The Washington herald., 1920-02-08
CENTRAL FOOD
STATION URGED
Salvatore Scalco, Fruit
Dealer Would Cut D. c.
Living Costs.
OFFICIALS HEAR PLANS
Reduced Waste and Better
transportation Shown
AS Advantages.

Interest is beng SHOWN in a novel
scheme TO reduce the cost Of living,in
Washington proposed by Salvatore
Scalco. president of the National
Fruit Company. who would induce
the city's merchants TO build a mu-
nicipal storage plant Of easy access
TO the railroads. The site he points
out as most suitable is in the neigh
borhood OF South Capitol street
In a letter, the substance OF which
follows. and which the fruit merchant
has submitted TO a number Of Con-
gressmen interested in District af-
fairs. Scalco explains the cut In
prices which would be made possible
through eliminating the cost OF
drayage and loss in perishsb!e goods.
/ He says in part.
Scaico's Letter.
IF the District government would
build a wholesale terminal for an
merchants who deal in fruits. veee-
tables, poultry, eggs and even meal
packers, and wholesale grocerS. and
were 10 locate this plant IN the
neighborhood OF South Capitol street
where land can be purchased as
cheaply as any other part Of Wash
ton. and where the railroads could
meet from all points-if this were
done the f1sh market would be near.
and the boats in winter could bring
oysters and fish, and in the summer
fruit vegetables and other products.
The following is an outline Of
how ] think this municipal whole
sale plant should be built. II
should have long platforms. with
each space numbered of. and rent
ed TO whatever concern desired 20
locate there; have two or three
subcellars for dry storage, such as
apples, onions. potatoes bananas
etc. The floors above could be
used for the cold storage Of meats
and other perishables The rail-
road would run switch tracks or
sidings to this building, where the
cars could be unloaded Immediate
ly upon arrival. This would In
crease the usefulness Of the cars,
and help to relieve the car short
age that the Railroad Admins
tration is always warning us about.
With this efficiency. / believe that
we could get at least two more
trips out Of each car per year.
CnrtInx Adds TO Cost.
The switch tracks that I have
all drayage. Under the present
conditions, drayage alone costs this
house approximately $4,000 per
year. When a car Of fruit arrives.
we first haul IL TO cold storage. and
later on We haul IL to our place Of
business where Il is sold. and final
ly hauled to the retail dealer When
you stop TO consider that there
are about 200 merchants doing this,
it adds quite an item 20 the cost
Of food.
THE money that would be spent in
erecting such a building 1 feel sure
would be returned. and the building
paid for in fve years in rent. A stock
company could be formed and the
shares sold in the open market As
it is now. we all pay tremendous rent.
and instead OF paying this high rent
to the landlords we could pay for
the building. and at the same time
We could sell our commodities at less
than 10 per cent profit. which. you
will agree with me. should bring the
cost OF living downward.
Another thing TO which I would
like TO call your attention is that
sometimes we overestimate and take
too much fruit out Of storage: IL we
cannot dispose OF IT, it lays on our
hands and decays. Now. IL the stor-
age were on the same premises we
would only take out samples. and
when sale is made we could deliver
from cold storage room. thereby
avoiding waste"
Among the Congressman who have
heard Scalco's plan with interest are
Senators L. Y. sherman. chairman OF
the Senate District Committee. and
Senator L. II. Ball. who was chair
man OF the subcommittee that in
vestigated the high cost Of living in
Washington.
Louis Brownlow. president of the
District Board of Commissioners.
Clarence r. Wilson. District food ad-
ministrator; Col. Robert y. Harper.
president Of the Chamber OF Com
rnerce; Isaac Cans, OF the Board OF
Trade and Chamber OF Commerce. and
several prominent railroad men here
also have heard Scalco's plan.