Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-06-02
TEE JERSEY CITY DELIVERY.
Merchants Say They Cam
NOT Dlsnose Of Stock in That CITY.

IOr the 1uIOrIuGblOu Oh our Slllppor6-
and data obtained from reliable
sources and personal observation dur
ing O recent trip to New York ena-
bles US to vouch for the accuracy OF
the statements for the most part con-
tanned therein:
West side produce commission mer-
chants are considerably agitated over
what they believe to be great inju-
ry to their interests, namely the &C
ton OF the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company In transferring the market
for produce from Pier 30, North Riv-
er, to Jersey City. When the trans
fer was made on April 90 numerous
were the prophecies OF disaster at
tending the result, and now that
time has elapsed to enable the COM
mission men to form an opinion bas-
ed on actual experience they are
unanimous in condemning the change.
They say that buyers do not 60 to
Jersey City in sufficient numbers to
afford an outlet for the goods arriv-
ing on the Pennsylvania line, and
that large part of the GODS arriv-
ing there have to be carUed to New
York and to be sold at disadvan-
tage. The market hours for prodnce
are during the early morning, be-
tween and o'clock. Then buyers
for the uptown retail stores and for
the stores in neighboring cities and
towns make their purchases and has
ten back TO catch the early retail
trade. When the market for goods
by the Pennsylvania Railroad was
at Pier 30, North River, the buyers
had ample time to make their pur-
chases and to get back to their own
stores. Now they claim that 1t re-
quires at least three hours extra un-
der the most favorable condition, to
cross the river from the New York
side, attend to their marketing, and
to re-cross to New York. When 1t is
considered that the majority of these
buyers come from up town and from
places remote from the ferry it will
be seen that the extra three to four
hours involved in going to market
may mean loss of early retail trade.
Buyers Of produce claim shat goods
purchased on the Old Dominion
docks can be carried from there to
Harlem and put on that market be-
fore a buyer, starting from the same
point, can cross to Jersey City, do
his trading, and return again to the
New York side. In consequence buy
ers purchase as much as possible of
steamer-shipped goods, and do not
go to Jersey City unless there is a
scarcity of the variety Of vegetables
they are seeking AS the season adj
vances shipments by all lines increase
and commission men view the pros
pect with apprehension.
Mr.. J. H. Killough of 106 Park
place gave the reporter very clear
idea of the matter from commission
merchants standpoint. Mr.. Killough
said: II do not wish to be quoted as
issuing protest against the change
of delivery. l merely state facts. the
result of certain causes. For ex-
ample: 10000 barrels of potatoes are
sent to this market by steamers and
the Pennsylvania railroad. We will
say 5000 barrels come by the steamer
lines and are landed and sold in New
York. The market price of potatoes
to day is So per barrel, and these
5000 barrels are sold at that. But
over in Jersey City there are 1000
barrels for which there is no demand,
for the buyers will not go there as
long as they can get goods here. The
consequence is>that these goods must
be carted to New York and, arriving
too late for the early morning trade,
are sold at 80 cents per barrel less
than the same grade of goods brought
landed here.
BUYERS learn of this and the next
day entertain lower ideas Of prices
The tendency of the produce market
is always towards its lowest point
and the sale of those 1000 barrels Of
potatoes landed at Jersey City at 5(
cents per barrel less than the 5000
barrels coming by steamers were sold
at breaks the market. Then the de
pressed price is telegraphed to the
shippers. They reduce shipments tc
this market in consequence, and send
to other cities, causing the loss of q
large amount of business to New
York.
"Then there is q reaction. Goods
become scarce here, prices advance
shippers are informed of the fact, an6
in comes flood OF shipments from
all sources, which we are unable tc
take care of. Thus it is that the
Jersey City delivery, however wise il
may be from other points Of view
tends to unsettle the produce market
and to throw it out OF it's normal
condition. New York is the greatest
market in the country and If goods
are not sent here they cannot be
sold to an advantage"
Finding that buyers will not go tc
Jersey City the receivers have adopt
ed the plan, as far as possible, oil
bringing their goods to New York
and of trying to sell them here either
on West street or at their stores
During the morning hours West ST.,
for blocks in front of the Old Domin-
ion Steamship Co.'s landing is crowd
ed with trucks loaded with produce
brought from Jersey City to be sold
Mr.. j. P. Cowper. Of Olivit Bros,
1886 Washington street, said: 1.-The
fact that we are obliged to bring
goods here to be sold initiates against
us and also against the shippers, be.
cause of the extra cost in transfer
ring goods across the liver. We can
not dispose of goods to an advantage
in mixed up tumble of carts hold
ing alksorts Of produce as when we
had them displayed IN an orderly
fashion, as on Pier 30. A truckman
does not make this Journey until his
truck is loaded. This often causes
delay and mixes up the goods in such
way that it is difficult to sell in
lines. The extra carriage comes out
of the shippers profit on the goods"
Mr.. Frank Nix, of John Nix 81 Co.,
PSI Washington street, said: For
merly the buyers used to seek us, and
in consequence we had fairly steady
market, under normal conditions, fol
all kinds of produce. Now we are
obliged to hunt up the buyers. Re.
ceipts have not been very large sc
70 this season. but are increasing