Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-16
IN THE LOCAL MARKETS
VIEWS OF A DEALER REGARDING
REPORT OF HIGH PRICES.
Cost Of Notwithstanding Of the
Season for Game-Fish, But
ter and Eggs.

tomatoes IOr FAMILY or about eight per-
sons will cost less than 20 cents" was
the remark of market dealer to a Star
reporter today. land yet people come
through the market and complain about
produce being high. Peaches pears grapes
and choicest cantaloupes are high. but why
do people in moderate circumstances ex-
pect to have them?
II get tired Of hearing the same old COM
plant about high prices" the dealer added.
People receiving moderate salaries will
ask the price OF tomatoes when the vege-
table is selling by the pound. but now that
they are selling at Is cents a bushel they
say nothing about them. They are men,
tioning the prices of the few things that
are high. and then they will say they do
not know what poor people are going to
do. have heard that statement SO many
times that 1t has become chestnut"
Tomatoes are SO cheap. the dealer de-
buying them. There are many persons. he
declared. who think cheap things are not
worth buying and 1t is just such persons
who do the complaining about the high
prices charged for fancy goods and deli
cacies. Cabbage beans. potatoes and Gu
cumbers are on a par with tomatoes. being
cheap enough for all buyers Choice po-
tatoes are selling as high as 80 cents a
peck. but there are plenty smaller ones to
be had at the rate Of 20 cents. Cucumbers
are selling at from 10 to 20 cents a dozen,
and lettuce and onions are cheap
Price Of Corn.
Corn is not 50 cheap, although 1t is much
cheaper than 1t was a week ago. selling at
20 and % cents a dozen. Dealers are get
ting good celery from New York and
Michigan. the quality being better than
that received last week. It Is bringing
from to Is cents.
Fruit is higher than usual for this season
n tha fhn t~l a. L. go
resulting from short supplies. Peaches are
much higher than usual and 50 pears,
but the supply Of apples Is increasing each
day and prices are lowering. Later In the
season. 1t Is expected apples will be fairly
plentiful. but they will probably not be as
cheap as usual. because Of the scarcity Of
other fruits. Dealers getting some fine
cantaloupes from Norfolk and Coan river
and they are finding ready sale at from 5
to 20 cents each. A few pes from North
Carolina are to be found on market
benches. the prices charged being consid-
cred high Blackberres and huckleberries
are still in market, but they will be played
out In short time. California oranges are
on the way east now. and the fruit Is
cheaper than it was few days ago. the
new fruit selling at from 40 to 90 cents a
dozen. Lemons are plentiful and cheap,
selling at from 10 to 20 cents dozen.
Opening Of Game Season.
Dealers in game are getting their benches
ready for the opening of the season-Sep-
TENDER 1-when they expect the demand
will be greater than the supply. Gunners
who supply tie dealers with game are al
ready visiting the marshes and making pro-
vision for wholesale slaughter the first day
Of the season. Reedbirds. ortolan. marsh
blaekbirds., grouse. snipe. plover and veni-
son will be In season the LIST of September
Woodcock Is already in season. but not
many Of the birds are being received
"Reedbirds, ortolan and blackbirds will
come from the local marshes early in the
morning." dealer said this morning, but
fear the early birds will be- thin. The
reeds ought to sell for about 81 a dozen the
first day Of the season and the ortolan for
$12j, but I'm afraid there will not be many
ortolan until later"
1t Is stated that dealers put away but lit
tie game in cold storage last year to, be
sold at the opening Of this season. and most
OF the game that Is offered this year will
therefore be fresh killed There are plenty
of squads in market to take the place Of
game. the price charged being regula ted by
the quality.
The fish market is in condition at this
season to make a splendid showing, there
being plenty saltwater fish arriving every
day. Trout and bluefish are always in de-
mand at this season. and they present the
appearance of having been out Of the water
only few hours when they reach here.
Trout are selling at 10 cents a pound 12h
and Is cents being enlarged for the blues.
Black sea bass are in demand at 10 cents a
pound, dealers considering them as among
the finest fish that shipped here from
salt water. Croakers, spots and butterfsh
are quoted at 10 cents a pound. The Nor
folk spots are smaller this year than usual,
but the demand for them Is about as great
Weakfish and pOrgies are also finding ready
sale. the former at and 10 cents a pound
and the latter at 10 cents. Some small
perch are being received from the lower
Potomac. and are to be had for 10 cents a
pound Potomac rock bringing from Is to 20
cents. There Is still a good demand for
soft and hard crabs. the soft-shell fish SELL
ing at 70 cents dozen, and the hard crabs
at 25 cents.
Spring Chickens Cheaper.
Housekeepers will welcome the -informa-
ton that spring chickens are cheaper than
they have been at any time this season.
Early in the season they sold as high as Is
cents pound. and during the past month at
% cents a pound. Today dealers quoted them
at % cents. some ordinary stock being sold
at 20 cents. Other fowls are also cheaper.
rise In tie price of eggs has been noted
since last week. Eggs were selling at from
% to % cents a dozen last week. but today
dealers quoted them at from % to % cents.
Dealers say that % cents a dozen Is an I'M
usually high price for eggs so early in the
season. and they think the early advance
means that they will be high this winter.
The price Of butter remains unchanged.
There has been practically no change in
the meat market since last week. There is