Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-13
!OFFENDS RETAIL CROCERS
Kew Poles Board Makes Itself Unpopular
with Many Merchants.
kAEKI1 MOVING ORDER MAKTs TROUBLE
Omcer OF Retail Grocers' Association
Can see the Hand OF General
Manderson I'm Action
of Board.

The Retail Grocers' association Is up IN
arms against the action Of the governors
Board Of Fire and Police commissioner In
ordering the chief Of police to move the
gardeners from Howard street to the Cap
itol avenue site. The grocers are not alone
IN their protest. but It is said that they are
TO be Joined by the commission men and
the peddlers who do not like the idea Of
having to move from the place where they
have established a trade.
Said one Of the officers Of the associa-
tion: cit looks strange that the board
should be so anxious to enforce an ordi-
nance which is likely to be repealed as
soon as the city council can get around to
II. The fact that the council proposes to
refund the money to those who have paid
for booths yon the Capitol avenue site
should have been sufficient to have war
ranted the board in letting matters rest
during the season, which Is now approach
ing it's close. 1t lie we'll to notice the iniu-
Aence which was probably applied. Lee
Spratlen is an employe of the Burlington
railroad. General c.. +. Henderson is the
man who above all others secured the Sc
lection Of the Capitol avenue site. He is
n large property owner near that site and
believes that he can work up activity in
real estate in that locality by the presence
OF the market.
Majority Favors Retention.
''of course some Of the largest firms in
khe neighborhood OF the Howard street site
object to the presence OF the gardeners in
that place, but there are more who favor
Ats retention there. The commission men
and dealers in fruits and vegetables other
than gardeners have leased buildings In
that locality as much for the reason Of the
presence Of the gardeners as anything else.
They have the advantage Of this now and
believe that they will be injured In their
trade by the removal Of the market.
"As a political move the order is GER
tainly a mistake. You can see, from our
picnic last week. how much influence the
grocers and butchers have with the people.
No other organization comes as close into
contact with the people as we do. and we
are not out Of politics because we are in
business. II Frank Moores could let the
established trade alone until such time as
the city was seady to accommodate the
gardeners in the proposed market house
we can see little occasion for a board. which
holds whatever power It may possess by the
appointment Of a man who has no interest
IN the city, to interfere in a matter which
vitality concerns the trade of a large num-
Der Of merchants Of the city"
Mayor Questions boards Power.
"They have no right to issue such an
ORDER said Mayor Moores yesterday, re-
ferring TO the order of the new IRE and
police board requiring hucksters. gardeners
.H6 P~vdIi5Is 10 leave tho wiIvivsaie dis
trict and use the Capitol avenue market
house site as a market place after August
IS. Asked as to whether he would resist
the enforcement Of the order, he replied:
1T am the mayor Of Omaha"
City Attorney Connell, however. is Of tho
opinion that the chief Of police is bound
10 take orders in such a matter from the
board. IF tho board orders him to see
that the gardeners move to the Capitol ave.
nue. SITE" said he, 'he will have to enforce
It. As l understand the charter, it says
mat the chief Of police must take orders
orom the mayor in the event of riot or some
violent disturbance. and from the Board of
Fire and Police Commissioners in all other
matters"