The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-09-12
SERVICE CHARGE
RAISES GROWLS
Delivery Regulation Subjected
To Much Criticism.From
Local Buyers

Local delivery charges of 10 cents
per delivery service Instituted by gro
Gerry stores and meat markets, effec-
tive September l, has met with not
little opposition on the part of the
consuming public who, hold the opin-
ion that the charge is another step to-
ward increasing the high cost of living.
At the Commercial club meeting last
Tuesday evening, Jess Gowan bitterly
arraigned the dealers who inaugurated
the charge, alleging that the action
was incompatible and inconsistent
with the conduct of the stores during
the war.
Mr.. Gowen was food administrators
of this distric. during hostilities and
at one time endeavored to induce local
merchants to utilize the cash and
carry" system. Objection, according
to Mr.. Gowen, on the part of the
grocerymen to the plan necessitated
compromise involving the installation
of the one delivery per day system
which has been in vogue ever since.
Mr.. Governs contention was that if
the grocerymen were acting in the
interests of the public walfare at that
time, their recent action cannot be so
construed.
Hits Popular Chord.
That the opposition to the chargt
is generally prevalent is evidenced by
the reception given a humorous re-
mark made by DIR. Cole at the soldier
celebration events of Wednesday
afternoon at Memorial park. DR.. Cole,
in speaking for the returned service
men, remarked that many problems
of serious nature face service men,
among them being the local grocery
charge. His sally met with spontan-
eous burst of applause whose volume
was limited solely by the number OF
people present.
If local grocerymen intended that
the delivery charge should induce the
carry system, they surely have rea-
son to congratulate themselves on the
results obtained. Delivery wagons.
once taxed to capacity, are now
source of joy to their drivers, because
their labor has declined materially.
At least one local meat market has
abolished the 10 cent charge. Most
persons who order meat daily did so
in small amounts sufficient for only
meal or two. In effect, the delivery
| charge amounted to about rs per
cent increase in the cost of that staple
which naturally was strenuously OBJ
jected to.
Peddlers on Job.
Immediately following the enforce
ment of the delivery charge, meat
peddlers, quick to realize the advant-
age offered by this opportunity, seized
upon it by obtaining city licenses
| which permitted them to sell meat
| from house to house in Caldwell. They
Immediately did thriving business.
Other merchants, not involved in the
arrangement also took advantage of
the opportunity to advertise that they
would be only too glad to make anxil-
larry deliveries of such grocery needs
as their patrons desired, making spec
ial trips to grocery stores to accom-
modate the trade.
Irate family men upon whose pocket
books the new regime fell most heavi-
ly, adopted various measures to COM
bat the allegedly unfair position taken
by local dispensers of necessities.
| Negotiations were Immediately under
taken with Nampa grocery stores in
an effort to obtain special service
| for local consumers who organized
groups of purchasers from Junction
City stores. Other groups of local
people were formed into cooperative
buying parties which employed their
private cars in rotation to haul group
orders from Aeighboring towns.
Grocerymen contend that when the
system has proven its merit, recreases
in the price of groceries to partially,
| if not fully, compensate purchasers for
j the extra service charge inflicted upon
them. Public sentiment, however, ap-
parently holds the opinion that there
i ;s little ncca sion to exnect material