6 BULLETIN 1441, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
exercises supervision over conduct of employees of stand holders. 
No loud or boisterous talking is permitted. 
All advertising and advertisements of individual stall holders are 
submitted to the management and grouped for publication under 
the general heading and name of the market. No deceptive terms 
are permitted. To cover expense of advertising each stall holder is 
required to pay monthly a sum equal to 10 per cent of monthly rental. 
Advertisements appear weekly and each stall holder is allowed one 
advertisement each month. 
Through this careful selection of occupants of stalls and practical 
supervision of their methods, the confidence and continued patronage 
of the buying public has been obtained by this market. The market 
is open every week day from 7 a. m. until 6 p. m.. and is devoted 
entirely to retail purposes. The market is located in a down-town 
business section and convenient to several car lines. Advantages were 
gained through frequent turnovers. The prices charged, quality 
considered, were found to be uniformly low compared to stores 
located outside the market. All equipment is modern and ample 
refrigeration is available for storage boxes, display cases, and counters. 
Sanitation is all that could be desired. 
CHINESE RETAIL MEAT MARKETS 
The influence of recognized standards of living as practiced by 
different nationalities may be a competitive factor if centralization 
of some nationalities or races has occurred. Outside of some Pacific 
coast cities, the study showed no centralized activities of any foreign 
nationality in the retail meat field, and conditions generally were not 
shown to be affected by customs peculiar to nationality or race. 
In Oakland and Los Angeles, however, markets operated exclu- 
sively by Chinese dealers are a considerable factor in local retail meat 
trade. Since 1915 their growth and expansion have been marked. At 
the time of this study 10 modern retail meat markets were apparently 
being operated successfully by Chinese dealers in Oakland. By 
their economical methods they have created a form of competition 
that can not be met by Americans. In the sale of fresh pork cutsj 
they generally undersell slaughterers, and to a considerable extent 
they compete with wholesalers in local retail trade. Differences in 
labor costs and the longer working hours make this possible. All 
classes of meats are handled, but Chinese meat dealers specialize in 
pork and pork products. They do no slaughtering, but purchase 
carcasses in quantities from local packers. After delivery to the Chi- 
nese markets the carcasses are divided into cuts suitable for local 
trade. Most employees of Chinese markets have an interest in the 
market in which they work. If others are emplo} 7 ed, their work 
averages 14 to 16 hours per day and they are paid a weekly wage 
ranging at the time of this study from $12 to $15. Compared to 
this, meat cutters and clerks in American-owned retail markets 
average 10 to 11 hours per day, and salaries usually ranged from $35 
to $40 per week. 
Generally no prices are displayed in the Chinese meat stores. 
Sanitation is good and all classes patronize the markets. Americans 
operating small markets in Oakland claimed they could not overcome 
the handicap, and that any material expansion of Chinese markets 
would force them out of business. 
