The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-26
ORDINANCE NO. -


will be asked to pass and approve In the near
future. The proposed ordinance reads as fol-
lows:
ORDINANCE NO.
An ordinance prohibiting the peddling of fruit
vegetables, confectionery of any kind, candies,
nuts or oil in the streets, alleys, sidewalks or
at other public places in the city of Seattle,
ami to establish market place therein.
be II ordained by the city of Seattle as fol-
lows:
SECTION /. 1t shall be and hereby is made
unlawful for any perso or persons, corporation
or corporations, firm or company, to peddie any
fruit, vegetables, confectionery. candy, nuts or
OIL o. any kind or quality on the streets, alleys
sidewalks or other public places within tue city
after the passage. approval and publication of
this ordince.
'Sec. 2. Any person or persons, corporation or
corporations, firm or company violating tho pro-
visions o. this ordinance snail be deemed guilty
oil mis- aemeanor, and upon conviction thereof,
Tor each and every ofense shall be liable to a
u, OF Dol less lnan sIo nor more than s25, and
In default of payment shall be imprisoned ac-
cordlng to law.
.Sec 8. That Marion street, from Front street
TO Railroad avenue, in said city, be and the
same hereby Is constituted a market place,
where vendors OF fruit, vegetables, confec-
uonery. candy. nuts, or oils of any kind, may
repair and have stands allotted to them by the
Chief o. police, or some OF his subordinate off,
GERS, where such vendors of fruit vegetables,
confectionery, candy, nuts, and oils, may sell
each, any or all OF the aforementioned articles
~ aCNoAA Va Wy tnS lOdOs rs eQcu feuuOT may
desire.
"sec. l. 1t shall be the duty OF every police
man IN the city OF Seattle, within the first month
after this ordinance goes into effect. before ar
resting any person for the violation of any of
the provisions OF this ordinance, to notify such
person selling or attempting to sell any of the
articles enumerated above where the market
place is, and shall direct such person to go to
said marketplaca. If such person shall sell or
attempt TO sell any OF the articles enumerated
above after having received such notice, said
hal Stlahr
charges against him for violation OF this ordi-
nance.
"sec S. All ordinances or parts Of ordinances
In conflict with this ordinance are hereby re-
pealed.
.'sec. g. This ordinance to take effect and Be
In force from and after its passage. approval and
Sections and are the vital portions of the
proposed ordinance. Section would be illegal
and void:
First-Because the charter does not authorize
the establishment OF a market place as counter
distinguished from a market
Secoud-Because the city government cannot
appropriate the streets Tor any such purpose,
and
Third-Because such regulation Is so unrea-
sonable that no court would sustain it.
Here Is city covering an area of at least
twenty square miles, and this proposed ordi-
nance provides only one place on the western
boundary OF the corporate limits where the
gardeners or farmers OF this county, any other
county for that matter, are permitted to sell
their products
The sixteenth subdivision OF Section %, Arti-
eie w., of the city charter, empowers the city
council "to establish and regulate markets,
etc. :" yet who would contend that the council
could establish single market in one corner of
the broad area OF the corporate limits OF this city
and COMPEL all the people OF the city to trade
there, or all the producers to sell there7 Yet
that is just what this ordinance provides, as to
this soealled market place, so far al least the
producer is concerned.
Now word as to section In 40 far as the
peddlers o. California fruit and vegetables are
concerned, there is 10 question about the pro-
priety OF a prohioitory ordinance; but the pro-
posed ordinance would prohibit every gard
ener and farmer inside aud outside OF the city
limits from disposng OF the products of his
own labor except to the Jobhers, at such price
as said jobbers might choose to pay. The va
hdity of such an ordinance Is at least question
able, and the policy most vicious.
This proposed ordinance is but too palpably q
job IL is an open secret thas there is combi-
nation between the wholesale and retail dealers
in fruits and vegetables in this city uhey care
nothing about confectionery, caudy, nuts or
oils) not only to control theSeattle market, but
to crush out all opposition on the part OF the
producers of fruits and vegetables in this vi
entity. There is said to be an agreement be-
tween them that the wholesale dealers will
not retail, and that the retail dealers will pur-
chase only from the wholesalers.
Now it Is proposed to compel the gardener and
farmer To bring the hard-earued products OF his
labor TO the very door of taese wholesale Job
bers, where he can only sell 10 them st their
own prices. This whole scheme is more than
reprehensiDle.
Outside of the orchards and gardens of our
own vicinity this city is supplied mainly from
the stale refuse of the san Francisco markets,
and the products of China labor at that TIE
people of this city want clean, wholesome fruit
ana vegetables, which they cannot always OBJ
tain except from the producer as il is brought TO
their doors. Even as IL now is the producers in
this vicinity are most shametully Disseminated
against There are to-day acres and acres OF
cabbage aud other vegetables on the White aud
stu river bottoms decaying on the ground
simply because they viii not bring enough 10
the seattle market 10 pay harvesting and trans
portation. The absence OF good wagon roads,
the high rate Of railroad transportation aud the
reduced prices in the Seattle market viii not
enable the producer to pay for harvesting and
marketing them. This Is no doubt largely the
result OF the combination already referred 70.
We hear great deal about pstrouizng homo
production nowadays, but this is "a vicious stab
at the most valuable home industry We have or
ever will have In word, this is G scheme 20
compel the producers TO Sell 10 the wholesalers,
who sell to the retailers, aud the retailer sells 10
the consumer Here are two eornmissIo uS 10 De
paid either by the producer or the consumer or
bota, lar as home products are concerned.
Establish all the markets you choose, the more
the better, but do not discriminate against the
home producer.
The same section OF the charter which author
ICES the establishment of markets authorizes
you "to provide for The inspection vi all articles
OF food or drink offered for sale thereat CHE
markets) or ct any other place within the
Limits OF the CITY OF Seattle, etc.
respectfully suggest the pTopriety Of your
providing for such inspection.
communication from the Knights OF Labor,
protesting against the employment OF paupers
on city work, was referred 10 special commit
tee consisting of korn, Denny and Sweeney.
l. F. Compton, who had been cited, appeared
before the board ana declared that he had done
ali IN his power TO enforce the IRE escape ordin-
ance, but be was hindered by the delay OF the
city attorney in pushing the test cases. The en-
~ H~~>T AsE