Wichita eagle., 1888-09-15
KEEPING UP PRICES.
A Trick of the Fish Trade in New York
City-Ihe Result.

A Trick of the Fish Trade in New York
City-The Result.
''See those forty barrels standing over
there" said the Beekman street merchant,
pointing into the rear of his storehouse
"Well, they are all full of fish just slightly
tainted. You can have the entire lot free
gratis-by just calling wagon over and cart
ing them out of my place"
Just then sudden thought seemed to flash
through the mind of the well fed gentleman
You're crowd Of frauds" he cried an
grily. Here you keep up the prices of fish
and let it rot and go bad in your cellars
rather than put in on the market at prices
which poor people can afford to give. It's
just good for you people this little hot
weather cleans out Hang me if 1 wouldn't
like to see you dealers put into the wagons,
too, and carted of to the dumping dock.
You deserve it. Here am 1, like thousands
OF other people in New York, anxious for a
daily fish meal, and yet if l so out to pur-
chase | am asked forty and fifty cents a
pound for inferior stock. Then l come down
here and find hundreds Of tons being carted
off to the ofTal dock That's a pretty mean
way to run business, tell you"
And the well fed gentleman mopped his
brow and walked of in great Indignation.
do you know" said the Beeknan street
dealer, that party's remarks were quite to
the pointf Still, it is the retail and not the
wholesale men who are to blame in this case"
"Are these prices due to the scarcity in
suppliesr'
Not at all Scores of craft place their
cargoes in New York weekly. During three
quarters Of the year the wholesale markets
are almost glutted with supplies. Yet, as
say, the mechanic or laborer finds that TO
purchase fish dinner at a respectable retail
market will cost him almost days earn
ings. Even the suspicious and III smelling
stock peddled in wagons Is sold at a higher
price per pound than the choicest beefsteak
or mutton chop"
What is the trouble due tor
'Here Is the evil in q nutshell Retail
dealers each control G certain amount OF
trade. They expect TO sell so many pounds
per week aud 10 more. Each has his steady
patrons, who buy in small quantities as a
rule, and never make any inquiry about the
price, which is kept at the same level ali the
year round There Is absolutely no compe-
tstion IN the line Cod may be selling
wholesale al two cents. or che cent. but
the standard price for TIE consumer Is twelve
cents. What is the result Gle tons and
tons OF Ash may be rottiRS in the wholesale
markets for want of & purchaser at one or
two cents per pound the poor people Of New
York cannot bur one meal Of sea food for the
simple reason tina. the retAl dealers limit It's
sale BY the big rates st which they dispose Of
it. While the consumption Of fsh would M
doubtediy Be euorTSous II the retail prices
were regulated by the Wholesale, tie S.ua-
ton at present is very different Poor peo-
pie nerer visit the fish market. for they know
what to expect
Such is claimed TO te tie condition Of the
retail fish market today. Whasever tie sup
ply may be, the retail Prices never vary.
which Is contrary 20 the rries q q legitimate
and honest commerce.. According 70 tie
wholesalers, the aim CT the snail deci>r
seems TO re to limit the demand and satisfy
himself with snail SAILS and Bis pzuf,A
Wherever the fauk may lie the fact remains
that there Is about as much fish ~assad n
New York as sold because there IS DO de-
nland II comparison win to- svSSiy-Se~
"