Prices of Market produce.
--It is known that at the last meeting of the City Council that body passed a resolution instructing the committee on the two markets to have an interview with the military authorities, for the purpose of conferring on the advisability of removing the prices prescribed for articles of country produce exposed for sale in the markets of this city.
Parties uninformed in regard to the various causes which have conspired to create the scarcity, erroneously assert that it arises "from the tariff of prices prescribed by
Gen. Winder." That estimable and worthy gentleman had about as much to do with producing the present "scarcity of supplies in the city markets" as the man in the moon had. It is very well known that before
Gen. Winder's so called edict appeared, the people of this city were subjected to the most flagrant imposition by parties having anything to sell that might be in demand.
The edict was a measure of relief, and hailed by the people as such.
There is no doubt that, in some instances, the country people in the habit of visiting the
Richmond markets with produce have resolved not to come until an equal chance with others of charging what they pleased might be allowed them.
But this is not the case with the great body of them — to many of whom it is a necessity of their existence to repair hither.
While no doubt a very interesting joust has been going on between
Gen. Winder and certain speculators in produce, in which both parties have been striving to show the superiority of their wit, cleverness, skill, and stratagem, the speculators (or hucksters, as they are called,) only have had the inside track, the public being the losers by diminished supplies arising from the above source.
A famine in respect to flour was lately reported in New Orleans.
It was brought about by the
Provost Marshal prescribing the rates at which the article should be sold.
A paper of that city reports that when the
Provost Marshals published their tariff, some speculators who had on hand a large stock of flour looked for another market, rather than sell at the official rates.
Then came the order of the
Provost Marshals prohibiting the exportation of grain and flour from the city.
But the speculators, yet unwilling to submit, resorted to a new dodged.
They kept their flour in store, refuging to sell it to the bakers, and waiting patiently for more favorable times.
When they were informed of this, the
Provost Marshals issued another ukase, warning all merchants that certain specified goods would be seized and sold by authority, unless their legitimate owners would consent to retail them at tariff prices.
What did the speculators do then?
We suppose they found mysterious places to hide their flour, for now nothing is more difficult for bakers than to get their supply of flour, though some of them say there is a great stock of that article in the city.
In part of this narrative may be found specified the true cause of
diminished supply of any needed article in this city at the present time, so far as market produce is concerned.
