The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-23
DENIES INITIATION
OF PRICE OF EGGS
superintendent Of Mercantile
Exchange Testifies at Inquiry
Into Alleged Monopoly.
NEWS OF CITY MARKETS

r. q. Henry. superintendent of the New
York Mercantile Exchange since 1890.
faced Deputy Attorney General Franklin
Kennedy yesterday in proceedings brought
by Attorney General James A. Parsons
under the Donnelly antitrust act 20 IN
vestgate an alleged monopoly charged
with manipulating food prices, partcu-
larly those of butter and eggs. The IN
quiry Is directed In the main against tho
New York Mercantile Exchange and
against tho principal cold storage con-
Germs and packing houses.
The Attorney General had alleged in
his petition TO Justice Ford that tho New
York Mercantile Exchange as not main
| tained for the purpose OF bona fide trad
Ing In butter, eggs and cheese" but Il
nothing more or less than daily CON
| ference OF big dealers ito test the Arm
| ness OF the market and disseminate in
formation or transformation, as tho case
| may be-
by concert OF action among the mem
bers." he said "the exchange possesses
| the power to initiate or depress prices"
The Pro iucerS' Price Current, published
by tho Barry Company. he added
plays an important part in the arrange
| ment by publishing each afternoon the
price OF eggs that is accepted as a mat
| ter OF fact as tho Wholesale price gov
ernlng the market In the city OF New York
| for that day"
| When asked by Mr.. Kennedy for def
| milton OF a merchantable egg Mr.. Henry
| made this classic reply: "Ono that Ia
sweet and eatable one without past"
Mr.. Henry denied absolutely and en-
| phatically" that the exchange has any
arrangement whatever with the Urner-
Barry Company as to tho prices quoted
in It's publication. He insisted that the
Pr1oe Current Is not "a price fixing de-
vice" and that the members are not obli-
gated to use the prices.
| Mr.. Kennedy asked II Mr.. Henry didn't
| believe egg receivers have attempted TO
influence tho Urner- Barry Company to
publish false quotations. and tho superin-
| tendent replied II don't believe any
body could influence the r-Barry peo-
pie"
The Investigation will continue to-day.
| Tho second report OF the Mayors COM
mittee on food supply. made public yes
! terday by George W. Perkins. its chair
man, dealt with recommendations for n
| criminal market on the Wallabou; Market
lands in Brooklyn and tho establish
ment OF a fish market in another part OF
Wallabout Market The details OF both
projects have been published in THE Sun
| The report said In part "A great
/ deal has been said about the Importance
OF having farmers In the Immediate
| neighborhood drive into the city and
market their supplies direct 10 the con-
sumer. This Is good as far as II goes
but land adjacent to New York IL high
In price and produce cannot possibly be
| raised on II. hauled into New York by
| wagon or truck and sold as cheaply as
produce that il raised on cheaper land
| further away and hauled 10 New York
by freight or express Furthermore. II
all the farmers in the immediate neigh
borhood OF this city were 20 market their
supplies direct 10 the consumer, and II
the number of such farmers were In
creased tenfold. they would provide less
such foodstufs consumed annually In
Greater New York.
The high cost OF our food supply In
New Yark city is not due primarily TO
freight rates or express rates II Is not
due to any appreciable extent, 20 the
cost Of raising the food or obtaining II
from those who do raise Il. II is largely
due 10 the waste that occurs because of
the lack OF proper terminal facilities for
unloading and handling II here in New
York the expense and waste that occurs
in handling and transporting II from the
terminal facilities TO the retailer. and
again the expense and waste that occurs
In handling and transporting II from the
retailer 10 tho consumer.
Oueensboro Bridge market has decided
4 70 hold nnOfner bargain Gay on ChluruHN,
and the following are some OF the special
prices:
Farm Productivity barrels OF pota-
toes at 75c bushel; 200 heads OF cab
bage at &c. head 500 punches OF rhu-
barb at &c. a bunch caulihower at &c
a head string and butter beans, 2hc
quart; beets and carrots, 8 punches
for &c.
Fruits-Lares grapefruit. FOR 2oo
Florida oranges. 35c. dozen Concord
grapes. snc, a pound; good eating pears
So. a dozen (; fancy apples. $50 boxes al
10c. a dozen.
, Meets-lOo boxes fresh killed broiler'
! and roasting chickens. 1sc. pound 10,
900 genuine roasting chickens. l6c' a
pound 500 pounds smoked California
hams, 1910 pound sirlo'n and por
terhouse steak 10 NC. n pound
other prices-200 pounds OF butterine
oac. a pound +: 800 dozen best brown egss
3Oc. a dozen; 1900 pounds fresh klief
. poultry. 15c. pound; 500 pounds dr'
Wicked fowl, 1sc. n pound zoo pound'
. smoked special Columbia River salmon
Q 15c. pound 100 pounds best ElgiI
( creamery butter. 34c a pound.