The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-02
NO DELIVERY WAGONS.
]. A. Davis Leads Cheap Meat Move
ment in Topeka

To the Editor of the State Journal:
The newspapers try honestly 10
guard the peoples interests. Tney
watch public sentiment, and question
business men on all supJects pert finIa
ing to the best interest of the whole
people They manifest a great deal
more interest in the peoples benalI
than the people do themselves. Ihey
said g little about the meat packers
disseminating to deliver meats to the
butchers and grocerymen in Topeka,
but they did not say enough. They
should have said the packing houses
did the right thing. They should nave
gone further and advised every butch-
er and groceryman in the city to take
off their delivery teams and hereafter
refuse to deliver meats and groceries
to any one except at their place OF
business. The people pay too much
for their meats: but that is their fault.
and not the fault of the meat trust
or wealthy packers. There is a small
army of men and teams employed by
the butchers and grocerymen IN To-
peka- It costs $500 year to feed ana
take care of a team $4e8 for man to
drive the team, take the orders and
deliver the goods, making $l6S for one
man and team to run over the city
and wait on the trade for one year
Some of our merchants keep out SIX
to eight men at an annual expense of
from Sc, 900 to Sc 900 a year. Every one
of these merchants would shake off TINS
expense if the public would allow II.
We buy the best beef at to cents
per pound by the whole carcass. Every
little town in the country is selling the
best cuts of beef for 8, 10 and 121a
cents per pound. Every meat dealer
in Topeka could do the same thing
were it not for the expense of waiting
on our trade the way competition now
comDels us to do it. 1t is nothing I'M
usual for a telephone call asking for
10 to Is cents worth of steak to be sent
out on four or five mile drive, and If
it does not happen to look Just as the
lady expects it to she sends it back
with an insult to the firm who did his
best 20 please her. Every butcher and
meat dealer in Topeka would shake this
ex-ense and sell beef at 6 to IA cents
per pound were it not for his COM
petitor and the public demand to be
waited upon The public have no
right to COMPLAIN about high prices so
long as they order meats ard other
goods and insist upon them being de-
liVered. 1t is cheaper for the customer
and much more satisfactory for the
merchant if the customer would go to
the stores ard meat markets, buy what
they want. pay for it. and take it with
them. 1t would be wisdom and econ
onay on the part of the public, or the
people of Topeka if they would come
together and demand that the retail
dealers do as the packing houses have
done, take off all delivery wagons and
stop the EXPENSE for their benefit. The
packing houses are selling all KINDS
OF fresh meats cheap enough when the
fact is considered that they lost mil
lions by the foods this year Others
can do as they please. 1 will not de-
liver small packages with my wagon
after this week, and I will sell the best
cuts of beef at 8. 10. 121k and Is cents
per pound, delivered at my market. I
know it VIII be a little inconvenient for
ladies to carry a sack of -four or DO
tatoes home. and hold up their skirts,
but their husbands might be prevailed
upon to held them out a little when
\ the thermometer goes below zero. The
delivery is a tax and the consumer pays
it. We get better meat when we go
after it and the consumer saves money
and is always better satisfied when he
goes to the market for what he wants.
J. A DAVIS.