The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-08-06
ALIEN PROFITEERS
STILL HOLDING UP
FOOD PRICES HERE
Big Supplies of Fruits and
Vegetables in Market, but
Public Gets Little.
By P. @. Fog.
Especial Food Expert Of The New
York Evening WORLDLY


teoming with fruits and vegetables,
most varieties sciilg below the cost
~ production, would suggest that con
sumcrs would benefit as result of
this bountlful supply, but such is not
ths case The distribution OF perish
able foods In New York, particularly
ia the congestcd centres OF population,
IL controlled by foreigners, rev OF
whom are citizens Of the United
states and many or them unable 20
speak English, yet these retailers pur-
chase only limited supplies. which en-
abics them 10 realize exhorbitant
prices They exact anywhere from
100 10 500 per cent. profit on what they
can sell, while the surplus goes to
waste in the Wholesale market.
These profteers are impervious TO
any argument. and the methods they
employ Of limiting their purchases en-
aDles them 10 defy the public.
In the Wholesale market there are
onions everywhere that are whole
sailing al 1 10 cents per pound,
and yet these cannot be purchased
bclow TO 5 cents pound, some
dealers selling three pounds for %
vents, while in other stores three
pounds OF onions are tagged from
IS TO 20 cents according to locality.
String beans OF the finest quality
are selling at 10 cents TO 81 per
bushel basket weighing thirty pounds,
and the same grade cannot be pur-
chased in the retail stores below
10 TO IS cents per pound, which ia
over 200 per cent. profit.
A crate Of lettuce containing two
Gozen heads can be bought IN the
wholesale market at II to IS cents.
While the retail price OF 3 cents would
allow generous proht, yet IL TO 20
cents a head is the prevailing price
IN good lettuce in most OF the lead
ing stores. and anything below 10
cents a head Is leRfy, poor and In
ferior.
The Long Island farmer yesterday
realized SO to 81 per hundred heads
on cabbages delivered in the whole.
sale district with his own team or
anto truck. This doesn't allow him
much over three-quarters OF n cent a
pound, while most dealers are charg
ng from 4 to q cents a pound for good
cabbage and some are asking I and
cents.
Baskets Of Jersey and Long Island
cucumbers containing more than one
hundred are wholesaling at IS cents
10 81, and these are being retailed
generally at to 10 cents each, while
the fine dark cOlored ones are palmed
off on the consumers as hot house"
st from Is 20 20 cents each.
A barrel of new yellow turnips OF
most excellent quality, weighing 40
pounds, costs 81 in the wholesale
market and could be sold at a profit
al cents per pound, but are tagged
almost everywhere at 10 6 cents, or
40 per cent. profit on this most ordin-
cry vegetable. New lima beans arc
selling at s. a bushel OF about thirty
Two quarts, and some OF the retail
stores are charging as high az % 60
30 cents a quart, or 400 per cent. over
me wholesale cost. The very finest
lima beans should not cost more than
IL cents a quart, and a great many
can be sold at 10 to IL cents a quart
and admit Of a generous profit to the
retailer.
New beets and carrots are whole
sailing AT about cents a pound, and
could be sold at 5 cents and allow a
fair profit TO the dealer but most oil
theTn are charging at the rate OF 10
cents a pound. A little Improvement
has obtained in the price OF potatoes
ia the wholesale market. and finest
Long Island and Jersey stock are
wholesaling at about cents a pound
and should not cost more than OF 6
cents retail. The quality OF the new
potatoes Is excellent, and the yield Is
fhe heaviest in fifty years, according TO
some OF the oldest potato growers In
New Jersey.
The finest creamery butter sold yes
terday In the Wholesale market at b4
centa, which is the lowest price since
September, 1918. Tyhis IN due 20 the
Tninions OF pounds OF creamery butter
flowing In here from Denmark and the
other low countries, while one ship
rnent last week from Argentina con-
sisted OF over 5000 boxes, represent
ing nearly 100000 pounds, and other
very heavy shipments are said 20 be
afloat from Europe.
The retail price on the very finest
creamery butter should not be over
80 to so cents. and very desirable
butter should be purchased at IS 10
80 cents in the retail market.
Fresh eggs are quite plentiful and
reasonably cheap. Best candled
Western should not cost over 80
cents a dozen retail, while 75 cents
should be the limit charged consum
ers for the very finest Petaluna
white hennery eggs,
NllttHH Is neglected by
the average American consumer. The
finest full milk cheese can be pur-
chased in the wholesale market al
80 20 "a cents per pound and could
be netailed at 80 to 81 cents
The wholesale market is liberaliS
supplied with a common 70 medium
grade OF beef steers that are sellinC
~ from IS 20 20 cents for straight
cattle, while some common steers cur
be purchased at 10 to 16 cents.
These prices enable the retail
butcher 20 sell tho best cuts Of roas
beef at 3S to 40 cents and the tender
steaks at from az to as cents. TIL,
proportion Of choice cornfed steer,
weighing 700 TO 500 pounds is so small
that II II not a factor in framing re.
tail prices when 90 per cent. of tn,
beef coming will grade from medium
down.
Pork, while not plentiful, is beinJ
retailed at fairly reasonable prices
Whole and half loins of medium anC
iight pork were selling at 40 10 4
cents and chops from as 20 90 cent
q pound; whole strips OF lean bacoi
are selling at IS cents a pound anC
slices As cents. Smoked hams are A.
cents a pound and fresh hams 8
cents. Fresh shoulders OF pork ar,
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