Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-28
BY IMOGEN B. OAKLEY

on Septenber 90, 1864, an ordinance
was approved which makes 1t unlawful TO
sell or expose for sale Mt any place within
the city, any blown, stale or unwholcsome
provisions"
This ordinance. which is OF vital I'M
portance to the public health, Is violated
every day by hundreds of Erocers and by
pushcart venders without number
When foodstuffs are exposed to the
dust of our streets, they are soon covered
with all sorts of filth, flies settle on them,
and in very few hours they become
blown and unwholesome."
Quite recently n chemical analysis was
made of the crust of cake which was
offered for sale by a pushcart vender.
The analysis showed that the person who
would have eaten the cake had 1t not
fallen into the hands of the chemist, would
have consumed also the following deli
cacies:
Sand and coal dust.
Dsintegrated braE fragments.
Human hair.
Bits of cotton and of linen fibre
Straw. partly disintegrated.
Bits Of vegetable matter. such as is found
in street sweepinss
Bits Of wood and paper.
Particles Of Iron rust.
This was an exceptionally good record
for an uncovered cake. for chemists have
found on most of the uncovered food
stuffs bits of the eXcreta OF dogs and
horses and various unpleasant germs
from the sputum which men eXpectorate
upon the sidewalk in the exercise of what
they seem to think the highest privilege
of American citizenship.
Spring brings with it the most fragrant
violations of this ordinance, for perl
patetic venders go up and down the streets
selling Strawberries that are cOnsplcu-
ously blown, stale and unwholesome' and
also Extensively dirty. l have seen only
too often a vender sitting on the edge
of his pushcart, or on the curbstone IL the
cart be lacking, picking the berries over
with his unwashed hands, and throwing
into the street those that were so entirely
decayed that their condition could not be
concealed. This absolutely objectionable
disregard of the laws of health and clean
liness goes on all over the city during the
berry and fruit season.
The street venGers VINO shout and yell
as they offer their wares break two laws
when their stock in trade consists Of
dirty fruit or vegetables; first, the city
ordinance which forbids the sale of stale
or unwholesome food. and second, the act
of Legislature of April 21, 1880, which
declares that mo person with or without
a license" shall sell or offer for sale any
possible kind of merchandise "as hawker
or pedder." by outcry" in any part Of
this Commonwealth under penalty of $50
fine.
This act of the Legislature has never
been repealed, consequently the shrieking
and bowling of street Yepders which wake
us in the morning and assault our weary
ears all day are absolutely against the
law.
A number of women in a crowded tene-
ment district asked me once If At would
not be possible to silence the shouts of
the street vendors. 'They wake up our
babies" their said. "and prevent the men
who work at night from getting their
necessary sleep by day" But you buy
from these venders," 1 said, and how
shall they announce their com!ng?" I'VE
will put cards In our. windows" they an
swered. (which will let the vendors know
as they come along that coal. ice, fruit or
vegetables are needed. No screaming
will be necessary and our time and the
time of the vendors will be saved"
This plan happens to be the very one
resorted TO in Boston and other New Eng
land cities where the yelling of street vend-
ers is not tolerated. The Department of
Public Safety knows quite well that vend-
ers must conduct their business without
outcries, and a few particularly noisy
Yenders have been silenced on complaint.
Mr.. English, when Director of Public
Safety, notified street peddlers that the
right to sell does not include the right to
yell" Neither does the right to sell in
elude the right TO offer to needless public
dirty and decayed provisions