The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-25
FARMERS WANT
 ADMINISTRATION
 TO KEEP PLEDGE
Market Gardeners Assert City Fathers Are Not Pro-
 tecting Them.
FARMERS ALLIANCE
 TO MEET OFFICIALS
Claim is Made That Favored Few Are Allowed to Sell
 Produce in Street.

Claiming that administration prom lses' have not been kept after the establishment of a naarket-place in thls city, when the city officials tried the scheme and lamentably failed on the oay Of its inception, the Bridge port Farmers' Alliance have protested 10 the city officials and at a confer ence 10 be held next Monday will air their grievances.
 At the meeting will be Mayor Will son, President Stanley of the police board and Lieut.. Charles Wheeler in charge of traffic. representing the city. and Patrick Callahan, Peter Aldo. Herbert Sniffin and George B. Cham- perlain, representing the garden truck growers of this section.
 The situation which has become tense in this city owing to alleged out side interference of vegetable specula- tors resulted in vote of the associa- ton being taken to ask for injunction proceedings against outside interests. Before application was made to the superior court Mayor Wilson consent ed to hear the grievances of the or ganization against what is termed
 inadequate police protection"
 As outlined by Louis Aldo, a well known vegetable grower of this city. superintendent of the market orssa lot owned by the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad at the corner of Wall and Water streets, the situation is this:
 The situation attempted over a year ago to establish market places for gardeners in Bridgeport. Several lots were laid aside for the purpose On the opening day only one peddler put in an appearance to sell his produce.
 From all sections of Fairfield coun- ty farmers and truckmen have come to Bridgeport during the early morn ing hours and in many instances their teams have been a source of traffic obstruction on Main street and else- where.
 It was recently proposed by the mayor that if the farmers would form an association and hire a lot they would be given police protection. The proposition was accepted and the lot taken from the New Haven road at an expense of about $1z5 per month. Members, now numbering more than AS were required to pay s5 per annum or 50 cents for every team driven on the lot. The officers of the alliance are Herbert Sniffin, Stratford, president; T. W. Ryan, Stratford, treasurer; H. P. Beers, Fairfield, secretary. Other promin- ent farmers from Bridgeport and the surrounding towns belonging to the organization are Arnold Hull, Edward Pease, Fred Jennings Howard Martin, George B. Wheeler, NV. A. Bulkley. Arthur w. Taylor, Fred R. Wilcox William Dorsey. J. LAbdell, Charles Kane, Michael Robstock, J. W. Ward.
 The plan worked extremely well. The only restriction was that each vendor must be an actual producer. It is alleged that when the scheme was found to be successful, coterie of To- cal peddlers, strong in votes, came upon the lot When it was found that they were merely speculating, their fees were refused and they were asked to vacate the premises.
 This they refused to do, and 1t Is said by the association officers that police privilege was given them to hawk from their carts in front of the property in violation of the ordin- ances and against the express prom ise of Mayor Wilson.
 Several minor fights have marked the discord which today resulted In conference with an attorney looking towards the application for an in- junction restraining the opposition from peddling goods in front Of rne premises hired by the association. This step was postponed upon the arrange- ment of meeting with the city oh- cials.
 The police version of the affair, as outlined by Lieut.. Wheeler. Is to tne effect that the association members have attempted to restrict trade oy formulating high prices for the pro- duct which spectators can truck rom New Haven and sell cheaper.
 This statement in turn is offset py explanation that the cheaper goods are also cheaper in quality.