The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-31
COMPETITION KEEPS
BUTTER UP, THEY SAY
Big Dealers Deny Manipulation
Of Price Quotations to
Swell Profits.
RAILROADS EGG SMASHERS

Wholesale butter and egg dealers testi.
flying yesterday in the proceedings brought
by Attorney General Parsons In the mat
ter OF an alleged monopoly for tho manipu-
lation of butter and eggs prices were prac-
tically unanimous In asserting that com
petition is so keen by reason of the great
number of men In tho business that they
cannot be held responsible for high prices
At least one man thought II would DO q
good thing II the number of dealers could
be reduced by one-half.
Several egg handlers asserted that me
cost OF eggs 30 the consumer would be
lesscned IL fewer eggs were smashed by
railroad employees after they arrive At
terminals. and others expressed tho belief
that the Board OF Health condemns too
many eggs that are really At for food.
Walter l.. Fitch, president OF Fitch.
Cornell & Co OF 1915 Jay street, which
does gross business Of between $500
900 and $4,000. 900 a year, SO per cent Of
which Is In butter. said that a penny a
pound would be a fair profit on butter,
but tho average profit Is from y TO y
Of cent
The margin OF profit Ia far less than
It was four or Ave years ago" he said
Mr. Fitch said the parcel post hasn't
had any effect on the business. He didn't
believe the average producer Is competent
to manage the mechanism of the business,
and asserted his belief that the middlemaI.
Is absolutely essential to It's sucooss
Tho big packing house concerns" ne
said. are the most formidable competi-
tors we have. They have been In very
heavily In the past ten years New York
merchants can only use the New York
market The packers can use the whole
country. II New York is overstocked
they can send vheir surplus elsewhere
Their comprehensive organization gives
them big advantage over us. should
say they control 10 per cent. OF the
market"
MIR Fitch said the weekly receipts of
| eggs in New York amount to so, 900 or
10000 cases (thlrty dozen to a easel,
| and OF butter from 10000 to ~. 900 tubs.
THE supply" he said. SIS about equal
10 the demand"
Harry ID. Wheeler OF tho Harry Dowfs
Company. S3t Greenwich street. said q
large percentage OF wastage in eggs 10 due
to the extremely rough handling of rail-
road employees at New York terminate
II viii continue. he said, as long as cnsea
or eggs are handled as II they were ftlled
with pig iron. The average loss by this
| kind OF breakoge, he said. Is nine eggs In
| a case OF thirty dozen.
are occasionally heard In the trade as to
| ma rket quotations, and added: when
anybody's corns are stepped on there's
sure to be a holler." Asked what remedy
he could suggest TO help the egg business
he said: ''I'd reduce the number of egg
| people by half"
Harry T. Nichols of Nichols Bros, 1856
Reade street, testified In tho morning that
| eggs bought from the producer at rs cents
dozen would probably bring 40 cents
when sold to the consumer The same
| eggs might fetch 40 cents in certain parts
OF the city and so cents in another, he
| said.
| The hearing will be continued on Mon
| day morning at II o'clock.
Reduction In the prices OF foodstufYs
was noticeable yesterday in The Bronx.
Butter which had sold for 81 cents n
| pound for practically two months could
| be bought Cor 80 cents. Coffee was re-
duced by grocers from three cents to four
| cents a pound.
| Director George r. Brensinger of the
| Jersey City Board OF Commissioners dem
| onstrated that he knows something about
| Jamming down the high cost OF living
Yesterday when under his direction three
tons of fresh fish were disposed OF in less
than 1--WE hours AZ the new public markets
| Weakfsh was sold at six cents pound,
| buttertish at Ave and ling at four cents a
| pound.