Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-03-25
A WORD ABOUT FRUIT PBDDLING.

10 ths Elitoy Of The sunday Register:
SRA crying evil which deals gross
injustice TO the people OF this city, and
for the betterment of the classes-a
veritable protective tariff-exists in the
tax levied against the selling from
house to house of farm products by the
producer
a council which would levy such a
tax, and endeavor to look the general
public In the face thereafter, must be
possessed of the nerve of a bear trap;
realizing that in so doing it adds an ad-
ditional profit to the prices OF many Of
the necessarieS OF life, for the benefit of
a small percentum OF the people-in the
proportion OF about one TO three hun
dred.
No man or woman should be hndered
in the slightest way from selling any
thing, in the manner named, or in any
manner, that a public finds necessary,
and no restriction should be placed
upon such sale except as to wholesome
ness and purity. And singularlv those
two most essential features are not
taken into consideration in Councils
dealings with the question. To be sure
the State law provides measures against
selling spoiled meats, etc, but who
when imposed upon in this line chooses
10 prosecute where annoyances and
humiiations are sure to be part?
IN the market places and stores along
with other deiections bananas and 9TH
er fruits and vegetables are offered and
too often sold, which go largely to &C
count for the rapid filing Of our ceme-
teries by victims Of typhoid fever and
kindred diseases attributed In many in
stances TO causes a thousand times more
remote than those we know and see
every day. Under a burning summer
sun, often amid clouds OF dust visible
and invisible, fruits and vegetables are
wheeled around in the city and sold,
ana mainly, unfortunately, to children
ia the case Of bananas particularly,
which might we'll bear the druggists
skull aud crOss-bones.
Hawking and hauling fruit and vage-
tables TO be eaten in a raw state should
rot DO allowed during at least the sum-
mer months, except securely protected
from contact with dust. Let the City
Council cut loose from the classes 10
which IL attaches for mutual benefit
OBJECT. Follow 10 the steps Of the pro-
gressiYe cities of the country which are
governed by the rate IF the greater
good for the greater number OF people,
and see q betterment as compared with
the you scratch my back and I'll
scratch yours" plan.
The city shUald be protected with
competent inspectors OF weights and
measures, who could also be inspectors
Of qualities OF eatables of every kind,
street shop and markets, condemning
and confscating anything found
unwhoesome or adulterated a. nd refer
ring same 20 the Mayor who, under laws
properly made for tho purpose, would
impose a fine upon the person Offering
same for sale.
Expense of those valuable necessi ties
could be reduced TO little or nothing by
dividing the duties named among city at
taches closest the respective objects
desired to be reached.
The health officer could be made chief
inspector, TO whom all matters in this
line would 60, aud to whom interme-
date officers would report. The mar
ket masters should be inspectors Of
weights, measures and qualities within
the city as well as in the market places,
and should report fully as to the former
with duty performed every two weeks,
and in the latter in the same way, imme-
diately after the close OF each market
time. Make no charge to the seller or
buyer for any of those services named.
Post in market and other public
places the city ordinance, rela-
tive to this matter, then after
removing the superlative poles, II not
all of the them from public view aud
clearing the streets and courts for sum-
mer of debris, mud and dirt, people who
without those things being done would
never have arrived at state of reason
and those now living will rise up aud
call you blessed. PUBLIC.
Wheeling, March %.