The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1920-11-26
THANKSGIVING
. TURKEY GOSSIP
Some Disappointment
in Getting the Of
fetal Bird

A good many Blackfoot people
had turkey for Thanksgiving and
some of them were annoyed about
the way they got it or the prices they
paid for them. Some of the town
people were approached by farmer
friends who wanted to supply their
turkey and in such cases the person
may not wish to buy it in that way
but it is little embarrassing to turn
them down, and to go on and make
the purchase is not always satisfac-
tory. Some of the fellows comparing
notes after Thanksgiving found that
they paid all the way from 45c to
60c pound for their turkeys bought
direct from the producers and in
some cases they were not satisfied
with the condition of the turkey. In
one of these cases the customer pre-
ferred chicken and chicken was
engaged at Csc pound dressed.
When the chicken was delivered the
bill was $1.25 and after the farmer
was gone the lady of the house de-
cided that the chicken looked rather
light for a five pound chicken and
she weighed it and found there was
only pounds. One fellow mentioned
having received turkey and paid
for it and on opening the package
found it was crippled turkey. He
sent it back. to the producer and lost
the price he had paid for it, then
went to the dealer and got turkey
that was right.
= A representative of the Republican
office Investigated matters at the
meat market and found that they
paid the producers soc a pound live
weight for turkeys and sold them
dressed, at 45c pound, excepting
in cases where the turkeys were not
in good condition and they sold them
at q little less on that account. The
average turkey weights two pounds
less after being picked and drawn,
the head and feet left on. That made
the turkey that was bought at 3Oc
q pound cost 42c dressed, not count
ing the work of dressing and draw
ing them nor the work of getting
them in and gettin gthem ready for
delivery. The dealer has &c pound
for his work and turkeys weigh about
10 pounds apiece. When the turkey
is tied up ready for delivery, the
head and feet are cut of, so that
leaves the customer little less in
weight than he actually pays for. A
ten pound turkey, in that event,
would probably cost the customer
46c or 47c a pound net.
When turkeys are picked and
drawn by experienced persons in the
meat market, the job is generally
pretty well done. It is not always we'll
done when 1t is done by the pro-
ducers. 1t often happens that the tur-
KEY when delivered has not been we'll
picked; it sometimes happens that
he has been partly skinned; many
cases OF dissatisfaction are reported
and 1t is unpleasant where friends
have fallen out over little matters
connected with a Thanksgiving tur-
key or chicken.
1t is reported that some fellow
who had dressed beef for sale, sold
1t in quantities that looked aarac-
tive to people using considerable
meat and sales were made for front
quarters at 13c and 14c pound.
These purchasers on reading the mar
ket report in the local papers, to see
what front quarters were selling at,
found they had paid three or four
cents a pound more than the butcher
shops were charging for it and the
butcher shops deliver them in lit
tie better condition.
Mrs. Trego tells good wholesome
story about how she bought apples.
She had as many in the house as she
would want for several weeks but a
fine young fellow came to the door,
exhibiting the most beautiful red ap-
pies and wanted to sell her some.
She explained that she had plenty
and he laugher and said, "Well, sup
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