Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-05
IN LOCAL MARKETS
NO WHOLESALE ADVANCE IN
PRICE OF MEAT.
Fish in Good Condition and Potomac
Stock Plentiful-Fruits OF
All Kinds.

ton of the new inspection law. Dealers
said today that while the law became eff
fective last Monday. there had been no
wholesale advance in prices, such as had
been anticipated.
There Is no reason why the enforcement
of the law should make such a change.
a local butcher said to a Star reporter.
1.-The strict enforcement Of the regulations
may make good meat little scarce for a
short while. but unreasonable prices will be
inexcusable. The change merely resolves
itself into a matter of enforcing cleanliness
and the condemnation of meats that are
really unfit for market. Some Of the BUTCH
ers feared the enforcement of the regula-
lions would interfere with their business.
but IL will really be benefit to the local
butchers.
Condemnation of Unfit Meat.
"It is an easy matter for butcher to
call upon an inspector to have his meats In
spected," the dealer said. such will have
to be done when local dealer wants to
ship meat out of the city, just the same as
the foreign dealers who send meat here.
Meat that is unfit for food will be condemn
ed, as it should be. and inferior meats from
the neighboring states will not be permitted
to be received in this city,.
The dealer stated that beef is selling at
about the prices it has been commanding
for several weeks. Lamb and mutton are
commanding higher prices than they did a
short time ago. but the advance is due TO
the scarcity of the meat and not to the en-
forcement of the inspection regulations.
Pork products, especially loins, are higher
than they were month ago, out tne III.
crease In the prices is nothing unusual at
this season. Loins of pork, the dealer SAID,
are always in greater demand when SWEEP
potatoes become plentiful and the Increased
demand is certain to cause shortage OF
the choicest loins.
Fish Market Attractive.
The fish market is more attractive than
1t was during the summer months the nsn
being in better condition and Potomac
stock more plentiful. Mississippi catfish
caught In the Potomac are large enough
to be sold in steaks, and dealers find that
the demand is constantly improving.
ut is merely a matter Of getting the
people educated" one Of the local dealers
explained. There are many persons VINO
object to buying the steaks because OF the
different the number Of fish would not be
anything like sufficient to supply the de-
mand. The steaks sell for Is cents pound
and the meat is as delicious as that of most
of the more expensive fish,"
Large quantities of rock are being caught
in the Potomac and they reach here In
splendid condition. The pan rock sell Tor
IL cents pound, while the large rock that
q pound. Very few perch are being caught
in the Potomac and most Of them are al
most too small to find sale. Trout are the
cheapest fish in the local market, dealers
asking 10 cents a pound for them: Blue
fish are 10 cents a pound; halibut, 70 cents,
and cod, 10 cents.
Crabs Becoming Scarce.
Soft crabs are still in market but dealers
think the season for them will close in a
few days. probably about the middle of
next week. The supply Of the shell fish
today was equal to the demand and they
were sold at the rate of 7b cents a dozen,
the demand for oysters causing a decrease
In the demand for the crabs. Hard crabs
are still to be had. but they are not fat
and dealers say they are hardly worth
cooking Most Of the dealers think the
season for hard crabs should be shortened
in order that the fish might be protected
and be given a chance to furnish larger
supplies when they are In the greatest de-
mand. Crab meat Is still in demand at 30
cents a quart. and the crab fake is selling
at 40 cents. Frogs are more plentiful than
they were a few weeks ago.
Fruits Of All Kinds.
Fruits Of all kinds with the possible ex-
ception Of lemons. are plentiful and in de-
mand. Local merchants are still receiving
shipments Of peaches from the orchards Of
prices seem about the same as they were
last week. Persons buying them in small
baskets are paying a slight advance over
the prices of last week, but the larger bas-
kets are about the same as they were a
week ago. Some surprise Is expressed at
the prices charged for potatoes, dealers and
growers having thought that the continued
wet weather during the early summer
would mean great shortage in the sup
ply. Plenty Of potatoes are coming to the
however, and prices are considered
low. Sweet potatoes are also plentiful, and
the demand for them increases as the sea-
son advances. Lettuce, cress and radishes
are unusually plentiful and cheap. Cabbages
are also cheap, and, it is stated, many
buyers are getting them to pack away for
the winter There very few cucumbers
being picked by truckers in this section,
dealers finding 1t necessary to depend
wholly upon southern shippers for supplies.
Maryland and Virginia farmers are fur
nishing large cargoes of apples and pears
for the local market. Pears are especially
cheap, selling as low as so cents a bushel,
Apples are retailing at from so to Is cents
a box. There are plenty grapes, oranges
and pineapples to be had at prices that are
considered reasonable, and dealers are get
ting shattucks in larger quantities than
they have for some months. They are not
yet cheap, but the prices will decrease as
the supplies increase
Ducks on the Potomac.
Nothing particularly attractive is noted
about the game market yet, but dealers ex-
pect there will be a great Improvement
during the next few days.
There are plenty ducks on the Poto-
mac" dealer in game said, but gunners
don't seem to be able to shoot them A
few days of blustery weather will be of
great assistance to the gunners and make
an Improvement in the market"
Dealers have some frozen teal ducks on
hand. selling them at SO cents each. Al
though the ducks are frozen, It is stated
that they are in splendid condition and re-
garded by many persons as being better
than those that have not undergone the
freezing process. Ortolan are more plenti-
ful than they were earlier in the season, but
reedbirds are scarce, the former selling at
81 a dozen and the latter at 90 cents
Blackbirds are quoted at 40 cents. There
has been practically no change in the poul-
try market since last week. Chickens are
more plentiful than they were, but the
prices are about the same, and dealers have
not yet dealt in turkeys to any great ex-
tent.