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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 1903)
Om aha's New Public Market Pictures from Photos by a Staff Artist " Vf : V VIM,':1' HA-:;''A-A- " M. . AV 'VA'."' A ' I It y b v f :'. ! ' VV:.-: ' ; . - Af s y :-... m .A . ' 4 T I - r.. ! AT A MEAT MARKET BTALZ GROCERIES OF A1X, SORTS ARE HAStDLED. TT Tf maw 1 " I municipal house on c P 1 tol avenue is, 'without Botnr above the second story, now a Babel. A very fair selection from the languages of the earth may be heard there at al most any hour, and some of the Eng lish, flavored with the accent and the syntax of trans planted tongues, is Just as piquant and more hard to un derstapd. And the customers of the new retail house arc as varied and typical the poor and sup posedly honest, they of the half world, and the trade whlth comes In carriages and automobiles. Omaha has never had a market where produce was old without the in tervention of the . retail grocer or the peddler and the es tablishment of one has met with all the difficulties at tendant on innova tions. A few who had known similar 1 1 '-t : jr.-. , r. 1 ..... . V ... 4 I ' 1 '. CI ... ; . v ., , J 1 ' V v . I ' a : ASK -A . I ! . . . . 1 1; J 1 t 3 VJ WHERE THE VEGETABLES ARE HANDLED. FRUITS FOR THE Institutions In other cities welcomed it, and others, who had theorized on the subject of food supply, but the established dealers "viewed with alarm" and their steady cus tomers were dubious and clung to their old source of supply. Another thing which was in Itself probably the greatest deter rent was the late beginning made. The market gardeners had been disposing of their produce In the wholesale district and thought It better to finish the season there. But the stalls are all filled now and people are finding out that it has some advantages over the retail shop or the old market on Howard street. The retail market will not be an ac complished fact until next spring, when the early vegetables begin to come in. 'At this time of the year, and with many of the present occisants of the stalls, the middleman Is not eliminated. He is the commission man, and from him a large hare of the display now comes. Many of the stall holders were formerly peddlers. Who find their new location much more advantageous than the street traffic. The buying of produce by these venders o that they may have profit enough from their takings to live Is a matter of considerable skill. In the spring and sum mer time the market will hum with busi ness, for the countrymen are getting in at daylight with their fresh vegetables and the place will resound with bee-like activity. Marketers, too, will be on hand for the earliest and will get the pick ot the dew-freshened radishes and cucum bers. But la these winter months the market is dull and chill at the early hour, for the produce is of the hardy sort which feature intended to keep through the period of hibernation and nourish primitive man until the snows were gone. The apple, . the squash,' the pear, sweet peppers, beets and Imported grapes .'are , the stock In trade, and these, for various reasons, can . best be laid In late In the day. These small dealers are very clever at picking up a bargain and keen enough. In the com mission . district they are ever on the watch. The grocers and more regular cus tomers buy in the early morning and leave orders for comparatively . large amounts. Perhaps a single box of Tokays is left or a sack of potatoes. That Is the peddler s chance. : . . . v t'Say, how mucha rose?" "Make you that box last we've got make it to you for $1," says the salesman. "Was matta wis you?" A spreading of the hands betokens unutterable surprise. "Here six bit." "One dolatr, I said," reiterates the sales man. "Want it or not? I want to get through with you." "STou think I to mucha money? Here, I make you 80-cent." lie tries to force some grimy silver on the commission man, "Oh, get out!" "What I You no sell 80 centa? Too d much.' Away he goes for a round of the houses to find a box for his price. Perhaps he gets one somewhere, perhaps he does not. If not, then back he comes, and unless the salesman is a patient and determined man he will lose that box of grapes for less than the $1 named. The venders now In the market are in part at least those who had little to lose by failure and much to gain. They com- HOLIDAT. prise Assyrians, Italians and negroes, with a sprinkling of other nations. One man who was angry because the Italian fruit man nearest the stove would not let the fire get warm enough lor more distant competitors through fear of injuring his perishables, said wrathfully while he hud dled his shoulders, and looked unprepared for a hard winter: ; "It's a blamed street of all nations. There's only about five of us white men here and there'll be less in a day or two If the city don't get In more stoves." The patronage of the market has hardly settled Itself yet into a steady and deflnnd custom. The dealers claim to have the patronage of many houses on upper Far nam street and brag about It. "You'd be surprised," said a prosperous meat cutter, "at the style of folks that come to buy our meat. Why, they come driving up here In their carriages and au tomobiles, too! and take a roast home un der the back seat. You bet we're do?ng business." It is not Improbable that curiosity draws a trade just now which may not be main tained, but a steady clientage is growing up. The boarding house keeper has rot yet fully discovered the place, but by spring time, let us hope, the presence of a place to get green stuff at first hand and under eager competition, may be noticeable on the tables of the meek and uustarred boarders. The greatest custom now, and probably always, conies to tho Capitol ave nue house from the wives of the wage earning public Mrs. Hand-to-mouth will find particular advantages In the retail market. The first customer a morning or two ago Hew in at 6:10 O'clock and boiiKht s half deceit of bi mnas and three I ears. Perhaps she rtayed up all n'ght to be the first. The next cuntomcr was a colored man who carried away three doien eggx, when not a half dozen of the venders hnd yet arrived. A lunch wagon laid In a supply of the meat that made Hamburg fa.noua. Bo the trade gees, growing from twos to quartets on till toward 8:30 o'clock, when the morning rush begins. The busy evening hour comes about 4 o'clock. Saturday evening the market is open until 10 o'clock at night, and Is a bustling Bcene. . Almost . every thing which is sold to be made . into food is displayed. There are three meat markets, branches of up town houses, and in addition several Venders of smoked meats and ' fancy sausage. Poultry from coops and fish from the Ice; oysters, eggs and all the seasonable vegetables and fruits 'are spread 'about: In. addition there Is a florist with chrysanthemums, of various 'hues, two tea stalls, a restaurant and a confectioner and baker. It Is a department store run by the city. Competition is brisk and several of the dealers have hoped to draw trade with premium stamps. One en- -terprlslng man advertises to' deliver goods, and two have telephones. A paper mache rooster maintains a rigid pose over a poul try stcCll and buRlnesa Is the password. ' The city found it Impossible to drive many of the hardy county market men to the house by in junction, and to start the market began with rent-free stalls. Boon a fee of 60 cents a day was charged and In the spring a regulur monthly rent will be inaugurated. The city hires a market mas ter, but to the considerable disgust of the occupants has so far failed to supply a janitor. The stalls are supplied with water, electric light Is furnished and sewering and . telephone connections have been made. It is the intention- ultimately to extend east from the. central dome another section equal to the present one. In the central part are ofllct-, lavatories, store rooms end lounging places. Difference Between Men Ethel Yes,, father was terribly angry when I asked him for money for my new silk dret-s. Maud Was he? Well, I must say my hus band is different. lie did not say a word when I asked him for an automobile. Ethel And did you get It? Maud Of course not. Brooklyn Life. i