The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-11-25
HousekeeperS Mulcted in
Market and Keepers
Give No Change.
WALLETS ARE EMPTIED
Cost of Thanksgiving Feast
Will Make WashingtonianS
Cease to Be Grateful.
Today IS she day
They give turkeys away
For a little bag Of gold

rOf a u-Ile Dag OF gold
Such was the plaintive lay sung by a
young housewife this morning as she
struggled with a big market basket con-
tanning a small bird and searched in her
depleted purse for leftover nickel or
a street car ticket. II was a mooted
question in market today whether II was
the war in the Balkans, as one woman
suggested; the organization OF a turkey
trust as another intimated. or the era
Of prosperity which made the price OF
Thanksgiving fowls so high. Certain ii
Is, the price Of dinner viands has not
been sos high IN years as the house
keepers Of Washington found them to-
day. Many a purse which went 10 mar
ket this morning bulging with silver
and Treasury nOtes looked as thin as
stepchild's bred and butter when it
came away.
Today all avenues led TO the food
marts. and were thronged from early
morning with busy buyers. with butch
ers and bakers. delivery boys. and such.
King Turkey ruled the produce ex-
change. an exchange who. seemed a
disappointment 10 purchasers and profit
able TO sellers. There was an album
dance OF everything good 10 eat. and it
could not possibly be from scarcity that
prices We're so high. Fowls, msats.
game, vegetable delicacies of all sorts
and kinds suited TO please the human
palate. were stacked up roof high with
a surplus outside Of the market. There
appeared 10 be enough food 10 supply a
nation. yet only small bits We're within
THE reach Of hose who did not have
Well alled PirsSs.
The stalls were all occupied yesterday,
hut last night the produce began to come
in from the surrounding country in
wagon loads. and the procession kept
up throughout the night. Hundreds Of
countrymen shivered IN the cold air
while waiting for early morning pur-
chasers. They lindled blazing fires along
b Street and tried 10 dOze beside them,
toasting one side ard freezing the
other. and then reversing. Their fingers
were. .benumbed- but that did not matter,
as IL was seldom necessary to give
change. They simply kept all the buy
ers handed over.
At Center Market.
Center Market was the scene of great
est activity, but the smaller markets
were proportionate,y well paronized-
From Seventh Street 10 Tenth and from
the Avenue 10 Street there was a
vast horde OF produce traders. The
sslarlest presented the appearance Of a
hungry man paradise. Everything
loolxes so eppetizing. the sight Of it was
a cure for dyspepsia; the price OF II
was Il certain remedy for the Carneg:e
fear OF dying rich. II was really d spec
tacle well worth seeing, even If one
made no purchases Inside the market
The stalls were garlanded with holly and
evergreen. There was The aroma of
flowers and the apPetizing fragrance Of
well-hlle5 larder
Stately n&trons goWned In rustling
silks. their beauty half-hidden in muffs
and furs, touched elbows with waddling
negro women bearing heavy baskets
stocked with provisions bought for the
households where they preside over the
kitchen. Women la moderate circum-
stances haggled for bargains as earn
estly as they would az d department
store ribbon counter. Even the richest
expressed horror and amazement az the
prices Gez-and'd-
Turkey ruled u prices from y cents 10
8 cents a pound. an advance Of Z cents,
or S cents over the cost OF last year s
birds All other meats. game fowls, and
vegetables had prices in proportion. II
was no cheaper 10 buy outside where
many live f5wIs were TO be found. The
high price Of turkeys kept the price Of
ducks. chickens. roast pigs. pheasants.
birds. and all kinds Of meats proportion
ately high. Many prospective buyers de-
ferred purchasing their Thanksgiving
Day dinner until late in the afternoon,
and even until night thinking that
prices would fail. but OF this there is
nttls prospect as the weather IS so cool
that Il viii be easily possible for dealers
10 keep their supply over for the satur-
day trade. High prices are reported
from other cities. and All along the lire
housekeepers have today hid illustration