The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-01-27
TALK HIGH PRICES
IN CITY COUNCIL
Two Hours Spent in Discussion
of Excessive Cost of
Living.
PROBLEM ALREADY SOLVED,
ACCORDING T0 NEW PLAN
Market TO BE Established Un-
der Control of Farmers
Themselves.

For two hours "Wednesday night coun-
cilmen. indignant citizens retail and
| wholesale grocery men and commission
merchants wrangled in the city council
chamber about the high price of food
stulIs. There were moments when the
poor. common people and the retail mcr-
| chants came near throwing down their
caunuets and lighting. but 1t all ended
when Arthur H. Bird finally gained tho
floor of the council chamber and an
nounced that n movement was already on
foot and that plans had been laid foi
the establishment in Salt Lake City OF a
public produce market. To be controlled.
operated and owned ny the farmers.
When this announcement was made.
Councilman \, j. Davis. who WAS chair
man of the evening. wanted 10 know why
and wherefore the gathering had been
called. and asked. why are We hcrc?'
and the reply was. We're here because
were here and then the meeting adj
journed.
tee of citizens. headed by Il. j DauGh-
tcrs. Tor the purpose Of dcvisinG some
way OF establishing "A public market, The
citizens of the commitice asking Tor a
lower price ON food wanted the council
TO take some action. and a thorough dis
cussion OF the price OF foodstulfs was
had.
Says Trust Exists.
Mr, daughters was illc ulSl 10 speak
and In a rather lengthy speech read the
riot act" TO the men behind the prices
in Salt Lake City. He said that there
was in operation in Salt Lake city a
stuffs He classcd these men as COM
mon criminals He said that the people
had TO eat, of that there was no doubt
but under the present conditions ii was
almost Impossible for the ordinary work
ing man TO supply his family with suf-
ticient food at the prices now demanded,
lie advised the people to 60 after the
sec that prices were made so that all
could live.
After Mr.. Daushtcrs's speech a gen
ersl discussion was indulged in. Council
man Fcrnstrom said that public mar
kct had been established in this city in
1898. but that il had proved a failure.
This. however, was laid 10 mismanaGe-
vastly different then than They are now,
To Rescind License Act.
Frank B Scott wanted the council TO
take Oft the license now placed on farm
ers who desire TO pcddle then produce
in the city. This was the general op,n-
talk raised the Ire of Councilman Charles
Lees when he said that the prices ON
foodstuffs were laid down every morning
by the Merchants and Manufacturers as
Socia ton and that no member OF the or
caDization was allowed to sell his stun
below the figure given.
10 TINS MT. Lees entered Il dcnliI anu
said that such a statement was false.
The two men wranglcd for some
minutes and Mr. Scott took his seat only
after he insisted that such conditions
retail and wholesale men with being In
a coalition to regulate the price OF food
stuns Mr.. Lees again said this was
false, but the matter Was droppcd.
Blames the Railroads
Eoth members OF the firm of Hancock
-;-,.
ent at the meeting and save their side
OF the story According TO j. 4. Han
cock there are some things which arc
now selling nj too low cost In Salt lake
stuffs should be reduced in price. Mt
Hancock said tho railroads were at fault
for the high prices. and also tnat inc
farmers were in measure responsible
for the condition. lie said The farmers
send IN inferior produce and demand
the same prices as iirSt-clas stun Shohld
bring lie declared that there was not q
commission merchant in Salt Lake City
who had made cents ON the potatoes nc
had sold during the winter. and further
more, he said that larger number oi
the merchants would be lucky If they
came out even on their potatoes
IL was later shown that farmers were
paid 80 cents l1ushel FOR their potatoes,
which were sold to the retail men for
GO cents a b,ishel this being profit OF
almost loo per cent
Mr. Hancock said the inferior stock
that had to be sorted out reduced TINS
profit OF the commission men.
MIR Hancock said that his company
figured on making 10 per cent profit on
goods. but even then the business was
cording TO Mr. Hancock. the sales last
year amounted to $500, 900
Butter Not Too High.
1t was stated that hay was now sell
Ing for SIS n. ton. as against 81 and 81
"A ton q few years ago. Under these
conditions I, was 10 be oNpeG5ed h'sh ,ns,
price Later IN the evening Mr.. Han
cock said butter WIS not held at too
high a price under the circumstances, -
there was not in the city ten days supply
ahead.
Wholesale. retail and commission MGR
chants shifted the responsibility for high
prices from one 10 the , 3,her nmt,, III IL was
After two hours talk. dul'ingl which INC
and merchants talked WIN
much anger. Arthur D. Bird was given
permission 30 speak
Market for Farmers.
Mr.. Bird said thai he and his bust
way r public market for Salt Lake City,
which would he controlled by the farm
crs and also according 10 any terms the
city council might demand. He said the
had been taken up with the
farmers in Davis county and other conn
tics near Salt Lake City and had mot
with much favor win thcm nc com,
pany viii be Incorporated as a general
market business. tho stock TO he sold 10
the farmers, and will be a plsc" for the
armers 10 sell thclr produce direct 10
the consumer.
committee will meet In a few days.
according TO Mr.. Bird, 10 select site
for tho proposed market.
When this announcement was made II
was seen that any action OF the city
council toward the establishment Of
public market would not be necessary and
The meeting was adjourned.