The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-03-28
CITY MARKETS.

inspector, seems to have hit the mai
on the head in his proposal to form {
consumers league to make the munici
pal markets a success.
The experiences of other cities in the
matter of markets have not always beer
encouraging. Municipal markets have
been established, have flourished for q
time and have declined to base uses, OF
have disappeared utterly. 1t is not al
ways possible to predict what cities
will grow great, neither is it possible
to predict what markets will thrive.
The market problem is not the same
as it was years ago, and the state hor-
ticultural inspector is seeking a way
to adapt markets to new conditions.
In the old days the housewife went to
market with basket on her arm. The
fact that the market was half a mile
or even two miles away from her home
did not discourage her. She went pa.
tiently about tho work and returned
home well pleased with her economies.
In these days Of luxury, however, the
housewife has not the patience nor the
inclination, especially in the winter
months, to patronize municipal market
when she can have her goods delivered
at her door without any greater trouble
to herself than call over the tele.
phone. The cost of delivery is the
tradesman's g chief expense, and neces-
sarily the goods must bring him much
higher price than if he sold for cash
without delivery.
The municipal markets can be utilized
with ease and comfort by those who
possess automobiles, but this is not the
class they are primarily designed to
attract. Housewives living q mile or
two from municipal market will not
patronize it, especially in bad weather,
unless some means is found to make de-
livery easy.
The city commissioners have consid-
cred the problem iudicially. They have
obtained information from various cities
where markets have been established
and they have come to the conclusion
that two markets are better than one.
1t is now proposed to establish mar
kets of an experimental rather than a
permanent type, SO that the disposition
Of the people may be tested adequately
and the way left open for improve
ments suggested by experience. This
is as it should be, and the public may
expect to see a successful system of
markets established.
Realizing that modern conditions mill
tate against the success of markets, Mr.
Taylor proposes Il method of minimlz-
ing these unfavorable conditions and he
suggests a plan for the delivery of
goods. His consumers league would en-
ploy purchasing agent. The only
equipment would be an office and tele.
phone. Delivery, he believes, could be
made by the package delivery system.
Evidently Mr.. Taylor's plan has not
yet been worked out in the necessary
detail, but there is little doubt that a
proper modus operandi can. be devised
The main consideration is economy. II
almost goes without saying that n de-
livery system which does not reduce the
prices Of goods radically, as compared
with the prices now charged by the re.
tailers, will not be of any assistance to
the municipal markets. And yet a de.
livery system would seem to be neces.
sary if the markets are to bo patronized
properly.
In a curious work entitled tVoyags
Aux Etats Unis,' By Morcau de Saint
Merry, which has just come to hand from
the Yale University Press, and which is
published in the original French, we
are supplied with brief description Of
the market places in Philadelphia Mt
the end of the eighteenth century. A
translation of the passage is as fol-
lows:
Philadelphia has for It's inhabitants
tnree markets. one In the center and
one each in the northern and south
ern suburbs. The great market OF
Philadelphia Is not surpassed in the
sale OF beef. veal and mutton by any
except London-hall. and admits no su-
peri9r In hsh except the New York
market One here fnds displayed all
Kinds OF commodities and objects OF
manufacture. II occupies the don
Keys back OF the street OF that
name. extending from First or Front
street TO the western end of Fourth
street 1t is built OF brick with 400
pillars. 30 that the fresh air clrcu-
lates very freely In all directions The
two sides OF the donkey's back form
spacious roads for the passage OF
wagons. while Second and Third
streets are left free for the coming
and going OF the public.
The goods on display here always
In round and appetzing forms Dur
ing the summer the dealers contin-
uaily Sive away the fiies and refresh
tne goods with canvas dampened or
Ti...