The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-07
DEALERS IN FOOD PRODUCTS PROVE
BY THEIR OWN TESTIMONY THAT
THEY ARE GOUG|NC THE PUBLIC

~ III OOh aO
Mr.. Smith said that h" knew - or the
baskets IN shipped were sold to retail
crS at SOC some Of them rihll"d III
- cents per pound or tw" pounds ior
invent y-iiNr ,''utS.
Other witnesses.
simon l.. Parker local Wholesale fruit
and produce dealer, was the second wit
ness. Mr. Parker said h" has been i.
business fer - years and that h" has
r"N"r charged NOR" than 10 per cent
over ana ahuy" costs. this including over
,,ld " hich often is as as high as "
: l.: pr e nj.
MIR, ParL,r enlightened tho commit
tee considerably rs Ia prices paid 10y tn"
Wholesaler when N" buys in tn" li,tS-
. hurph Wholesale markets from what ne
termed 'unhuIy combinations" who con-
troll urldS Of product ion and preceding.
He added that Il few years aEn 24,"np
hounds If produce could h" shipped 10
Wheeling; from Pittsburgh for $l9.2i. hui
at present freight rates carry the SAM
tonnage for SIh.
The witness explained that Pittsburgh
is III" hirl~cst fruit and pr"duC" center
in the world and that Wheeling gets
Eastern Shore. southern and Western
farn, and orchard products. He said he
did not believe that products arc shipped
UP tho Ohio river to Pittsburgh and then
; back to Wheeling.
"Whcclrng is ono of the cheapest
wholesale markets in the country. MT.
I'arkr. told the probcrs. and ADDED
"ConSidrrinE III" cost Of getting goods
to the city" He explained IN" nSS"'Ia-
tons that control production and price,
fixing md said that as near as Marietta
an association has bought up everything
before it is grown. having advanced cash
to the farmer.
Mr., Parker said that despite increased
costs and high labor, his firm has not IN
creased it's 10 per cent over and above
cost for - years. and said: Goods ere
SO high now that We are ashamed 10 ask
profit"
David H. L. Parish, reporter. pre-
scented the committee with list Of We'd
ursdny's priCcs ut the market auditorium.
With the conclusion of the ScrlbcS
Testimony. the fireworks of the evening
started.
Witness Fails to Appeal.
Tom Gramlncn, Greek merchant, had
refused To- answer IN" committees sum-
SO reported. city Solicitor ulirlcn COM
mand d that Grammar be brought IN by
force if necessary. Gramn"n soon APP
ncorcd with his brother. Mif". Tom FIRST
took the stand. and when he failed TO
Withstand tho tank corps" consisting
Of Ncssrs. U'Bricn and MCCamIc. he IN
sisted that his brother Mike, did all the
huying ami pri,c-nAinE. :" MIR" was
,nIl,d 10 the stand. hut every time he
WAS asked a question Tom put up howl
until he WAS warned that he Would l."
thrown cut Of the council chamber II he
didn't keep quiet.
Peculirr Mathematics.
Mike rot himself into all kinds OF
hoes. He admitted:
THAT no paid 81. 90 per bushcl for to-
matocs and sold them at Is cents per
pound. a hushcl weighing 90 pounds.
That Warwond farmers sell more
ohnonIv Than do the Ohio side dealers.
That tkcre arc "mcctlngs' of dealers
at the market auditorium, but he re-
fused 10 admit that prices are fixed at
th"S" meetings.
That he only made "nftccn per cent
profit"
That in order 10 mako l. per cent
ITt'Ill on - al 80 $50 ~ ''''''''
sl35.
Tha, in order to sell at Sl.25 he
charges from $50 /" Sc.
That IN order to mako Is ncr cent
1~ofit on barrel Of corn, for which
he pays 81, ne charges So.
That he soils corn at from 80 10 4"
cents per dozen. or - cents for SIX
ears.
That he buys onr,ns ut Gis cents per
pound. and in order to make /" per cert
he sells them AT - cents per pound
or 90 cents per quarter peck.
That he pays $50 for barrel OF
- rccks Of potatoes and sells them
for 50 cents per peck.
That he pays . cents per pound Tor
cabbage and soils it AT ccnts.
That he didn't know how much money
he has invested in his business.
That he kept books until the commit
toe asked to sec them. then h" didn't
keep them.
That he paid help s. and So n"r day.
II they are Greeks. hut if III" clerk hap
pens to be an Americas girl. he pays
her $40 per week.
That he made 2.66 profit On Il basket
Of tomatoes that cost him Sl.%3.
That most Of IA" tim" he sells
tomato for l. cents if he pays not
more than ) cents 70" it.
That tho register gets all above the
Is per cent profit.
That he didn't make 6 p"r cen: on
his business uaSt ycGr. hut some days
he made So Gard som" days SlH0. Some
days more and some days less.
That he was not willing 10 do3at" to
tho local hospitals all profits over and
above - per cent.
This last admission called Forth tho
city solicitors warning that some on"
is going 10 h" moved out of the mar
kctS if prices don't como down.
Councilman AmbroS" 1Ia|iE took the
floor and insisted that tn" prnh"rs go
after thc Greek restaurants, who Gr"
making profit of Sl.ui on II gallon
Of milk. II" said that gIoCCry st"r"
Keepers max" hut s I" 10 cents per
gallon. II " named tho leading Crock