The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-11-15
Too Many Terminals.

ance.
Too Many Terminals.
The general fault, it has been found
is the existence of numerous termin-
ais separated from each other and
from the wholesale store district or
districts. In some instances as many
as score of separate terminals exist
in a city. Shipments from given
dealer may arrive at a number of
these terminals on the same day, ne
cessitating much more costly carriage
or the employment of more. sales
men than would be necessary if but
a single terminal for perishables ex-
listed and the wholesale dealer Dad his
store located conveniently to it.
Every extra handling, every square of
extra carriage, and every additional
salary paid increases the labor cost
of marketing, which must come at
Of the margin between the producers
selling price and the consumers buy
ing price. The extra handling, the
jolting due to long hauls, often over
rough cobblestone streets, and the de-
lay in getting the produce into the
retail trade channels greatly increase
the losses due to bruising and decay
of perishables, and so add further to
the marketing costs.
The aggregate losses and additions
to marketing costs, due to inefficient
terminal facilities, are so great in the
average large city that market spe-
cialists believe that it would be fea-
sible plan in many instances for the
communities to promote and finance
separate terminal for perishables
which would be connected with all
railroads entering the city. Such
terminal might be built especially for
the purpose or might be obtained by
securig an existing railroad yard and
warehouse which could be opened to
the receipt of all railroads. 1t is also
desirable where perishables enter a
city by both rail and water that the
terminal be established at a point
convenient to both water and rail
transportation facilities. A still more
complete arrangement would call for
a wholesale farmers market near by,
at which could be assembled produce
brought from the surrounding coun-
try by wagons.
Terminal facilities of the type out
lined might be owned by municipal
ties, railroad companies, private cor
porations, or associations of dealers.
At present terminals even approach
ing in from those described exist in
only very few cities of the country.
Agencies in many cities, however,
have taken up study of the local
marketing situations with a view to
centralizing and otherwise improving
terminal facilities for perishables.
In this work the Office of Markets is
cooperating with several of these
local agencies and communities.
Public Markets in Cities.
Study has also been devoted by the
Office to the facilities which have been
provided in cities for direct marketing
by farmers who haul their produce by
wagon, and to marketing facilities
perishable food products in general
conducted more especially for the
benefit of the consumer. Such facil-
tiles, known generally as public mar
kets, have been furnished in some
form, it has been found, in nearly 200
of the 584 cities of more than 10000
population existing in the country.
Three types usually are recognized
the farmers retail curb or shelter
market; the farmers wholesale curb
or shelter market; and the public in
closed or booth market.
Farmers retail markets often con-
sist only of designated sections of a
street on which farmers assemble
with their wagons of miscellaneous
farm produce and sell in small a.
mounts directly to the consumers who
come there to buy. The more perma-
nent farmers retail markets, however
are located on plots of ground set
aside for the purpose and fitted with
substantial sheds, under which the