New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-23
WEIGHT OR MEASURE?
THE PROPOSED MARKET ORDINANCE.
SOME DEALERS OPPOSE AND SOME FAVOR 1T,
WHILE MANY THINK THE CONSUMER
WILL FARE THE SAME.

SOME DEALERS OPPOSE AND SOME FAVOR IT.
WHILE MANY THINK THE CONSUMER
WILL FARE THE SAME.
The feeling among the marketmen against tho new
municipal ordinance which passed by the Alder
men on Tuesday and which is awaiting the SIGNATURE
of the Mayor requiring vegetables. fruits ana oercs
TO be sold By weight hereafter, instead OF by measure
increases daily The It IS studied says us OPP
Moments The more IL is 10 be impracticabe. Inc
FIRST two ordinance sections Of the ordinance reads
as follows:
Section l. No person shall sell offer or expose for
sale any vegetables. fruits or berries IN barrels pas
the city Of New-York. within the limits thereof or
in any Of the public streets Of me Guy OF LIN
basket, crate or bag shan be as follows .u contain
NOT les than forty pounds every barrel of sprouts
shall contain not icss than dity. pounds every
pounds every bushe Of trnips, carrots. parsnips or
beeis shall contain not less than fifty pounds every
less than fftyfve pounds: every bushe OF tomatoes
shall contain not less tlan sixty pounds. every bag
pbaS foEtv rounds every bag Of cranberies lima
beans or green peas shall contain not less than ni
pounds
Then follow provisions requiring the branding OF
the correct weight or measurement the outside OF
each barrel bag crate box or basket In letters az
least one inch in sire. and clause providing Tor
penalty Of $40 for Zach violation CT the law
Not all the laws that veT: passed can mako
time commission merchant in Barclsy-st. speaking OF
the ordinance al don't believe that Mayor Hewitt
Will nut his signature 10 such measure. great
many Of US have our regular customers who rely on
our fair measurement of vegetables or course II we
pack a TO swindle our customers We
run the risk OF losing them and that penalty is far
more effective than any ordinance they can enact.
We would be honest for that reason II for other"
Take the case OF green peas" said member OF the
firm Of Pope q Ko Of No. 81 Barclay ST. " and see
how this new system will work When farmer has
got 10 sell his peas by weight. Of course he is going
TO let them stay the vine and get as heavy as
pos sibc and the longer they stay unplckod the more
thev viii oso their tenderness and sweet flavor so
Il Will be in other vegetables. The quality viii de-
criorate for they will not be picked when they are
first ripencd. The best remedy for the evils they
complain of is 80 make all market baskets conform
TO a certain size TO be accepted as standard measure
In this way dishonesty would be practised ana we
would get the stuff here Just soon as It rpened'
Both members OF tho firm Of Pond & Smith, No.
o36 washington-st. thought that tho ordinance would
not become a law 1t might said Mr.. Pond, if
properly carried out good I'm cases, but from
IT'S mpractcable character we have no Idea that u
Will receive the signature Of the Mayor
"Most Of the outcry against the measurement sys-
tenn said Washington Market dealer. is due TO the
arge amount Of swndng done by irresponsible vendes
WHO 60 not do business In the marhet proper. but
nfest its vicinity and skin everybody TO whom they
sell Added to these are the hOfueS OF huchsicIs
and peders who roam through the city, cheating
and swindling right and left in the back streets and
out in the suburbs whore the population, being far
removed nom the markets, depends almost entirely
these precious knaves. These practices gave the
Mr. Barnett Of The firm OF Nathan & Barnett, No.
100 Rarclay-st, thought the consumers Wouln no'
reap mnch oqne ,bo mg n@ o cief nstarie m
Its success lay I'm The impOssbilty OF branding ana
/
Wholesale dealers between midnight and o'clock.
structOn 10 business would be 10 exempt wholesale
merchants from IT'S provisions. Between 10000 and
/ $4,000 barrels OF spinach alone are bn1ughi mr.
daily by coast steamers from the South said Mr.
Barnett and you can what the work would De
/ 10 comply with the law. All this material is as
rlbued TO jobbers and commission merchants. and is
| redlstrbutcd by them 10 rrtailers, who must have
! r. F. Cochran & Co, Of No 90 Park Place, thought
the law impractieabe ard mat It coud no. De carried
/ No 90 Westinghouse. thought the law would be
good applied 70 hickory nuts walnuts, chestnuis
etc, a great deal Of tbs sort OF merchahdlse vas
sold BY weight anyhow but for pcrshable fruits, such
as Strawberries peaches etc. the system would entail
a great deal OF trouble.
FRIENDS Of the measure were numerous, however
and they include some OF The most prominent dealers
In the city markets. while II Is conceded that the retail
grocers all favor the Plan hoping thereby 10 knock
OUT their hated rivals, tho huohsters. G. W. lhrg,
the leading vegetable dealer IN Fulton Market heartily
appTOves the idea and It works well in Bermuda
and would do so herr. M 1lrig cited as an example
Ga ,e I the specnaors found that only about 800
bags Of green peas Lad arrived, when 1000 were
wanted tIcy would buy up the entire supply from the
farmers wagons and promptly proceed 10 make three
bags OF two the consumer getting the hot end OF
/ the poler7 selling by weight, he thought, would
prevent this ,, =, .
| they Will be cheated anyway. and look with IN
difference upon the law. They reason thus The
honest farmer the original owner o. me VesoIaDle, j
bound TO get the best Of bargain or know the reason
why IL he has a barrel Of spinach TO sell, and tho
law is 10 sell by measure he VIII wa'tr ms prgiuee
qnd ii win swell 20 a barrel and three pccks II the
law IS 10 sell by weight be VIII watcr his barrel untl
| n weighs many bounds more than II ought and re-
| rorsrlesslv palm on his watcrcd stock on helpless
hubble and the housekeeper VIII get stuck' In the
same old familiar way.