Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1911-11-23
DES MONIES CUTS
COST or LINING
BY MUNICIPAL
MARKET
Commissioners Of Iowa Capt.
tai City Relieved That tho
Prices Wesc Inflated and
They Cut Them in Two.
PRODUCE DEALERS
GET SEVERE JOLT
tArthur ~ Evans 90 chicago Record
Herald


HefRldD
Des Ao,nes, la. Nov. 22.-~The
municipal market which was opened
here few months ago In heraidrd
W Dies moinea as an instance OF the
efficacy OF the commission form 90
government. II demonstrates TIM
readiness with which public opinion
II carried into effect under the Der
Molnea plan ana the closer union that
exists between the people and their
representatives.
Up 70 d few months ago the city
was IN the grasp OF a combination %
produce dealers. Although the cttS
n the center of one Of the richest
agricultural districts IN the world. the
prices OF vegetables, fruits and gar
den stuff were M high that necessi-
ties were fast becoming lusuries. For
Instance. potatoes az one time reach
"a 81 n bushei. Men of wealth car
ried one or two IN their pockets as
curlos, while a baked potato with
the family Sunday roast was consid-
cred great treat Iowa IL one OF
the rirhett states In the union. ~
per capita wealth being si.sss. while
the per capita wealth 81 the United
states n only si.sfs. but az that the
people OF Dee Molnes were hard
pushed 20 keep pace with the fancy
cost Of living. Truck farmers were
not able To pcddle their products from
house 90 house because the grOcers
would then refuse 20 trade with them.
The mayor and commissioners took
the matter up. Four months ago
Ma,ur James v. Hanna announced
- les - no
city hail would be opened az mt
nicipai market II was regarded as
an experiment and many OF the off
ciais we're skcptical ~ 10 whether u
would be successful. The first day
four or five farmers drove their wag-
ons on the lawn and soid vegetables
from the cart.
Tho next day the number doubled,
within work over one hundred
farmers we're at the market. In a
month n had become NO popular that
more than one hundred farmers were
selling direcf ~ the Dies Moinss
housewives and the wagons stretched
for three blocks along the curb on
market days In many instances the
old prices were cut IN half. IN others
the reduction was even lover. Com
missioner John Mncvicar estimates
that the average reduction has been
about so per cent. Citizens from all
sections 81 the city patronize the
market. scores even driving down ~
automobiles 70 rake purchases. AZ
one time week or two ago there
was a shorfage IN potatoes, and
Mayor Hanna bought a carload with
a view OF breaking combination and
Keeping the prices down. The car
load was delayed. hut the garaeners
az the municipal market ala non seek
20 take advantage. They sold their
pufos far 60 aud az cents j bnshri.
as had been promised. Before the
market was opened. a. has been stat
ed. potatoes we're bringing 81 bush
81. The reduction In price u in part
due To the new crop. but the estab-
,ishment OF the market ~ believed
90 have been responsible FOR a cut OF
|nt least 81 bushei.
The market n now operated three
DAYS week ON the east side and
three days n week ON the west aide.
and NJ soon M the new municipal
buIidlng II opened the OLD city nall
will be remodtled and turned into a
market IN which truck farmers. ear
denern, aairymen and poultry faisers
will fcIt direct 90 tho consumers