Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-29
: THE LOCAL MARKETS
Prices of Most Foodstufs Re-
garded as Reasonable.
CABBAGE A LUXURY
POTATOES, TURNIPS AND SPIN
ACH ALSO HIGH.
Meats Quoted at Ordinary Figures
Poultry Equals Demand-Eggs
Forty Cents a Dozen.

Strangers in the city who visited the Cen
ter market during the recent severe
weather have been surprised at prices OF
fc DDS .uffs being so much cheaper than
products in the markets of some of the
other big cities. There has been an ad-
vance in the prices OF some of the COM
mcdities such as pota toes, cabbage, turnlDs
and spinach but, the dealers say. Florida
produce is higher than usual. Some
meat is cheap. and it is only those who are
locking for delicacies in the meat line Wnp
are compelled to pay high prices. Pork IS
cheaper than usual at this season Of me
year and beef is not high. Beef is charged
for according to quality. selling as low as
cents a pound for stew meat to % cents
for porteThouse steak.
The highest article in the meat line at
this time is calf liver, which is bringing as
much as 40 cents pound. Spring lamb 70
scarce and high. Two spring lambs re-
ceived al market stand about the hrst
OF the year sold for 50 each. and We're
shipped south to be used at a dinner party
Such lambs are now bringing 3D. ana are
sold chiefly to the big hotels. Veal Is nm
usually high and as scarce as local dealers
have ever known it, Its scarcity, l. is
stated. is due to the bad condition o. the
roads. As soon as the country roads be-
me p9SStDIe the supply Will iiSi'''TS ''''N
the prices will drop. The best rib roas- il
bringing 20 cents and siron is to be had
for the same price Rib chops of mutton
are ., cents and loin chops 20 cents.
An Attractive Display.
Probably the most attractive displays In
the market at this season of the year are
made by the dealers in fruits and veGeta-
bles. Produce from all sections of the
country is to be found on these stands
New potatoes from Bermuda, strawberries
from Florida and cucumbers and mush-
rooms from the hothouseS of New England
give the market an appearance not in keep
ing with the weather outside the pig
building. The orange crop is fine this
year, and the prices range from 10 cents
for the small fruit to 30 cents for the
choice Florida stock. Grape fruit is in de-
mand at from 81 to $3.50 a dozen, and tan
gerines are 40 cents. Dealers are asking
c. cents box for strawberries, and 1t is
more a question of asking than getting
There is practically no demand for the
fruit because of the cold weather
TT requires warmer weather 10 create
demand for Strawberries said repre-
sentative of local firm The per-
ries are in splendid condition. however:
and have the genuine strawberry haVor
Mushrooms are considered cheap at %
cents a pound. Fifteen cents each is the
price Of cucumbers.
Cabbage a Luxury.
number of years. They are bought and
sold hy the pound, the retail price being
8 cents A prominent grocer not long ago
had n few heads all he able to get at
that time displayed in show case where
he had kept his stock of Christmas can
dies Tomatoes are 20 cents pound ana
Brussels sprouts 30 cents quart basket.
There is very little homegrown celery In
the market, and buyers have TO depend
upon the California product, Whlch is
bringing - cents for three large buncheS
String beans are quoted at from 10 70 ~
cents a quart. and caulifiower from 20 to
Is cents a head. Spinach is scarce, put
Norfolk is furnishing small supply IoI
the local market. 1t is bringing ~ cents
peck White, or Irish. potatoes are seiilne
at from 80 to IS cents peck, ana sweets
are bringing 30 cents. Florida lettuce IN
fine condition is selling at from D TO ~
cents a head. egg plants at from ~ 10 ~
cents each and cy1nlings at three for 70
cents Bermuda potatoes are II peck
Apples in good condition are to be had at
from 40 to ~ cents a peck, while plheap-
niles are from % to 30 cents each
Poultry Supply Equals Demand.
In the poultry market the supply is equal
10 the. demand, but the prices are not low.
Some fowls are cheaper than they Were
during the holidays. Turkeys are selling at
% cents a pound. cents lower than the
holiday price Capons are 20 cents or
season. Chickens are from ID to 20 cents
a pound according to quality. Stewlng
chickens are quoted at 10 cents, Whlle proli-
ers are bringing % cents a pound WHO
ducks are selling at from sl.2o to 81 PAIR,
and s. dozen is the price of quail. Fish
are comparatively cheap
''Phe only thing that is high In the fsh
line" said dealer ''is rock fish large
enough to boil They are 80 cents a pound"
Shad from Florida are selling at 90 cents
and 81 each. The prices of other fish are
as follows: Potomac bass, perch, smelt
and Spanish mackerel. 10 cents pound;
large bass 20 cents; halibut. Is; salmon, %.
and cod 10 cents. The shad now in the
market are from Florida. and are not so
big. Within the next two weeks, II rs ex-
pected, some North Carolina stock will be
here They are usually much larger than
the Florida fish and bring more money.
Eggs at Top Notch Price.
The egg market is at top notch. Forty
cents a dozen is the retail price today. and
unless there is a favorable change in the
weather in the near future there will
doubtedly be a further advance. 1t is not
so much a question with the dealers about
the price as it is about the supply. One
dealer said to a Star reporter that ii is
difficult 10 get eggs enough to meet the de-
mand5 of the trade. He sent 10 the Norfolk
market yesterday to get some stock to tide
over the rough weather, and was able to
get three cases only, and he had to pay
high price for them. 1t is said that fresh
eggs are bringing as much as 60 cents a
doZer. in New York. The quotations in
Phila delphia and Baltimore markets. 1t is
said are higher than in the market here.
The butter market is easy, prices ranging
from % to 35 cents. and some inferior coun-
try stock is to be had as low as 20 cents.
Snow Blocks Roads.
In all probability there will be but few
wagons on the country line tomorrow. The
snow storm has blocked the roads in the
nearby counties of Maryland and Virginia,
and n many places the thoroughfares are
impa ssable. The same trouble will prob
ably be experienced by shippers from re-
mote parts of the two states. There are