The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-02
Is Providence Ready for the Opening
of a Public Market?
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL DEALERS
Express Their Views on the Question
Some Think it Nouil be . Good
Thing, and Others Saw IL Would be
FsiIure-One Dealer Sees Big Rats

after the style Of Faueuil hall and q iin-
cy markets in Boston. These markets
are large buildings 900 feet or more
long, with an aisle fifty feet wide
running through the centre. The
markets consists OF stalls having each
frontage OF about fifteei feet. Up stairs
In the Quincy market is devoted to
agricultural implements, Will, the space
under each stall In he cellar gees with
the stall. The object Is to centralzs the
IN arket business for the benefit Of pat
rons
Views OF Providence Dealers.
Interviews with different prominent
Providence wholesalers and retailers In
groceries and provisions brought forth
varied opinions
At the Providence Public market on
Westminster street the opinion was ex-
pressed that the scheme was not practi-
cal. Business IL being done on an ever
Increasing scale, and when business
10 carried on as many firms ara carrying
on their business, a public market suci
as 1t Is proposed to build would not
accommodate the needs OF an enter
prising firm. Not all the markets
could be induced to enter into
such scheme at any rate. The Bostoa
markets succeed. but the conditions are
d fferent in Providence. Faneuil hall
market commands very high
price for It's goods. Boston people
live high and are willing to pay a
good price for what they eat. The
western shippers send their choicest
meats to Boston, AMI Faneuil hall
market gets the cream OF these. Nor
can small stall carry large stock like
large individual house. and although
the trade might be concentrated, the
goods would not be sold so eaplv.
Would Benefit tho People.
Otto Gerlach thought that pubic
msrket would be for the benefit of the
people. but not for the store keepers. For
him to 20 into the business. he would
have to hire half the stalls.
Then, too, the location on
Crawford street would not be good one
1t would be directly on the water
and the market would be bothered
with rats II would be impossible to keep
them ouI. Then, too, Bo ton is large
enough to support such an institution,
Providence is not. When Providence has
improved harbor facilities apd is rail-
road centre, insteai OF side station.
Providence will grow. and then will be
time to talk OF public market that
would be successful.
A blessing to tho City.
Mr.. Arnold, OF Arnold g. Maine. New
England Grocery store, thought that sucl
market would he blessing to the city.
1t would be a good thing to bring all the
trade in this andkindrei lines to one centre.
His idea of the building would be 60 have
it so that it could be divided into COZ :
partmenis according to the needs Of the
in iividual. H, did not think tha such
project ould hurt suburban trade. The
more people there will be in city.
the better the conveniences for the pur-
pose OF trade. and he larger the city no
better suburban trade Providence il
destitute of many public benefits and
needs public market. Higher
rents would not make goods
higher priced. Faneuil Hall market
gets bic rents because the dealers get 80
mucn lr,de That thsy can aft ri to pay
the rent. Il h ) ,uld not afford it they
would not stay tnrre Tney get big
trade bec,use people ali centre
there. Providence is large enough
to have public market.
Cities OF half its size have then ia
nuStcssiu' OPSlotiOus ttCEsou, Os,
has one. IL IN fact that the cheap r. the
he for the community. The tendency of
make goods cheaper Etch man
handles one kind OF goods only. Thus
one man may handle nothing but cab
bages all summer. Yet in the same
building man IN get meat. fish, game,
frutf a,,A 81 81
A Good Thing For All.
Mr.. White of the What Cheer grocery
thought 1t would be a good thing for all
c)ncerned.
Mr.. Alexander OF Alexander Brothers,
thought the city ought to have "A
public market. TIE space now oc-
cupied by the river 10 lying idle, and
could thus be turned into good source
OF revenue TO the city treasury. Then,
too. the building would look good there
and would benefit everyone.
Might Bcneat the Farmers.
Mr.. Cornell. OF Daniels g. Cornell.
ers who stand out in the rain by the
bridge. He did not think it would affect
the wholesale trade at all.
lhIs u 'esbOt tuOuBit RCOu
thing. He would like TO see IL. He al
ways felt public-spirited when any such
enterprise was concerned and would b,
willing to subscribs something to b zip it
along
Would Crush Small Dealers.
Mr. Cooke, at 16 North Main street.
said he had already advanced his argu.
ment in letters to the daily papers. He
thought the market should be under the
| charge OF one man. IL would thus bene fit
the one individual ana { e public, but
would crush the small shopkeepers BY
buying in lHrge quantities the goods could
be sold cheaper II the market was let
out TO number OF dealers, the large deal
ers could easily undersell them.
The People Would Not Like Tt.
Jefferds e. Co. at a. North Main street.
did not think n public market would be a
benefit to the pablic. In the public mar
kets In Boston there IL no delivery unless
charged extra Neither are the meats
dressed so well. People would soou fnd
they did not like a puplic marke .Then, too,
IL would b. more convenient to lie 20 your