The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-04
PRODUCE is DULL
Affected by street-Car Strike and the
lnfepSe Heat

intense F1edt. ~,
Business on the produce market of Rich
nlond Is practically at q standstiil. There
is a lot OF stuff of all sorts, but 1t is
hanging fire, as it were, and Is being
eaten up by the weather, to express 1t In
choice and readable terms. During tho
supposed busy hours of the day commits
sion men stand around idly and discuss
various and sundry interesting topics in
GLIDING that pertaining to the situation
with which they are contending.
Two chief causes are operating to rem
der business at this time remarkably fiat
and unsatisfactory-the strike Of the
street car men and the intense heat or
the atmosphere. The first began first and
is being most heavily felt; tho latter is
just beginning, but will stay longer, and
probably in the long run do more injury
than the other. Some nnety-elght degrees
of heat, which felt like million OF the
same, were settled over Cary Street yes
tcrday, and men and horses alike were
dull and listless. The days sale showed
but a small decrease In tho amount OF
stuff on hand and so it promises to con-
tinue for some time to come. People are
physically unable to eat In large quanti-
ties during the hot weather, and during
this time the produce business must drop
off. Besides that, the summer exodus is
beginning, and Will soon be flowing IN
full tide People will be living off of
odds and ends and spending their money
at the scashore.
Some of the merchants. who have but
little else TO do with themselves In this
dull season, are wont to gather In some
shady and supposedly cool spot and dis
cuss matters, chiefly the strike, which is
playing havoc with their business. Much
of their time is occupied with daring each
other TO ride on the cars. Few OF them
have thought 1t advisable to do So but
many are disposed that way, boycott or
not, They arc fussing n good deal about
this threatened boycott. and read with
interest the other day that there Is still
upon the statute books law projecting
them from 1t. In connection With TINS
matter an interesting little thing occurred
the other day. Some man threatened that
he was going to boycott certain mer-
chant because he had ridden on the cars,
and he made the statement to another
merchant. The latter promptly told MN
that as soon as ne put ms tnreat ln.o
operation he and the other commission
men would refuse to sell to him on credit
and would charge him about four times
the regular amount on cash sales, so far
as is known, the boycott has not been
instituted
NOT MUCH ADVANCE.
IT seems that In certain sections OF the
country much higher prices are prevail
ms this year on stuffs than at the corre-
| spending season last year. IN klcEmond
this can hardly be said to be the case.
| Exceptionally bad seasons--iirst drought
| and then wet--haye caused late crops in
| some directions and advances In the fig
| ures, but on the whole the market Is In
pretty good condition In this respect, as
| viii ho seen by the following table or
some of the chief stuff on Cary Street:
1902. 1903,
APPLES (barrels) s1,s5 TO s2,25 81 tos2
Lemons (box),.,, 1925 to ss,75 s. 81
Cant loupes
(crate) ,,.,.,, 7bc. 10 VI sl,po 70 -
Waterme Ions
(per l0Ol,.,... $40 10 SlS Slo 10 slo
Potatoes Oar
rel, No d., 81 to $9b2 s. 20 $syo
Onions Darrell sits to sa.25 Sc to IS
Mixed beans
tbusheD ....v l.4o TO sl,eo W. 70 Sl.oo
Hams (smoked) lac. to l6c' TO- 70 I've.
Country lard, lOc.- TO l!c ioc, 20 ilc.
Chickens Nb), l2c, 10 l8c' iic' 70 ioc'
Hens Obj ,.... Zoe, lie. TO nc.
bucks 0b). &C. 1Oc, to lao.
Roosters (each) csc. Csc. To soc.
Butter Qb),,., l0c, 10 ioc' !sc' 20 ,oc'
Eggs ..,.,..,... lac. 10 LOG. loo 10 loc-
Apples are here in abundance, and are
selling cheap on account or the inferior
quality OF many of them, Berries and
other stuff OF the sort have also been
more or less Injured by the bad weather.
Whortleberiies are selling at 81 to $3.50
ner crate, blackberries at 81 % to Sl.50 and
raspberrIes at s. to 81. pears 50 to $3.50
per barrel fancy peaches (per SIX basket
carrier) Sc to S295 tomatoes 81 to sl5O per
crate and so ON. Some stuff Is higher
than last year, but on the whole the
prices tally very we'll and present fairly
good average.
1t is OF some interest to note the con-