Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-03-13

ana De aDle 10 Judge from day TO
day approximately what the demand
OF the next day will be. Having
done this, he must see that there is
supply forthcoming and that there
is no marked over-supply, as if a
producer fails to sell out reasonably
close then he will not continue to
bring his stuff to the market.
AS an instance. on Thursday of
last week the maTketmaster went to
the various producers and asked how
many chickens they intended bring
ing to the market, and found that
the intention was to bring about
500. AS 800 is about the average
number sold on a Saturday, he
scaled down the number the various
producers were to bring, and as a
result only five were left unsold.
With a weekly sale of about 800
chickens 16 is the most that have
been left on hand at any one time.
Because of the fact that there was
not enough stuff produced by the
stall holders to supply the demand
one or two were allowed to buy and
resell last season, but it is expected
that outside of meats this will not
be permitted this year.
The producers have sold over
three tons of bacon this winter be-
sides what was sold in the regular
meat stalls. Not only did the It'd
ings representative interview the
marketmaster, but he talked with
purchasers and with producers, and
all had the same story to tell, the
market benefited both.
An interview with various trades
men in other lines showed a large
preponderance of opinion in favor of
the market. The meat market men
strongly oppose it, as do some of the
grocers.
Before the opening of the market
the grocers were importing a large
portion of the green stuff sold in
Medford, because of the fact they
say, that they could not depend upon
the farmers to bring it to them regu-
larly. The producers, on the other
hand, declare that the Medford gro
GERS could have gotten all the stuff
they wanted had they been willing
to pay cash, but they wanted to pay
OILY in trade, and the hucksters
must have money for hardware, dry
goods, clothing, etc.
Mr.. and Mrs. ". NJ. Ford, who
have a stall, were among those in
terviewed at the market. They have
six-acre truck farm, and before
the market started were not making
expenses and were entirely discour-
aged. They find it profitable, even
though selling on a close margin,
and say were it not for the market
they would have to give up in de-
spair.
In speaking of the possibility of
the success of a market in Ashland,
Mr.. Runyard said that he would dis
courage the attempt to start a mar
ket unless there was a building built
for it and so arranged that the stalls
could each have an outside rear en-
trance, as often the producer could
not get his stuff in place until after
the hour for the opening of the mar
ket, and that it would be impracti-
cal to have them bringing it in
through the space reserved for the
buyers. He also emphasized the ne
cessity of having fer a marketmaster
some man who had had experience
in the mercantile business; a man
| capable not only of handbag men
but of gauging the amount of pro-
duce that can be disposed of from
day to day.
Another important question to be
settled he said, before the project
was launched, was whether or not
the farmers and market gardeners
were in favor of market and would
support it.
After watching the market for a
short time the Tidings man inter.
viewed several business men in vari-
Gus lines. While some were not en-
tirely satisfied with the conduct of
the enterprise, nearly everyone be-
lieved it helped the farmer and the
consumer, though admitting that in
some instances it hurt the meat mar
kets and the grocers. OF course the
packing houses are dead against the
market system as IL causes the home
raised meats to be sold in prefer
ence to Portland or eastern pack.
AS compensation to the business
men at large, it was said that the
market drew trade to Medford. Pro-
ducers who would naturally bring
their produce to Ashland and trade
Continued on Page Eight.)