Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-19
eople Have but
Little Chance For
Cheaper Food
ORDINANCE VOID
Market Rates Are
Quoted in Food
Situation

Fruits of forestalling were
much in evidence this morning
at the Chestnut Street market.
Shortly after o'clock, when
buyers started to get busy,
seven different persons were
given close scrutiny.
Each went about buying produce
from farmers. Vegetables appeared
TO be in demand.
The forestallers all purchased
large quantities and within twenty
minutes had the vegetables on sale
on other stands at increased rates.
Women Among Buyers
Three women who were among
the buyers were watched. They
purchased among other things let
tuce. onions. red beets, rhubarb.
radishes and eggs. Prices asked by
the farmers were as follows:
Lettuce, six to twelve cents a
head.
Onions. five cents a bunch, eight,
ten and twelve onions to a bunch.
Beets. five cents a bunch, six beets
TO a bunch.
Eggs. As cents dozen.
Here is what the forestallers
asked:
Forestalling Prices
Lettuce. six to tmelve cents a
bunch.
Onions, six CENTS a bunch, with
two punches made into three.
Red beets, ten cents a bunch with
fve in a bunch.
Eggs, so to 50 cents a dozen.
Not long after the forestallers had
started business the farmers who
had sold their products had raised
the prices equal to those of the
hucksters.
One buyer told of an earlier trans
action. A local dealer purchased a
dozen or more chickens from farm
ers. He was seen placing them in
box in an automobile. A woman
thinking the chickens in the auto
mobile were to be offered for sale
inquired the price. The answer was:
II am shipping those chickens to
Baltimore" 1t was said that the
buyer OF the chickens makes ship
ments every Wednesday and Sat
urday, buying as early in the mar
kets as possible.
There is a forestalling ordinance
on the city statute books. but it
proba bly, is obsolete. It was passed
in 1851 and added TO in 1868. The
suggestion now is, in view of the
pernicious practice of forestalling.
that it Immediately be made up-to-
date. with the penalties heavy
enough to fit the crime Of buying UP
food from the farmers and truck
ers before the poorer people can
have an opportunity Of purchasing
It The ordinance as It appears in
City Digest, pages 4s2 and 433. is as
follows:
1. Tint no regular butcher or
other person shall. directly or in
directly, purchase or cause To be
purchased from any farmer or
other person. any fresh meats
Except pork in the hog) offered
for sale within tho bounds of the
city, and resell the same meats,
or any part thereof. at wholesale
or retail. under the penalty of
five dollars for every offensc.
2. That no huckstcr. dealer or
other person whatsoever. shall
cause to he bought at the West
Harrisburg Market any articles of
provisions. fruit, vegetables OF
other commodities for the pur-
pose of retailing or resclling the
same. between the hours of
O'Clock a. m. and 8 o'clock a. m.
on Tuesdays and Fridays of each
and every week and between the
hours of IL o'clock a. m. and
O'Clock p. m. on each and every
Saturday.
8. That for every violation of
the provisions of this ordinance
the offender or offenders shall be
fined in any sum not exceeding
five dollars, at the discretion of
the mayor or any alderman of
the said city. before whom the
offender or offenders may be
prosecuted to conviction.
Reason For Boost
AS the situation is studied by the
local consumer he finds that the
forestalling regulations in Harris
burg are absolutely disregarded.
This is believed to be one of the
reasons for the increased cost of
food.
"Of course, there is forestalling
of the most fragrant kind" said a
man who does his own marketing.
Those who go to market early in
the hope of getting the most desir-
able produce see stall renters scour-
ing the market and buying up at
the opening prices the best fruits
and vegetables and poultry to be
had and then return to their own
stalls ana boost the prices as high