The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-24
BUSY DAY IN
THE CENTRE
MARKET
Eel Day" Among Italians.
DaintieS Of the Season
in Plenty.

Christmas Eve and the day before
are known in Centre Market as Eel
Days" because on those days italian
men and women go to the market from
all sections of the city where they live
to buy a supply of cells.
The rush began yesterday, when sew
eral tons were sold. At 8 o'clock this
morning men and women began to ap-
i. pear in the fish market, at the Null
berry street end of the Centre Market
building, with baskets, bags and pals
to carry cells home in.
When a reporter for the EVENING
STAR visited the fish market early to-
day he saw long and deep boxes filed
with large and small eels. Some of
the big cells were from a foot to fifteen
inches long and weighed several pounds.
These are the kind the well-to-do Ital-
ans buy. They sell at fifteen to twenty
cents a pound. The little ones, which
are bought by the poorer class, cost
from twelve to fifteen cents a pound.
! Young and old Italians were bargain
ing at each stand for the fish, and from
s to Z O'Clock this morning the fish
market was crowded with buyers, a
great q-uantity-heing sold to retailers IN
the Italian colonies.
I'VE sold more than three tons of
cells yesterday said the head of one
of the largest companies in the mar
ket, land others made large sales. I
estimate the total sales yesterday, to-
day and until a late hour tonight will
be at least fifteen tons. Had you been
in the market when it was opened early
this morning you would have witnessed
a great sight, a unique one, and you
could easily believe you were in some
Italian city, because of the appearance
and chatter and dress of the buyers.
'In New York 40 cents a pound is
charged for the largest and latest cells
like those on top of that second box.
1 was there yesterday and saw a mar
buy 70 pounds at so cents a pound.
But the cells were alive. and therefore
are highly priced and expensive, for
there is always a great rivalry between
the w~ell-to-do to get big cells that are
alive
Though I have sold many tons I do
not know why Italian people buy cells
SO largely, and no other kind of food,
the day before Christmas"
The reporter hunted up an intel
ligent Italian friend, who said that as
the day before Christmas. Christmas
Eve, is a fast day in Italy as it is
here among Catholics. the people not
eating meat or other 1esh food by a
of preparing in a penitential way for
the joy of the following festival. Eels
are considered a delicacy in Italy, and
when the people come here they retain
the taste for them.
1.-THE rich buy the big cells that are
alive and pay a big price for theml'
added this man. There is no sweeter
fish, and it is dainty eating on a fast
day, when flesh meat and even eggs
are not used by Italian Catholics. The
poor people are as fond of the cells as
are the rich,' and will max great
sacrifices to be able to- buy one of the
big eels."
Dealers in Centre Market in different
kinds of articles of food said today
that the Christmas trade had been
light, not up to last year. Because of
the rain it was very dull yesterday.
but it opened up so briskly about 8
o'clock this morning that it was ex-
pected the record may be reached
when the market is closed tonight.
Dealers claimed that prices are mod
crate.
At the butcher stands it was said
fresh-killed turkeys ranged in price
from 90 to % cents a pound, but re-
frigerator Western turkey sold at 16
cents a pound.
Chicken ranged in price from IA up
to is cents a pound for the best, ard
the price for ducks and geese is cents a
pound. Their are p~artridges at $3.50 to
$S.75 a pair, quail at $3.50 up to $3.50 q
dozen, and rabbits at 40 cents a pair.
Roast beef sold at IA to IS cents for
the best, sirloin steak at IA to 16. porter
house Is to 20, lamb at 10 for fore and
20 cents for headquarters. For mutton
IA cents was asked, and IL to IA for
pork. Eggs sold at 25 to IS cents a
dozen, the latter price for fresh coun-
try eggs
Celery was Is to Is cents a bunch,
but there were small punches at sone
Of the "walk' stands at 10 cents. The
price of cranberries was Is cents a
quart, oranges from 20 up to so cents a
dozen, lemons Is to 80. and grapes 10 up
to 90 cents a pound for the best.
Holly wreaths sold at 10 to 20 cents
each, and small sprigs of mistletoe at
10 to so cents each. But one could pay
from SO to 81 for a very large and
pretty one.