The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-10-05


also come in great numbers and from
every class of society
It should be borne IN mind that this
was altogether an outdoor market.
plat of ground next to the city hall
was at first set aside for the purpose.
This was entirely inadequate and curb
space In the adjoining streets for sew
eral blocks was also turned over to
market uses. The old city hall build
ing. which had just been vacted. was
overhauled and adapted to market pur-
poses for the winter months. but even
then both the buyers and the sellers
preferred tho outdoor in all but the
most inclement weather.
The public market in Des Moines has
lowered prices from the start New
potatoes sold in the stores at so and
IS cents peck the day before the mar
ket opened but the price promptly
dropped to 40 and so cents on the open
ing day Cooking apples sold at from
IS TO IS cents per half bushel. while
the stores had been receiving for the
same kind of apples from 40 TO so cents.
The public market price for cabbage
was cents for heads Weighing a pound
and more as against the store price OF
three pounds for 25 cents strictly
fresh eggs from the farm were offered
at the market for 1914 cents dozen
while the stores retailed commission
house eggs Of doubtful age at 90 cents.
Prices on other vegetables and produce
showed the same marked difference.
There was a general reduction in
prices of from 20 to so per cent and
even 100 pc recent. and the general
average reduction was estimated to be
about IS per cent AS to prices later, 1
quote from the Des Moines Register
and Leader OF September %, 1912. as
follow
The sales on the public market OF
Des Moines during the past summer
have averaged about $4,000 per week.
Since June. the market, on three days
week schedule. has had from $50 to
500 farmers wagons on market days
Several hundred wagon loads Of pro-
duce which were In former years sold
through other channels were daily sold
direct from producer to consumer with
profit to both City officials say the
amount OF money saved TO consumers
has been at least 20 per cent. a great
er saving was made throughout the
city for the householders who have
not patronized the market by keeping
the retail grocers' prices within bounds.
Our experience has taught us several
things The first great essential TO the
real success of The market IS to keep II
free and open as the place where the
producer and consumer may meet face
to face and TO keep it from falling un-
DIR the domination Of those who wish
to make easy profits II should be-
long first and foremost to the farmers
and to their proper patrons, the house
keepers. Every endeavor win be made
BY those who are brought into ma
tural competition with the market place
to get possession of the market for
their private gain. Naturally tine peas
dIrs feel that the public market en-
croaches upon their privileges. The
very first thing we discovered upon the
| opening Of the market was a precon-
| certed attempt on the part of the ped
dlers to Intercept the farmers on their
| way to the market the first morning
and buy them out This plan whether
! true or not was said to be financed by
| the commission houses. This or any
/ other method Of fovestaling the market
was made a misdemeanor. The attempt
Of special interest to gain control OF
| the market by underhand means was
onset by giving the producers a certain
| section of the market to themselves
and allowing them to display espec-
iaI placard marked GARDENER.
Finally. there lis tho attempt to form
combinations and fix prices Farmers
and gardeners are not themselve!
above participating in such schemes
for it does not seem that honesty be
longs especially TO any one class i
the early months Of the Des Moline!
.
condition existed in our potato market
the unalterable price Of s1oo per hushe
being apparently hNed BY general agre
ment. since nothing else seemed abl'
ochange the prices. the mayor had
carload Of potatoes put upon the mar
ket at 65 cents per bushel This wa
legitimate price for potatoes on tina
day based upon the price at primar,
markets plus freight. shrinkage and
small profit. carload of potatoes wa
put on the market each successive mar
let morning for FIVE mornings. Peopr
would carry off car Of from 500 to 50
bushels in sacks in two hours time
This had the effect OF bringing dow
the price Of potatoes on the market a
once Moreover the price was met b
stores and potato dealers throughou
the city
Not only have the patrons of the pub
Tic market pronted by it. but alread
it is quite apparent that business an
commercial interest in general hay
lost nothing The working man spend
his entire wage for something anywa
and II he gets his household necessitie
for less money ne spends more none
for other things 1t may be for bette
clothes for his family. It may be 70
lumber to build him a cottage It ma
even be spent with the grocer himse'
for goods that he could not have hougr
at all except for the saving on the com
monplace things.
Finally. the public market has been
general profit to the community bot
inside and outside Of the city. IN the
It has stimulateC market gardening an
the establishing OF homes on sma
tracts Of i've ten and fifteen acres eacl
These suburban communities are yer
thrifty and their trade is all tributar
to the business districts within tn