q co-d ~ word and zef shnut a hsif 4 eo~i
ss many - them 81 now. IL Wouid certainly
1e better for AZ eorcerned 80 shoifsh The
Fubhc market altogether and I think TIE
Aldermen uf} ooFne ~ thia rsncin=fon h.-
fore they szree - par Sio.9S for ste for
another nussaucs.