The Washington times., 1920-05-20
Saving MOneyn the Home;
Little Tricks For Women
in Household Economics
By Elizabeth Lattimer.

A LINE from a popular song
~ There's a long. long trail a.
winding'-applio TO at least
one OF the many and devious paths
which old man III. c. l.. treads in his
effort 10 make living complex and
expensive for the average person.
The particular byway referred TO
Is that which wholesale shipments
OF food follow In their costly travel
from the railway car to the retailer.
A carload OF fruit or vegetables can
be sped half way across the conti-
nent In a day or two, but on srriV-
ing in the city where the food Is TO
be retailed. the shipment starts on a
winding trail which too often ADDS
little but unnecessary costs and de-
lay.
Eiiminating EIpensive CsrtIaE.
This expensive shunting and haul
ing or foodsturrs from point 10 point
in the cities and the spoiIage which
the unnecessary handling causes are
the big items centralized Wholesale
terminals eliminate. The Bureau OF
Markets, United States Department
of Agriculture. has been on this
trail. literally. following shipments
step by step to determine how much
expense Is added to the cost OF food
by unnecessary handling be- ween the
shipper and the retailer. The route
followed by a carload OF peaches en-
tering a Middle Western city over a
railroad not provided with team
tracks well illustrates this phase or
the distribution problem.
This car had TO be switched from
the railroad on which 1t entered the
city. through the crowded switch
yard. to another track which Is ac-
cessiblc to teams. Here IL stood
until the receiving wholesalers
teamsters could finish another Job.
After this delay two wagons were
drawn up beside the car, in turn.
and were loaded with the peaches.
Thereupon they started for the
wholesale house. which was two
miles away.
The teamsters' route lay
through the most congested part OF
the city, the wholesale district be-
ing close to the busy retail section.
The wagons were full hour and a
quarter making the trip. Mean
while, the sun beat down on the
peaches and the city's dust and dirt
Uttered in through the crates SO
that the fruit was far from being
as fresh and attractive as when
taken from the car. Moreover, the
journey so postled and bruised the
fruit that some OF it had to be sold
at A discount.
Though the wholesalers were par
tIcularly anxious to get the peaches
delivered TO their salesroom on the
day of arrival, because of the ia
vorable market, only about one
third OF the shipment came in by
closing time, and IL was noon the
next day before the remainder was
delivered.
The long, winding trail did not end
at the wholesalers. Once unloaded,
the peaches were put on display for
the beneft of various jobbers. some
of whom purchased a few dozen
crates and some larger amounts.
Some OF these men were situated
within two or three squares of the
wholes saler and their purchases
were delivered on hand trucks. In
the case of other jobbers another
wagon transfer was necessary.
Next in this process which econo-
mists call distribution, came the
retailers to look over the lots. in
the end buying small quantities such
as they could see in 4 day or two.
This. of course, neCessitated another
handling and carting over the city's
rough pavemcnts.
Last, but not least. came the con-
sumers. each buying only a small
fraction of a crate and paying a big
share the expense of the han
ding had entsilcd.
This instance is no exaggeration.
A very large part of the foodstuffs
brought to American cities goes
over some such devious trial. Ono
local wholesale merchant has stated
that he spends $4,000 a year for
carriage which could be saved IL the
city had wholesale terminal
where cars could be unloaded di-
rcctly into premises Occupied by the
wholesalers Following an investi-