Commissioner of Public Markets

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Edwin Joseph O'Malley (1883-1955) circa 1905

The Commissioner of Public Markets, Weights, and Measures of the City of New York was a cabinet level post appointed by the mayor of New York City. The Commission regulated the prices of commodities and foodstuffs in New York City after World War I until the 1960s.

[edit] Commissioners

Henry Moskowitz, circa 1917 (Middletown Times-Press; Monday, December 10, 1917)
Jonathan C. Day, circa 1918 (Bridgeport Telegram, November 27, 1918) fired by mayor John F. Hylan
William P. Mulry, 1919 as Acting Commissioner under mayor John F. Hylan
Edwin Joseph O'Malley, circa 1919-1927 for 7 years under mayor John F. Hylan [1]
Thomas F. Dwyer, circa 1930-1932. He concluded that direct rail delivery of food to the Bronx Terminal Market could have saved consumers millions of dollars. [2]
J. Bonynge, circa 1934 (Tannenbaum v. Department of Public Markets, May 16, 1934)
William Fellowes Morgan, Jr., circa 1935-1939 [3]
Daniel P. Wooley, circa 1943-1944 (Supreme Court, Special Term, New York County, May 5, 1943)
Eugene G. Schultz, circa 1949 (Court decision, January 6, 1949)
Albert S. Pacetta, circa 1965 (Supreme Court, Special Term, New York County, October 1, 1965)

[edit] Deputy commissioners

William P. Mulry, 1919
Edwin Joseph O'Malley, 1919
Samuel Buchler, November 1919 (New York Times; August 11, 1922)
Mrs. John Marshall Gallagher, circa 1922^{[citation needed]}
Mrs. Louis R. Welzmiller, circa 1922 [4]
John Joseph Delaney, 1924 through 1931 [5]
Alex Pisciotta, 1937

[edit] References

New York Times; August 24, 1919; "To Set Fair Prices For Meat And Fish In Food Campaign; Committee To Seek Co-Operation Of Retail Butchers In Fight Against High Costs. Profiteers Taking Heed Hoards Finding Way Into Markets And Early Tumble In Quotations Is Predicted. Chain Stores Fall In Line School Sales Increase, $100,000 worth Of Army Supplies Being Bought In Two Days. Says Hoarders Are Letting Go. To Set Fair Prices For Meat And Fish Day Praises Work Of Women. Plan Co-Operative Store. Swann Denies Interference. Senators Discuss Food Rates Committee Tentatively Agrees On "Unjust Price" Amendment. To Aid Drought Victims. Senate Passes Measure Giving Army Food To Montana Sufferers. Defend Use Of Iced Cars. Packers Obtain No Rate Favors, Stockman Tells Senate Committee. Authorities handling the food situation in this city predicted yesterday that with the steps already being taken and others which have been planned, house wives will find, in the immediate future, a market reduction in the cost of living."
New York Times; December 3, 1919; Dr. Day, Removed By Mayor, Makes Graft Charges; Commissioner Of Public Markets Accuses Two Deputies He Dismissed. Says They Proposed Plotwrites Mayor Of Alleged Offer to Divide Surplus Of Army Food Sales. Both Men Deny Charges Ousted Commissioner Says He Will Ask Special Grand Jury To Make Inquiry. Day's Letter To Mayor Says He Had An Enemy. Dr. Day, Removed, Alleges Grafting Will Go To Grand Jury. Charges Against Deputies. The Rev. Jonathan C. Day, Commissioner of Public Markets, was summarily removed from office yesterday by Mayor Hylan, who appointed Deputy Commissioner William P. Mulry, Acting Commissioner.
New York Times; May 13, 1922, Saturday; Dr. Buchler Resigns. Law Practice Claims Deputy Commissioner of Public Markets.
Columbia Law Review, volume 34, number 7; November 1934, pp. 1369-1370. "The Commissioner of Public Markets, Weights, and Measures of the City of New York refused to issue a license to the petitioner to vend ice on the ground ..."
Time; February 1, 1937; "Also Fight Against Fear. last week City Commissioner of Markets William Fellowes Morgan, Jr. publicly asserted that potential witnesses to food racketeering were withholding ..."
New York Times; July 20, 1937; Alex Pisciotta, Deputy Commissioner of Public Markets, Weights and Measures, issued a warning to the public yesterday to beware of short-weight deliveries by dishonest and irresponsible coal dealers.