New-York tribune., 1914-11-23
PERKINS URGES
A MARKET BUREAU
Marks Against a New De-
partment with Its Own
Commissioners.
SAYS PLAN WOULD
BE TOO EXPENSIVE
Committees Of Mayor and Bor-
ough President Differ on
Food Supply Control.

y marked difference OF opinion as TO
the most practical way Of handling the
open market question in this city Is
expressed in reports issued yesterday
by George W. Perkins, chairman OF
the Mayors committee on food sup.
ply, and by Borough President Marcus
NJ. Marks. chairman of the Board of
Estimate committee on markets.
In the Perkins communication the
committee, in its report 10 Mayor
Mitchell, strongly recommends that the
markets be centralized in some one
board or department, while the Bor-
ough Presidents committee is Of
opinion that a proper market policy
should be determined for each borough
OF tho city, and that each Borough
President should be charged with the
responsibility OF developing markets
and their administration in his own
borough. Il IS with this end in view
that the committee mas decided to pre-
pare market bill for tho next session
Of the Legislature.
The Mayors committee report favors
n board or department that would be
responsible and invested with broad
enough powers TO eradicate existing
antiquated methods and install new.
up TO date, more economical and ef-
hcient methods, along the lines OF the
reports of this committee and the
many excellent accommodation made
IN the report heretofore submitted by
the Mayors market commission. OF
which Cyrus c. Miller was chairman" !"
Advocates Of the new market bill
arc opposed TO the establishment of
Department Of Markets. which would
take away the power OF the Borough
Presidents In the maintenance and de-
veiopment of markets, claiming that
TO authority is closer 20 the needs OF
the people in each borough than the
borough President himself.
Marks Predicts Delay.
Borough President Marks, speaking
OF the proposed administrative powers
Of oDen markets, said:
personally, J believe that tho e.
tabNshment OF sO-called Department
Of Markets, with n number Of commits
sloners, appointed by the Mayo, would
involve the city IN an expenditure of
at least 100000 q year, and that such
commissioners would require several
months. II not years, 20 prepare de-
tails Of specifications and plans, and
IN the mean time there would be no
new markets 20 supervise and admin
lister.
For this and other reasons, an
opposed 70 such department, and /
believe Tho Board Of Estimate should
be CHARGED with this responsibility.
with full power TO act. The policy
and programme should be determined
by a market board consisting Of the
Borough Presidents or their represen-
t-t,ves, with superintendents and other
employees under their jurisdiction. In
this way only q nominal expense would
be incurred by the city for a proper
plan and existing markets could be
supervised and developed at 2 very
low cost.
THE jurisdiction Of the Board Of
Aldermen should be continued as at
present the right TO grant franchises
20 remain with the Board OF Estimate.
Il am not in sympathy with those
who believe that market terminals
alone, without proper retail distrib
utipg centres, will suffice, nor do |
believe that open markets are the only
needed remedy. As a matter Of fact,
each is a complement Of the other,
and both Gre necessary to protect the
best interests OF the consumer"
Market Success Proved.
President Marks, in his attempt TO
thoroughly perfect the open markets,
has written TO the Philippines, as is
shown in a reply he received from the
Governor General The reply shows
there are forty-two such market build
irgs which have been running for from
one to twenty-nine months. In addi-
tion, there are forty-three in course
of construction, with plans and prepa-
rations for thirty more. The markets
are a great success, from Il sanitary
and financial or revenue-producing
standpoint, according to the Governor
General.
II was said at the Office of the Bor-
ough Presidents that Daniel W. Blu
menthal. Of 35 Nassau St, had offered
enough free property at College Point
for the use of an open market there.
Several similar offers, it was said, had
been made.
Public cold storage facilities, proper
fish markets and facilities rendered for
retail dealers so that they can obtain
their goods in fresh condition and
II the lowest possible cost are the
essential recommendations made in the
report for better conditions by the
Mayors Food Supply Committee.