San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-14
Displays Of Fruit and Prod
uce Ordered Inside
by Officers.
STATE MEN HELPING
Health Officers From Aus
tin Cooperate With
San Antonio Board.

Sidewalk fruit and vegetable vend-
ers in San Antonio are thing OF
the past. This was determined
Thursday when City Health Officer
DIR. W. A. King, working in con-
junction with state health officers,
gave instructions that all fruit and
vegetables must be kept inside stores
and must not be placed on the side
walks. DIR. Kings action was taken
under authority of city ordinance
which requires that such foodstuffs
must be kept inside and that they
shall be covered with screens.
Due to the approach Of cool wealth
er, DIR. King said, the ordinance re-
quiring screening will not be enforced
at this time but beginning next
spring, it will be enforced to the let
ter. The ordinance applies to whole
salers as we'll as retailers and the
former, DIR. King said, must keep
their wares within doors.
Part Of General Campaign.
Fridays action, DIR. King explain.
ed. is pursuant to general "clean
up" campaign inaugurated by city
and state health officers about three
weeks ago. The first move was to
condemn large quantities of canned
goods which inspectors had found I'M
fit for consumption. In carrying out
this work it became necessary to file
condemnation proceedings against
one wholesale firm. Thousands OF
cans of foodstuffs were destroyed
during this campaign, DIR. King
said.
State health officers, DR.. King said,
came to San Antonio at his invita-
tion and are going to assist local Of
ficers until the clean up work is
complete. During the former admin
istration, DR.. King said. state health
officers were given very poor coop
Grafton along this line. State Off
GERS now assisting in the clean up
are w. W. "attle, director of the
food and drug division of the State
Board of Health and Chief Inspector
Tom johnson.
Removing of the fruit and vege-
tables from the sidewalks, DIR. King
explained is essentially health
measure, although it also is meeting
with the approval Of the police de-
partment, because OF the traffic
congestion feature. Fruit and vege-
tables which are placed on stands
on the sidewalks, the city health of
ficer said, are exposed, to. flies. bugs
and germs. The police department
often has complained that the placing
of these fruit stands on the sidewalks
caused serious traffic congestion.
Commission Men Protest.
The campaign. however. is meeting
with some protest from San Antonio
commission men, some declaring that
by forcing them to remove their wares
from the sidewalks and place them
inside, the city will ruin their bust
ness. These objections are met by
city and state officers with the re-
minder that it is not a question of
money but Of the preservation of the
public health.
All downtown fruit stands, il is
said. have complied with the orders
of the health officers and have re-
moved all fruits and vegetables inside
their buildings. Wholesalers, on the
other hand, are said to have refused
to comply. r. T. Pruitt. one whole
saler, has declared his intention of
making direct appeal to the state
health department. in case the Off
GERS here insist on his compliance
with the new regulations.
Mr.. Pruitt, who has just returned
from, visit to other large cities, de-
clares that vegetables and fruits are
kent on the sidewalks there, some
even keeping their produce in the
streets. One objection advanced by
him is that the enforcement of the
law will greatly curtail the business
of the retailers. Although fruits have
been kept on sidewalks for several
years, Mr.. Pruitt declared. they have
been amply protected by electric fans
and paper "streamers." He does not
believe that the removal of fruits
indoors is necessary.