New-York tribune., 1907-10-20
FISH COST NOW HIGH.
PRICE Has GONE UP.
Impossible to quote Figures, Whole
sale Dealers Sag.

Tvhether New Workers are suffering from,
combination that controls the fish trade supplv
has been a question that has probably occurred
20 many householders this season. But there
has been no question 10 the fact thar fish
&c Incoming luxury along with about every
o,her article Of food. So the effect has heen tba
came because the man who has paid \ fsl,
dealers bill nearly double that charged him for
the same amount last year has probably not
been greatly soothed to think that it was not
due 10 a combination. but to a chain of natural
conditions"
Attempts 10 ascertain the reasons behind the
accomplished fact Of increased prices were met
everywhere By the explanation that the fishery
business is more complicated than most persons
suppose. and that in reality it is as much af-
,ecfed by weather conditions as is the Delaware
peach crop.
Nevertheless. small dealers and retailers in
some cases were willing TO admit that they
thought members Of the Fishmongers' AssocIa-
ton which comprises only eighteen of the iarg-
est firms, had controlling place in the situa-
ton Some OF the firms in the association have
fleets on both coasts Of the continent. besides
being part owners Of freezing plants near the
fishing ports. What their reserve stock is may
be only guessed, but at the three big freezing
plants in New York City il was admitted that
many million pounds Of fish were being pre-
served. Still. those members Of the association
who consented to talk Of the matter declared
that whatever advances there have been were
due 10 natural conditions and that the Fish
mongers' Association could at no time control
the market
While an academic discussion of the runs
Of fish, the effects OF weather and countless
other things may show cause. or lack Of cause.
for the high prices, the householder who some
III
opinion OF the retailer. An instance probably
duplicated many times throughout the city oc-
CURED last week, when a business man dropped
in at the fish dealers 10 get some bluefsh on
his way home. The price was % cents a pound.
and the customer wanted to know = the race
Of bUefsh was disappearing so rapidly that It
was now rarity.
IT was much cheaper year ago. wasn't it?"
be inquired. How does it come so high now
PRICE OF BLUEFIsH HIGH.
We'll" the FISH dealer answered oonfdentially.
81 don't know why the wholesalers should want
10 run Il up, but our customers want blue1sh,
and there just only few wholesalers
who can supply them. They charge US a stiff
price, and We retailers have TO make a profit.
Of course. And with rent and gas and all our
Other expenses on the jump. we are obliged 10
make a somewhat larger percentage for our
selves
4 suppose" said the purchaser, that the
wholesalers are under greater expense, too?"
q don't know said the retailer. THE big
firms hire their own fleets at a fixed salary or
q commission for the crew. so I guess it doesn't
cost much more and. besides. many Of them
rent their places from the Department Of Docks
or the bureau Of markets. At a set price"
To bear OFT the retailers individual explana-
ton Of the way that his bills TO the big firms
had increased. the wholesale market quotations
obtaina bic for ttle last week. when compared
with those Of year ago, show that there has
been q rise IN nearly every sort of fish except
such delcacies as frogs legs. turtle meat and
HOLSTERS. For example. that staple food fish, the
cod, nearly doubled in wholesale price this
week For the week beginning October s. 1906,
steak cod was quoted at from 10 cents n
pound. During a corresponding period this year
i was not lower than 10 cents and was as high
as II cents Western halibut was quoted
year ago at and 10 cents. wholesale II had
advanced four cents over that az wholesale here
and retailing in most fish markets at 90
cents Western green salmon, that year ago
Vas selling on the average for u cents a pound.
has this season hovered between 10 and IS cents
GOOD SEASON FOR FISHERMEN
And yet, in the face Of figures such as these
and others running through about every sort OF
fish, many dealers admitted that this has been
good season" for the fishermen that there
have been few storms and less than the usual
amount OF fog 10 keep the boats from going out
Besides. while prices 10 the consumer were kept
Up. millions Of pounds Of fish are in cold storage
here and other supply points along the coast
Indeed, the managers of the three cold storage
warehouses that keep fish in the greater city
said they had larger quantity of fish delivered
70 them than in former years. This large re-
serve stock, however. has seemingly not operated
70 prevent sharp variations in the quotations
fish handled at the Fulton Fish Market. where
the New York Fishmongers' Association is in
control. Instead ii was generally reported that