Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-15
POLICE AID INVOKED
COMMISSIONERS DIRECT THAT
OFFENDERS BE PUNISHED.
Grocers Declare That Objectionable
Hucksters Keep Up the Prices
of Marketing.


gardeners but who never raise any of the
produce they sell. and that they have been
recently manifesting renewed activity. 1t
is claimed that the squatters are operating
In violation of the municipal ordinance
promulgated by the Commissioners year
ago forbidding any person but bona fide
farmer or gardener from occupying space
or disposing of produce in this place. In
accordance with this complaint Capt Rob
ert Boardman. acting superintendent OF
police. has been instructed to make an
earnest effort to bring to justice the vio-
lators of the ordinance mentioned.
1.-The people of the District are paying
from % to 80 per cent more for their pro-
duce than they should be charged in the
natural order of things Mr. A. H. Greg
Dry. secretary of the Retail Grocers' Asso-
citation, declared this morning to a Star re-
porter.
What is the cause of such imitation of
priceS?' he was asked.
THE 'Squatters' at the Center market
and other markets." he replied. This is a
question that concerns every householder in
the city. Why is the price of country pro-
duce so high? l have been asked by several
persons If any one will take the trouble
to look into the matter it is easily explain
ed. We have on B street northwest, south
of the Center market extending from It'll
to 18th streets what is termed the country
line and on this line are dealers in produce
whom call 'squatters'-men who occupy
almost the entire pavement and keep out
the legitimate cOuntrymen, who are crowd
ed into the street with no place to stand
This forces them to sell their produce to
the 'squatters. and in many cases the couE-
tryman is compelled to wait until the
'squatter' sells the produce which in many
cases he does at a greatly advanced price
before he can get the money for the orig
inal purchase price The 'squatters' buy up
ALL DrOducp that Is and they
can thus charge their prices for it.
The storekeeper is compelled to purchase
from the 'squatter' at a large advance, or
do without, consequently the consumer is
forced to pay high price for his produce.
An explanation of why this state of affairs
exists. or why the police permit the squat
ters' to remain without license, not only
grocers but the consumer would appre-
ciate."
statement similar to this was also made
to The Star reporter by Messrs. R. e.
Smith. Z. F.. Hall and ]. NJ. Denly of the
Retail Grocers' Association.
Methods of the "Squatter."
The dealer who is described as a squat
ter has been an institution on the ''coun-
try line" for number of years past, 1t is
stated. and all efforts to dislodge him have
so far proved Intellectual. The 'squatter"
is regarded as shrewd business man in all
his dealings AS most persons know, the
space on the south side of B street north
west between 18th and 18th streets has been
set apart by the Commissioners for the use
of farmers and gardeners as place to dis
play their produce. The market master and
police officials regulate the place, allot
space. etc, Under an order of the Commits
sioners this space is reserved for the dis
play and sale of produce actually raised by
the dealers on their own farms 1t is
charged that abuse of this privilege has
grown up and that the space between 7th
and 9th streets, reserved for the retail
trade, is entirely occupied by persons who
do not raise produce of any description.
This charge is regarded as extravagant by
many persons familiar with the situation
although they admit it is not far wrong
On the wholesale line, or that portion of B
street between 9th and 18th streets. there
were pointed out this morning eleven deal
erS alleged to be "SquatterS' occupyine
the space some of them taking I'D the
ground allotted to three or four wagons
The methods of the "squatters' are de-
scribed as unique, and. to a certain extent.
so simple in operation that it is almost i'm
possible for the police to secure evidence
against them. For example, a "souatter.,
meets farmer on the road to the city early
IN the morning and bargains with him for
his entire load of produce The .'souatter,
may pay the farmer then and there for the
stun and transfer 1t to his own wagon to
bring to the market. Again. he may have
the farmer haul the stuff to the market and
AT any rate he gets the produce to the mar.
ket and proceeds to sell it. at his own nrica
generally.
An Incident in Point.
few days ago colored man bought IN
all the green corn the farmers brou.bt ~
market 1t was not market day. and the
supply was not great But he bouybt tho
corn and bargained not TO pay the farmers
until he had sold it. He had cornered tho
market and charged his own price HE
pronts for this little operation were inst S5O
Not a very large sum, il would seem hut
GOOD pay for days work. The farmers
rom Whom this man bought the corn were
compelled to stand by and see him sell il
from their own wagons at a price greatly in
duHance OF that at which they had sold it
ana they mad no complaint to make
one farmer was questioned as to whv he
ala not complain to the police of such sharn
practices and he replied that he had q liz
Tie reputation left and he did not intend to
nave himself made out rogue of every
shaae by the men whom he would prosecute
under such proceedings. He preferred to
make little less on his produce and retain
MS unbiemished character. Another farm
er said 1t would not be very good" for a
man who bucked against the ''squattersn as
ne would not have much of chance to sell
his stuff. ~
The "sauatters.' it is charged, pay no IL
cense and no fees. 1t is said that when
they require him not only to keep the stuff
IN MS wagon until it is sold, but charge hin,
lee Tor allowing the wagon to back I'M
ana unload in one of the spaces the buyer
has reserved for himself.
me commission merchants along r street
ana Louisiana avenue are as much the enc
my or the squatter as are the retail grocers
Inc commission man is compelled to nav
license fee of $40 In order to engage in bust
ness. and is forced to pay personal tax on
MS STOCK fixtures. horses. etc. The COM
mission merchant Is as often as not the VIC
tim OF the ''squatter'' himself it is said
but on occasion the "squatter" purchases
MS supplies from the commission houses
Police Are Powerless.
The police have made efforts time and
time again to bring the ''squatters'' to JUS
tce, but with no effect. AT one time a de-
tective familiar with the farmers and the
methods employed at the Center Market.
was detailed to investigate the matter and
bring as many of the ''squatters' as DOS
sible into court. This detective had spent
several years on beat at the market as
a policeman and was familiar with the
squatters; he knew the men who carried
on the business. and result of his de-
tailed investigation swore out warrants
fortwenty-fiye of them one day. The men
were taken into court and the detective
was asked to prove that the goods he had
seen them sell were goods he had seen them