Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-29
PUBLIC MARKET
/ PLAN SCORED AS
| WASTE OF FUNDS
The City Planning Commission
Voices Protest in Letter to
Mayor HaussIing.

The City Plan Commission again
voices its opposition to the expedi-
ture of 100000 for = public market
in a letter to Mayor Haussling sent
today. As it stated in previous COM
munications the commission still be-
lieves that public opinion does not
warrant the construction of a central
retail market. 1t charges the eX-
penditure for the erection of the mar
ket, an absolute and uncalled for
waste of the public funds"
The plan the commission favors
would be to dispose of the present
site and use the proceeds therefrom
to construct a wholesale auction mar
ket in the vicinity of the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad yards at South Broad
street. The communication, in part,
reads as follows:
Public markets are rapidly de-
clining in popularity and do not sue
cessfully fulfill their proper functions,
that is. to act as Jewellers of prices,
to sell commodities which are fresher,
cheaper and of greater variety. TO
buy cheaply in large quantities and
thus retail the commodities at re-
, duced prices. The Centre Market has
no railroad connection, an absolute
essential to a successful market. 1t
has no room for growth.
In the present market plan no
provision has been made for a farm
PRS market. This provision must
soon be made, and how? BY spend
ing many more thousands of dollars
of the public's money. The present
market is a public nuisance insight
W. insanitary and depreciates the
value of surrounding property, which
would otherwise be valuable. Here
are few figures from the first re-
Mort of this commission, which speak
or themselves:
The auditors report of the city of
wark shows a profit for the Centre
rket An analysis of the figures,
lever, shows that no account has
N taken of interest on the cost of
land and buildings. These are
raised at nearly 81 1000 900 Four
acent. on this equals 1000. This
ges the citv's profit of $4,000 into
If this PROP rty were disposed of,
the city woul have an additional
$4,000 a year taxes; furthermore
this property is extremely valua BILE
, for business purposes, and would I'M
doubtedly within very short time
be covered with at least a 81 900, 900
office building. This means another
$4,000 in taxes Furthermore, the
moment the market was removed all
of the surrounding property would
jump in value, so that it is safe to
count on at least another 500, 900 in
additional taxes. The total of these
four items shows that the city, in
stead of making money on this mar
ket, is the loser by 100000 to $40, 900
per year.
ssrlo I,ac+ a,,+tor;+;oe. ao,os 49, a. -
creation of wholesale terminal auction
markets is the rst step in the solu-
ton of the problem of properly dis
tributing commodities. The idea of
wholesale terminal markets is not
new. Its effectiveness lies in the fact
that it eliminates many unnecessary
\ steps. 1t does not introduce radical
changes in business methods. but
rather, gives business men the means
for more efficient service. Those
familiar with marketing conditions
agree that the methods now used in
handling foodstuffs from producer to
consumer are chaotic. There are in
Vulnerable middle men. This is be-
cause of lack of system. The whole
sale terminal market is the rst step
towards the systematizing of market
ing methods.
Consider the results which will ac-
crue from the present market policy
of the city, and contrast herewith
the results which would be obtained
by following policy similar to that
koutljned by the City Plan Commission.
On the one hand, at the expenditure
of 100000, there would be a new mar
ket building which would in nowise
afford better facilities to the citizen
public. Prices would be no cheaper
probably few more people would pat
ronize the market, and besides the
city would soon be called upon for
still another expenditure for farm
ers market.
On the other hand, by following a
policy similar to that suggested by
the City Plan Commission, we would
have wholesale terminal auction
market, which would eliminate the
profits of one or more mddlemen
with consequently cheapening of
foodstuffs; we would have a farmers
market, we would also have local re-
tail markets which would supply a
much greater percentage of the pop
@ulation than al present. And all this
at less cost to the city"