The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1919-09-06

and wearing natty uniforms in distant
New York. .. :
If the present grand jury Is able to
make any investigations, Mr.. Forbes,
certainly, is too busy a man to do the
situation justice. It has been suggest
ed that Mr.. J. B. Richards be appoint
ed a special county attorney for the
purpose of bringing food prices and Q
food conditions before the grand iury.s
In 1897, G. o. Baldwin was appointed
special prosecutor and investigator
| by the county commissioners. As q
result of his work, big batch Of con-
victions was secured for grating and
malfeasance in office. . --fv T.
If there are infractions Of the state.
law in the matter Of restraint Of trade
and Food Hog offenses, Mr.. Richards
soon would dig to the bottom Of them
and make any guilty wretches jump
Ihe nurules. -. --y .Tftg
| Fish, eggs and meats seized in local
cold storage houses by government Of
ficials have not attained any enormous
proportions. It is not believed that
much will come from such action. Most
of the concerns affected will present.
a fairly good alibi. The chief benefit,
probably, will be hesitancy to hoard
! unduly in the future. Some food
products seem to have been unduly
long in refrigeration in. Duluth. The,
idea OF eating poultry and fish after
| lying in cold storage for twelve and
| even eighteen months does not appeal
to the palates Of most people. =.
This special committee Of the Con.
sumers' League wishes and expects
every possible help from the public.
1t is especially desired that any Of
lenses against the law or any abuses
be reported. Already there have been
some responses. .-.. j.,
A prominent Duluth grocer recently
wrote the committee that he desired
private hearing for the purpose of
telling of abuses Of wholesalers to re-
tailers. He declared that the retailers
are absolutely under the control Of
wholesalers who govern all sales and
set prices daily. ...... .- -.-z,
To layman, proof to that effect,
before grand jury, might lead to
some new boarders at the county iaiI
or some hurried flights to Canada.
A. G. Catlin, member Of the COM.
mittee, has proposed that profes. :
sional detective be employed to gather
information for a grand jury investi-a
cation. s,.,- ~, e.,,.r ,.,a,. !.
The president of Duluth bank sent
in word for the committee to 90 to a /,
certain dealer for information con-
cerning an exorbitant profit in an
apple deal and, also, an instance
where local grocer was forced out .
OF business. -. .f'@..~@ T-s .f:~5. ,!a ~ Il
A clergyman gave the name Of a re-
tail grocer whom he declared was
ready to give information of alleged
mistreatment Of shippers Of fruit and
produce. I+t|sH-i = -E'.n Il IL
A customs inspector recently com.
municated information to the effect :
that fish bought from the fishermen
at 13 cents pound are sold to the re- !,
taller at 27 cents pound. Every fish
consumer well knows that fresh fish
retail at 35 and 40 cents a pound In
Duluth Trout, for 9 example, - lccost !,
about IL cents at Grand -Marais but
retail as high as 40 cents a pound In
Duluth. -y-" '~''' III o"'- !''!S S77i
High rents promise to come in for
q swat. Mr.. Pealer told Of q case
where rent Of flat had been raised
from $40 to $62.50. Another case was !.
reported where rent was increased 10 !
per cent although cost Of heating the
block was 81 500 less than last year. !,
There is strong evidence that the Rent I.
Hog is grunting in Duluth: EsUcfa
One grocer has reported that he paid =
$13 for box Of oranges. that were
selling for $3.50 in Chicago but that 81
he bought in Chicago local wholesalers
would blacklist him. .-~@- TEsP =
The special committee and its SUBJ 4
committees have headquarters, in the
city's welfare building at 312 West
Superior street.
At meeting Of a sub committee
last Tuesday night, Henry Dworshak,
Jr., charged that the federal fair food
price committee in Duluth is not fix s
ing piece at reasonably low margin
Of profit and characterized as "ridicu-
lous" the committees contention that
it could not 60 behind the wholesalers
The meeting was held at the city
hall. Specific complaints were re-
ceived and their assignment for In
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