Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-07
PROGRESS NOTED
BY THE BOOMERS
Chairman May Names Com
mittee on Membership.
IN PERMANENT QUARTERS
Association to Occupy Room 3lS,
Munsey Building.
NEED OF COLD STORAGE PLANT
Its Utility and Value Pointed Out
Views of Virginia Producers
and Others.
IN PERMANENT QUARTERS
Association to Occupy Room 31S,
Munsey Building.
NEED OF COLD STORAGE PLANT

bars and Shippers' Association had been
completed by appointments by the chair
man. Mr.. F. p. May, as follows; Messrs'
Percy g. Foster, w. A. Wimsatt, A. G. Her
mann, Jackson H. Ralston. Col. M. A VIM
ter. Louis Hopfmaier. John L. Newbold
Geo. H. Judd. ]. A. Whitfield. R. L. Fletch-
er. Robert n. Harper. ]. E. Dyer, +. .
Warren and J. L. Tucker.
The further announcement was made that
this committee. now being compleIe' WI.
hold its airst meeting at O'CLOCK mex
Tuesday afternoon at the building OF the
American Security and Trust Company;
when II is expected important business Will
be considered, including the proposed iof-
nation of 400 900 Club.
Mr. Wodworth Clum. assistant secretary
Of the new commercial association stateu
today that permanent committee rooms ano
HEADQUARTERS had been secured IN room oio
Munsey building, where those interested In
the Greater Washington movement can Ne
cure information at any time.
At the meeting of the board OF olrectois
Yesterday afternoon the members expressed
their anxiety to show their appreciation Oh
the services of Mr.. Charles L. Howe the
former acting secretary or the associatoil
who Is said to have worked early and late
for the success Of the movement. Resolu.
lions were therefore unanimously passed
highly commencing his work as acting sec
rotary and extending to him the hearty
thanks of the board
Favor Jamestown EXh1p1t.
The members Of the board expressed
themselves as strongly favoring the pro-
posed local exhibit at the jamestown e1-
position, and it was stated that previous 10
the meeting Mr.. Bell. president OF the JOB
bers and Shippers Association. had con-
ferred with Gen. Wilson, president OF the
Board of Trade. and Capt Oyster, president
OF the Business Mems Association, ana "
was agreed that recommendations snould
be made to the board Of directors OF each
organization that joint committee be ap-
pointed-three members from each associa-
tion--to consider the proposition OF an ex-
hibition at jamestown, and the formation
OF a 400. 900 club
It is said the Jobbers and Shippers AS
ISOLATION will be represented on the joint
COMMITTEES by Messrs. Charles ]. Bell. pres
ident; Monroe Luchs and r. P. Andrews.
A letter was read from Commissioner Mac.
farland approving the proposed exhibit at
jamestown. 1t Is also proposed to form
jamestown Exposition Club. Messrs. r. +:
Andrews Harry King, Joseph 1. Saks and
w. H. Moses have been added to the pub
licity committee.
Need of Cold Storage Plant.
Referring to the Greater Washington
movement, a well-informed resident Of the
District says:
One Of the facilities specially needed in
the development Of the Greater Washing
Ton Is q COiQ StOfdBC piahS Vi NoPoNieS
sufficient to accommodate fruit and truck
from the south, vegetables from the nearby
states and perishabIe commodities required
TO feed the city. The capital Is greatly
handicapped because Of the lack OF such
facilities and the population Is poorly sup
piled and at too high prices with provis-
ions of this character. II large storage
plant existed In South Washington near
OF large quantities OF produce. the mar
kets OF the city could be supplied much
better than at present and at lower prices
than now prevail"
Owing to the fact that the buying Of
provisions for the city must be done in
sort of hand to mouth way, Washington
Is regarded as one of the most expensive
cities to live in to be found the map.
For the same reason the farmers of Mary
land aud Virginia, except those nearest
TO the city. find poor markets here, and
the greater part OF the provisions consumed
In Washington are brought a great dis
tance. often from storage plants In other
cities. at a cost for transportation which
raises prices to the consumer almost to
prohib!tve figures.
An exhaustive study of the food supply
in Washington reveals a situation little
short of conspiracy in restraint OF
trade" II 1t was conducted by a tribunal
clothed with authority to summon wit
nesses and compel testimony. 1t Is
situation which ought not TO be tolerated
longer than Is necessary to provide facili-
ticS lot the proper LdHull4IS Vi supplies dLu
their distribution as cheaply as it is done
elsewhere.
Views of the Farmers.
ION a recent trip into Virginia the writer
talked with several farmers along one of
the lines of the Southern railway. Two
OF them had large fields of sweet corn which
they would have been glad to sell at 8
cents a dozen, delivered to commission
merchants in Washington, or cents
dozen at the nearest railway station. The
farmers said they could not sell in Wash
fngton. yet that day sweet corn was selling
by the retailers here at IA to l6 cents, ac-
cording to quality. Last week 1t was SELL
Ing at Center Market at % cents whole
sale and % cents retail. In other words.
while the consumer in Washington wants
sweet corn he is obliged to pay enormously
high prices for II. while Virginia farmers
have plenty which they cannot sell here
at prices that give them living profit.
The only satisfactory answer to be
found to the question OF why this Is so is
that the facilities at the command Of the
commission merchants here are OF that
primitive order which compels them to buy
aud dispose OF perishable goods quickly to
save themselves. Had there been this year
n large cold storage house In this city of
sufficient capacity to handle the sweet corn
crop OF the adjoining territory. there need
not have been the ridiculous fiuctuation In
prices that have prevailed and sweet corn
could be selling now at Is cents a dozen a
price beyond which II never ought to 90
except in the first days OF the season when
corn on the cob Is In the category of a
luxury. The point Is that with the vast
agricultural region contiguous to Washing
ton the consumer in the city never should
pay. under normal conditions. more than
II cents for sweet corn. which would give
q fair profit to producer and the merchants
here. The same Is true OF a great number
Of commodities. such green peas, early
potatoes. and even the later crop.
High Prices for Foodstuffs.
AS matters stand Washington has no
command of the sources OF supply that
enables the people to be fed cheapIy
as they ought to be. Hundreds of bushels
OF the finest apples ever grown rot on the
ground In the Virginia counties each year.
while the Washington supply is brought
from New York, Pennsylvania and more
distant points. of course at higher price
TO consumers than the Virginia apples could
be sold TO them. BY far the larger part
OF the truck raised In the south goes steam
Ing through Washington to cities further
north. which have cold-storage houses In
which to place II when received, to be held
until needed for consumption. During q
part of the present summer, between IL
O'Clock at night and o'clock in the morn
Ing sixteen to nineteen trains of melons