New-York tribune., 1919-09-05
Will Take Over Task of
Distribution at Cost of
Overhead Charges, Presi-
dent of Association Saws
Government Prices High
80 Cents per Pound Asked.
While Some Dealers Are
Selling 1t at 25 Cents

Charles Grismer. president of the
New York State Master Butchers AS
sociation and member Of Food Ad-
ministrator Arthur Williams's fair
price committee, announced last night
that the members of his association
are prepared to take over the govern
ment surplus supplies of poultry and
meats and sell them in their stores at
q margin to cover the overhead cost.
Deputy Markets Commissioner Edwin
]. O'Malley communicated with Mr.
Grsmer yesterday and Informed him
that the city would assume RESPONSE
bility to the army for the disposal of
the goods if Mr.. Grismcr and his as
sociates would handle them.
Mr.. O'Malley said it would practi-
cally be impossible for the city to sell
poultry at the sales depots now in
operation. Cold storage facilities are
lacking, he pointed out, making it nee
essary to dispose of the poultry with
in forty eight hours after it is deliv-
cred.
Another impediment to the city's
y '
said. "is the aversion of the average
housewife to cleaning chickens. The
army poultry is packed away, just as
all cold storage poultry is, wtho out be-
ing drawn.
Could Sell Wholesale Only
1--WE could, of course, sell cases of
poultry along wholesale lines to inst
tutions, hotels and restaurants. We
hot IL =
workingmen should be afforded an op-
portunity of obtaining some of each
kind Of this surplus army food
Mr.. O'Malley notified Captain J. R.
Hebblethwaite in charge of fnanc =
and transportation of the zone surplus
property Office here, that New York
City would make substantial pur-
chase Of poultry. Captain Hebbe-
thwaite said last night that the army S
price at present is 32 cents poun1.
According to Mr.. Grismer and other
butchers, this price is higher than that
asked by many of the wholesalers with
large stocks on hand
The agitation directed against al
legged hoarders has resulted IN gen
eral decline in the price of poultry
holdings.' Mr.. Grismer said Some
of the poultry was put in storage at "a
cents a pound, but is now available for
% cents.
The government should take into
consideration the shrinkage on cold
storage poultry. There is between one
pound and half and two pounds los.
through evaporation in each fifty
pound box
Will Set Lower Price
Mr. O'Malley and Mr.. Grismer prob
ably viii meet tomorrow to pcricc.
the details Of the plan for Jointly
comparison Of the governments prices
and those Of dealers with cold storage
holuings viii be made eno the govern
ing sales board Of the War Depart
nncnt will be asked to modify its quo
tations if the dealers prices arc lower
The butchers will charge fixed price
fixed by Mr.. O'Malley and M. Grisn' er
This probably VII be from .wo to four
cents higher tran the governme ut :
p"icV.
More than $4,000 worth of food was
sold at the seventy public schools used
as sales depots for army supplies yes
terday. Wednesdays receipts were
S57.O0O Acting Markets Commits ssionel
William H. Smith said last night that
the sales were limited only by the lack
of supplies. The stocks of jam were
completely exhausted before noon, he
said. The reduction in the price OF
canned soups, from nine and ten cents
to seven cents, brought a big demand
which absorbed the supplies in most OF
the shcools. More canned soup was solo
Yesterday than on all the other days OF
The sale combined, Mr.. Smith said.
"Dempsev" Makes Sale
Food Administrator Dempsey is
still selling "orders" for army food al
public schools. it was learned yester-
day. A young taxicab driver appeared
at P. 5. 1S6, Amsterdam Avenue anC
145th Street, yesterday with slip OF
paper signed by "W. j. Dempsey, Fooe
Administrator for the First District,
containing an itemized list calling fol
SELL worth of assorted commo odities
lie said he had purchased the "order'
from a fare he had driven from Madi-
son Square TO 125th Street and the
West Side. Before paying the charges
which amounted to S6.11, the man cas-
ually mentioned the opportunity OF
purchasing army food at so per cent
below the market prices. The taxi
driver, newly married, became inter
ested. He was shown price list which
mentioned bacon at 26 cents a pount