The Washington times., 1918-05-18
ARE FISH AND.
OYSTER MEN.
ORGANIZED FOR.
PROF|TEER|NG?.
BY BILL PRICE.

view OF the fact that the new munich
pal hsh market Will be ready for
occupancy about June /, may ask the
department OF Justice TO investigate
charges that FISH, oyster. and crab
supplies from the lower Potomac and
Chesapeake bay are controlled by a
weIl-organized combination which
deliberately holds the supplies down
That prices may be kept up.
Many Washington dealers in these
aquatic foods deny that there is any
such combination. but at river points
between here and Chesapeake bay the
vatermen who engage in fishing,
oystering. and Grabbing have often
told their Washington friends who
90 fishing and Grabbing with them in
the summer season that there is a
combination that ought 10 be broken
uD by the Government.
Does Combination ExIstf
The charges especially apply TO the
grabbing industry, but the plans fol
lowed in that are about the same as
employed in oystering and fishing. At
AL lower river points are middlemen
- no buy the crabs caught by the
fishermen during the Grabbing season.
Tnese men convert the crabs into
'-ab meat OF ship them TO Washing
IN. Baltimore, or other points.
The claim is that there is general
understanding among them not to
D.. .rmiL the Washington market or
.,her markets TO become overloaded
- the point of bringing about q re-
lection in the stif prices they have
greed shall be maintained through
ut a season. Whens crabs show evi-I
nee OF becoming exceedingly plen-
iiful and the Crabbers begin to turn
= many barrels to the dealers, they
IRE told not TO do any more Grabbing
until instructed, thus enabling a dis
t-ibution OF supplies that will hold
urices at the tOpmOst rounds The
,ame is TO enable members OF the
combination in this city and else
there 10 put up the usual talk about
..rabs being exceedingly scarce and
1lmost impossible 10 get. There are
lines. il is admitted. when these crus-
'acesns are scarce. but it is not con
unUoUs.
Sometimes It IL True.
That's the song the public has din
ned into its ears every time the people
seek to make purchases. Sometimes
is true; at other times il is false,
because there has been manipulation
"f supplies somewhere to hold them
DOWN 10 a minimum
The Potomac and Chesapeake Bay
dealers who are alleged TO he part
0f the combination. keep in close
touch with their allies in Washington
As to supplies and act accordingly
Few crab fishermen engage in the in
iustry to the extent OF shipping their
catches direct to the markets They
arc transients at the business and go
L. the local dealer with a half barrel
"T more OF crabs. He has facilities
Tor handling. knows how to do il to
avoid spelling while in transit. pays
prices to the fishermen he considers
proper, and profiteerinE on the public
is easy. The fishermen. with their
small boats, do not dare lake supplies
1u him unless he gives the nod. be-
'suse they have nowhere else to go
Inr a market.
The situation as to oysters is some
what the same. although there are a
number OF oystermen who work inde-
pendently and have boats large
enough to bring their catches to this
city without disposing OF them to mia
dlemen. These independents, though,
are said 10 be only a small percentage
~ the total who dredge from small
boats and are compelled to sell TO the
m.ddlemen. who in turn ship to the
city markets.
What New Fish Market IL.
The new municipal fish marhet j.
not exactly what its name might i'm
ply The District government will not
buy Z sell fish. oysters. crabs. and
game. as some OF the officials hope
81 ~ be the case some time in the fu-
'uro II Is intended TO give a modern.
sanitary fish market where the public
can obtain these foods under most
sAnitsry conditions The building .
Equipment and Improvements TO the .
grounds have cost Sl%5 900
The building is located on Water
street. Al the foot OF Eleventh street
southw west. and may be reached by
tho cars Of the capital Traction or
Washington RAILWAY and Electric .
hes There are fWcnty-fuur stores .
o. stalls in the structure. and a mod
'~n rerrigerating plant - installed .
to keep the glass show cases cool. Z
May Result in Cheaper Fish.
The niEfF5c. royerumeUr will rent