Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-24
Experience Of Those Who
Were at Market Today.
THANKSGIVING TRADE
COMPARISON MADE WITH PRICES
IN NEW YORK.
Quotations on Smaller Fowls and
Meats-Game of Every Descrip-
tion-Small Fruits.

All the markets in the city will be open
tomorrow night until as late as 10 o'clock
in order to supply the Thanksgiving trade.
While the bulk of this trade will be done
tomorrow there were many shoppers in the
markets today looking after their turkeys,
ducks and chickens, as well for what
goes with them, to complete the Thanks
giving dinner. Many of the stands had on
their holiday attire today. and the food
stuffs on the benches made creditable dis
plays. Naturally enough the largest and
most attractive showing was made at the
Center market, where the quantity dis
played was several times greater than that
in either of the smaller markets. There
was a showing of holly berries and ever
green's to give the big building a holiday
appearance. Everybody who went to mar
ket this morning wanted a turkey, and
while they expected the price would be
above that of preceding years, many were
startled at what the dealers We're actually
asking
Dealers would not quote prices the
fowl for Thanksgiving yesterday, but today
when the buyers appeared they had to be
fixed. Twenty and twenty-five cents
pound were the figures quoted not as much
above the usual prices as people had been
led by some dealers to believe they would
have to pay. These prices are about what
one of the dealers Francis Javins, pre-
dicted in The Star several days ago. What
prices will prevail tomorrow no one was
able to say
Decrease in Sales.
The advanced price naturally made the
demand less than usual, and the decrease
in the trade. it was stated, may result in
cheaper prices tomorrow. This is hardly
expected however for the weather is cool
enough to keep the fowls for Saturday
trade, and market men will keep them
rather than make much of a drop in the
prices.
Wild turkeys We're in demand, but they
were not to be had at any price. In north
ern markets, it is said, turkeys bringing
as much as % cents a pound. Local deal
erS say the patrons of the New York mar
kets expect to pay % cents pound for
turkeys during any holiday season. Tur-
keys, they say, are never as cheap in the
northern markets as they are here.
Many buyers said they would not pay the
advanced price and would use substitutes.
Small pigs, usually regarded expensive.
were looked upon by the buyers as cheap
in view of the prices charged for gobblers.
These little pigs, some of them weighing as
much as fifteen pounds, We're sold at $50
each, and they were in good demand.
Demand for Substitutes.
Chickens, ducks, rabbits and roasts were
called for more than is usually the case at
this season, and all because turkeys We're
higher Chickens were sold at from 1G to
20 cents a pound and ducks at from 20 to %
cents. Those that commanded the higher
price were celery-fed fowls from New Jer-
sey. There was nothing unusually plentiful
in the game line. The recent confisca ton
of shipments of quail from the North Caro-
lima market helped to make this bird scarce.
Quail were bringing $3.50 dozen; pleas
ants, $1.25 each; woodcock, IS cents; snipe
% cents; mallard ducks, SIPS pair; teal
10 cents; red heads, So; canvas backs, 81
and $3.50 and ruddy, 81. Rabbits not
so plentiful, but the regulation price of -
cents each prevails. Squirrels are 20 cents.
The meat market was never better than
now, and the prices, the dealers say are
not high. There has been a slight advance
i'll the pork market, but not enough to make
any material difference to the small pur-
chasers. The price of beef varies accord
ing to quality. The finest rib roasts are to
be had at from 10 to % cents, and medium
and lower grades are to be obtained for
even less. Twenty-Five cents is the price
charged for the choicest porterhouse steaks
Lamb chops and veal outlets are bringing
from 20 to % cents a pound, while Is and
IS cents are charged for lamb and veal
roasts. Butter is about the same as it has
been for several weeks past and eggs
brought 30 to 30 cents dozen today, and
perhaps 30 cents by Christmas.
The Fish Market.
In the fish market the dealers We're able
to make an attractive showing this morn
ing and the benches We're well worth see
ing Fish, oysters, Holsters and game of
every description contributed to the col
lection, in which turkeys and chickens also
formed an important part. Oysters, while
rti 3r1V nil f11 of In
lation prices, and clans We're about as
cheap as usual Prices of fish were quoted
as follows: Boiling rock, 20 cents pound;
pan rock, 12R cents; Potomac bass, 121a
10 cents; pompano, 20 cents; halibut, 20
cents; fresh cod. 121a cents; Spanish mack
erel, 20 cents Holsters, % cents; terrapin,
81 to 81; shrimp, 30 cents a quart; scallopS,
50 cents quart.
Fruits and vegetables are by no means
scarce, and dealers give it as their opinion
that the prices this year are no higher than
during past years.
IF anything, remarked one dealer to a
Star reporter " the stock is cheaper when
its quality is considered.
Pumpkins for Pies.
To start with. everybody wanted pumpkins
for their THANKSGIVING pie This vegetable
was not scarce by any means, and the
prices ranged from nickel to a quarter
for them. Chestnuts for turkey dressing
were also in demand and the dealers had
imported stock to dispose of at Is cents a
pound Florida oranges, as fine as ever
came to the local market so early in the
were sold from 30 to 80 cents a
dozen. Malaga and Tokay grapes at 10 and
20 cents pound, respectively. and catawba
grapes at 20 cents a basket found ready
buyers Tangerines brought from 30 to 40
cents. Prices on other stock to be found
on the fruit and vegetable benches We're
given as follows: New York apples, 40 to
so cents peck; nearby apples. 30 to 40
cents; mushrooms, 20 cents a pound; Vine
land N. j., sweet potatoes, 20 cents quar-
ter; Brussel sprouts, Is cents a quart; egg
plant Is to % cents; cauiflower, 20 to 30
cents; string beans. 10 cents quart; south
ern cucumbers, to 10 cents; dollhouse Gu
cumbers, 10 cents; cranberries, Is cents a
quart; okra or gumbo 20 cents quart;
California tomatoes, 20 cents pound; Gel
cry root 10 cents bunch; lettuce, 3 to 10
cents: radishes 3 to 5 cents bunch.