New-York tribune., 1919-08-22
Chance to Cut Down High
Living Cost Brings Huge
Crowds of Customers to
So School Sales Depots
800 Tons of Goods
Are Carried Away
Trucks Are Overworked
in Deliveries to Stations:
Average Purchase Is So

New York City sold army food at
the rate of $4,000 worth an hour for
sys hours yesterday as thousands of
consumers, hungry for food at 20 per
cent and more below the prevailing
market prices, stormed the fifty-three
sales depots.
approximately 100000 pounds of
assorted foodstuffs, chiefly vegetables,
we're carried off by some 10000 per-
spiring but satisfied householders. The
heat failed to retard the grand often
sive against the high cost of living
Many grocerymen had an unexpectedly
cool day, as noticeable portion of
their customers joined in the assault
on the public schools which served as
temporary sales depots.
Lighters May Be Utilized
DR.. Jonathan c. Day, Commissioner
Of Markets, and his deputy, Edwin J.
0'Maley, declared the amount of sales
Was limited only by the inability Of
tie loo trucks adequately to supply the
sales stations. Dr. Day announced it
would probably be necessary to trans
port the food on lighters from Port
Newark, the army supply base at Fifty
seventh Street, Brooklyn, and Bush
Terminal, both of which are on the
water front. The goods would be un-
loaded at point equidistant from
three or four schools, and the auto
trucks would be required to make only
short haul
At yesterdays rate of sale. twenty
five days will be required to dispose
Of the first 4o0 carloads ordered bv
Inc city. The total cost of these goods
IS approximately S1,500OCO. The city
mas ordered also 1900 carloads in ad-
ditlon to this order. but Captain A. A.
stewart, zone surplus property officer
Tor this zone, is OF the opinion that
Ihe second order cannot be filled for
Eore than month. Additional stores
Of foodstuffs must be declared surplus
by the War Department before the
rlty can obtain the 200 carloads, Cap
tain Stewart said.
To-day TO BE Soup Dav
Officials supervising the sale be-
lleve to-day's receipts will be even
greater than those Of yesterday. Af-
ter the deDots we're closed, at I o'clock
trucks continued to make deliveries,
assuring ample stocks on hand to-day
The late deliveries consisted chiefly of
canned soups, and these will be offered
to the eager housewives during the
forenoon.
A comparatively small portion of the
bacon was delivered to the schools yes
'erday, but it IS expected that this
commodity will be delivered this after
noon. Canned meats were not so plen-
uful as canned vegetables in most of
the schools, bat the demand for them
was not nearly so keen.
Deputy Commissioner O'Nalley said
condensed milk would be placed on sale
IN large quantities to-day. He called
me purchasing public's attention to the
'en,pound cans of corn syrup being
sold for as cents The announce
ment at the various sales depots that
lam, which was to sell at % cents, was
Hot available to the city, was greeted
WIN disappointment.
Erasmus Hall High School Leader
Peas, NO. cans, at II cents, to-
mnatoes, one pound, two ounce cans, at
" cents, and pork and beans, No /, at 5
cents. had thousands of admirers, as-
pecla!ly IN Brooklyn. The race for the
greatest total Of sales was necl. and
necS between Erasmus Hall High School.
N brooklyn, and De Witt Clinton High.
nepury Commissioner O O'Malley said he
mought the former was the victor,
WIN IN sales total of S1,515.
Inc average purchase of single
.ustomer was estimated at 50. They
l';anged from the cents paid by one
m.sie Italian woman for can of pork
ano Beans In an East Side School to
-ue seven cases of assorted canned
soods carried off in limousine by a
'us.omer S, at Erasmus Hall High School.
me purchasers were used to elimin-
ave dealers. The policemen at the sta
s,yhs repeatedly would ask the room
sul OF customers whether they recog-
.s a..ea any of those present as corner
grocerymen.
, W Day sand yesterday the city
"ou.a be unable to handle the supplies
w. " roasting chickens, pork loins and
bsa',oh ,sa held by the army because of
bs be lack OF storage facilities. He said
AZ 10 endeavoring to enlist butchers to
fna, III the distribution by selling the
ths WIN only enough margin to cover
'Ae actual handling.
Wild Rush for Blankets
me distribution of army blankets
WIN WIN Fer ~, East River, the foot of
sssa an street, was attended by wild
msn snes yesterday. Two mounted police
Gu sa were required to drive back the
Il"os which attempted to rush the
NY ss Depot. More than $4,000 blankets
jss.s j.s distributed, Captain Stewart said
Ss. night. He and Captain J. r. Heb
srd ssdInwaite, waite, IN charge of transportation
ins nnance, contrived a plan of check
v,enp e up and delivering blankets pre-
snMSiy ordered which enabled the
ssH st a. force to take IN more than
hlsvmapain Stewart said the supply of
tItsnets IN this zone is exhausted, but
~ new supplies are expected daily.
ina total receipts from the army
sS sale IN Long Island City were
T1sfe1e, 1T was announced last night.
s&y sale was held in BRYANT High