Catoctin clarion., 1911-08-31
Open MARKETS
solve PROBLEM
Grower and Purchaser Gain In
Meeting Face to Face.
FRESH GOODS, Low PRICES.

Madison, Wis.,, Sets Splendid Example
With Sanitary and Attractive Build
ine-No Short Weight, No Stale
Goods, No Middleman's Extortionats
Profit.
ut is not strange to read Of munici.
pal markets In Boston. Baltimore and
New Orleans. but when small city
Of 25.OOO Inhabitants realizes the i'm.
pOrtunce Of closer relationship be-
tween the producer or grower and the
consumer there is good reason for us
to believe that the officials of that city
are endeavOring to do all In their pow.
er to reduce the cost of living" says
Don t. MOwry In the American City.
Madison. Wis, has recently opened
such II market ut an expense OF $55, 1000
The building is 1870 by Is feet. has
large open display fo3r. Is provided
with toilet rooms. Smoking rooms,
luncheon rooms and horse sheds. all OF
the latest idea in style and construc.
tion
More than 5000 folders were sent out
to the farmers living out in the sur
rounding country. telling them Of the
opening day. inviting them to attend
and urging them to understand that
Madison wanted to meet them on an
honest business basis. The result OF
this circular surprised everybody.
Many farmers came In with wagon
a.. nd tho
were glad to see them. II buying is any
criterion.
Madison Is practically in the hands
Of the local provision merchants. These
men buy just enough goods to insure
them large profit They aim to keep
the supply coming to the city as small
as possible. For this reason farmers
who might send their products to Madi.
son do not do so. 1t Is often said that
Madison is one of the high priced
towns. in the country, and. indeed. this
statement Is not amiss. The cheap
rental charges for stalls in the new
market make it now possible for goods
to be bought at lower price. and the
quality is usually better.
The market Is open from 7 a. m. un.
til @ p. III. daily except Sundays. The
committee Of markets of the common
council. together with the superntend-
eht of the market. has the power to
locate space or stalls. Unit spaces are
provided. and the fee per day Is 25
cents per unit. In case the producer
or grower does not require an entire
unit for the display Of his goods he
need not pay for the space thus occu-
pied. All hay must be weighed on the
city scales at the market. and all wood
must be mea sured by the superintend.
ent. A certificate of weight or measure
Is given the owner for this service. and
he pays fee Of only 10 cents. Teams
may enter the market center without
paying an entrance fee.
The use Of public streets or alleys as
standing places for teams or wagons
for the sale Of fruits, vegetables, hay.
ETC., Is prohibited. OF course this pro-
vision does not prohibit farmers or
licensed hucksters from peddling from
house to house within the city limits.
of the market without the consent OF
the Superintendent No person other
than the producer or one who has pur-
chased outside of the city can sell on
the market Wisconsin produce. This
ruling does not prevent. however. the
vegetable dealer handling other minor
articles, the object of the rule being
to preclude the possibility of specula.
tion in produce.
LIQUORS cannot be offered for sale or
sold at the market. Meats or any 9TH
er articles that are not wholesome can
not be offered for sale. All goods
are open to inspection by the health
department. The superintendent Is In
vested with police power. and one OF
his duties Is to see that order Is main
tained.
A very good health provision. espe-
cially valuable in the summer months,
is one which requires the .superin-.
tendent to furnish sufficient number
Of water tight barrels and tubs. and
all occupants Of stalls or stands are
strictly required to throw the offal,
filth, washings and refuse matter into
these barrels and tubs. This refuse
is removed by city carts Immediately
after market hours.
Sooner or later the people OF this
vast country of ours will realize the
Importance Of establishing markets OF
this very nature in all Of our cities
that have any provisions for marketing
produce To date there are very few
cities In the United States of the size
of Madison that have attempted any
thing half so elaborate as the new
market center just opened In "the city
of four lakes" Madisonians are more
than pleased with the way the market
has opened up. They are enthusiastic
in their praise Of Mayor John Q. Shu-
bert. whose constant attention to this
morket question made the market a
real opportunity for the citizens OF
this city.