MUNICH TERMINAL MARKET
The World's Most Modern Distribution Center for Foodstuffs.
Steam fishing boats using the market quays pay 48 cents for 24 hours' use, seagoing sailing cutters 24 cents, river sailing cutters 6 cents, and small boats 3 cents, in which charges the use of electric and other hoists is included.
From these markets almost the whole of Germany receives its sea fish supplies, for the distribution of which most of the leading dealers have branch houses in the principal cities.
There are also two markets—one in Hamburg and one in Altona—for the sale of farm produce, mostly transported thither by boats. Besides these, there is a big auction for imported fruit, conducted by private firms. All these Hamburg markets are prosperous, and their utility to the community is universally acknowledged.
Frankfort's market system dates back to 1879, when the first hall was erected at a cost of $375,000. It has 548 stands on the main floor renting at $1.08 per two square meters a month, payable in advance, while there is space for 347 more in the galleries at 84 cents per two square meters a month. Nearby is a second hall, built in 1883 at a cost of $143,750. A third hall followed in 1899 at a cost of $38,500, while in 1911 further extensions were determined on and there are fresh projects now under consideration. Besides these covered markets the city has a paved and fenced square that has been used since 1907 as an open market, where stands are rented at 5 cents a day.
Sixty per cent of the stands in the market halls are rented by the month and forty per cent by the day. Tuesdays and Fridays are reserved for wholesale trading. A market commission rules the markets and the police enforce their regulations, the violation of which is liable to cost the offender $7.20 in fines or imprisonment up to eight days.
Munich, with a population of half a million, has the most modern of all the European municipal markets. It was opened in February, 1912, and embodies the improvements suggested by experience of market administration in other cities.
The total cost was $797,000, of which $510,000 was spent on four communicating iron market halls, with their cellar accommodation underneath, $190,000 on a receiving and toll department, $52,000 on a group of adjacent buildings, including a post-office, restaurant and beer-garden, and $45,000 on roadways. The whole establishment covers 46,500 square meters, of which the market halls occupy 37,100 square meters.
At the northern extremity of the buildings is the toll and receiving department, where produce is delivered at special sidings connected with the south railway station of the city. Next comes a succession of lofty halls, with covered connections, terminating in a small retail section and the administration offices. At the northern end of the great market is a section where express delivery traffic is dealt with, while the western side is occupied with sidings for loading produce sold to buyers from other German centers.