New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-15

A COMMITTEE OF FRUlT-BUyERS ASKS FOR
THE MAYORS INTERFERENCE-BR BREAK
IN THE LEMON MARKET

IN THE LEMON MARkkI
The alleged providing by importers of unfair and
misleading samples OF fruit to be sold at auction
sales was the subjec. OF a formal appeal to the
Mayor Yesterday. The alleged frauds have long
been under serious consideration by the Fruit Buy
ers' Union, which some time ago referred the mat
ter 70 special committee. consisting OF +. K
FRANKIE president; Victor l.. Zorn, treasurer. and
Antonio yucca trustee of the union. who Is also
an officer OF the New-York Italian Chamber OF
Commerce. The buyers complain that, under the
present system. employees Of the importers. who
have sole charge OF opening and arranging sam
piles expose only the choicest fruit and conceal
that which is unsound or unattractive. They desire
therefore, that the samples shall be selected opened
and displayed only by the aucioneers or other as
Interested persons The importers strenuously deny
that any intentional deception is practised, and OBJ
iect TO the proposed system. The auctioneers
also doubt their authority 10 select and open the
samples although they are liable TO have their
licenses revoked should they sell any goods al auc-
ton under a misrepresentation.
Yesterday the fruit buyers special committee
went to the City Hall and asked Mayor Strong to
compel the fruit auctoneers to have all boxes or
fruit offered by sale at auction opened before the
sale The buyers declared that under the present
system Of selling fruit at auction the buyers had no
opportunity Of examining the goods In advance OF
the bidding Commodore f. Brown and f. L. Good
SELL two of the fruit auctoneers. later told the
Mayor
goods and the buyers at auction sales had to take
risks as TO the quality of the fruit sold The I'M
porters they said would not consent TO the opening
of boxes and the handling OF the fruit In advance OF
the sales on account of the pershabe nature or the
goods.
The Mayor said that the practice or putting the
best fruit at the top of the boxes was swlndle
He urged the auctioneers to advise the importers
10 stop that practice he would he compelled 10
hold the auctioneers the strict letter or the law.
and compel thorough inspection OF all fruit oHerel
for sale at auction. Meanwhile. he said, he would
take the complaint of the buyers into considera-
ton.
There was break in the lemon market at yester-
days auction sales In all 26oep boxes OF Sician
lemons were sold in this city for from E6212 to
& 62i box and 1900 boxes In Baltimore at about
the same rates As was foreshadowed In The
Tribune. auction prices reached their zenith at
Wednesday's auction sales. when the OF rates
for desirable fruit from 81 to Sc q box. The
average decline at yesterdays sale was % cents
box some grades having fallen off more and others
less The break in the market IS regarded as hav-
ing been precipitated mainly by the cooler temper
AZURE. which refreshngly succeeded the pro-
lOnged and intensely hot spell IT Is also however,
attributed in a considerable degree to the fact that
when prices became abnOrmally high out-Ci-
town buyers ceased In great measure I, SEND IN
orders and awaited decline before buying stocI:
which was not needed for immediate consumption.
Fxnerts predict that there Will be no further ad-
vance this season, but that. on the contrary there
will be a steady though perhaps comparatively
decline