The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1883-12-20
What We Eat.

1t is estimated that the state of Massa-
chusetts does not raise enough wheat
during one year to supply the tables of
that commonwealth with bread for one
day, which is only another way of saying
that the residents of the old Bay state
have to buy what they eat. In this re-
spect they resemble Astorians. We of
Astoria have TO buy nearly all We eat. In
some respects we are as islanders who de-
pend ON vessels for what their own insu-
lar country does not AFFORD. Time and
again have Astorians had to 60 with
light dinners, not that they lacked the
wnerewith to buy, but because the peas
and the cabbage, the celery and the
sauces. the fruit and other concomitants
were tossing in the hold of the vessel out
side the bar. Whether wise or unwise ::
whether productive of prosperity or the
reverse; whether necessary or not, the
fact is patent that nearly all we eat is
brought to Us, and We pay well for 1t.
The profit goes mostly to outside parties.
Our merchants make very little, some
times barely save themselves, oftentimes
lose. Especially is this the case with
fruit, etc, which is brought here al a
high .ate of freight, and sold by our
grOcers more as matter of GccOmhOda-
tion than with hope OF making a profit.
The high prices that AstoriGns pay for
food has been the subject OF considera bic
comment in these columns The reason
for the high prices may be briefly stated !:
demand greater than the supply, and
though when one has to pay nifty cents
for little beefsteak, ninety-fiye cents a
roll for butter, and more for a dozen of
eggs warranted eighteen carats fine than
for the hen that laid them, yet, tine
knowledge that the seller has such q
slight margin of profit Is illustrative OF
the proposition stated above.
Flour is one of the few things that Is
OF Oregon production. an i article sell
ing in Astoria for $50 small sack.
Sometime, when We have the Viii
lamette valley wheat pouring into
Astoria elevators from the rail-
way track and Astoria mills
grinding it for European shipment We
may be able to get flour little cheaper.
Till then We must depend upon Salem
or Albina. For ham, the Astorian has to
depend on the Willamette valley. though
a fair article of California ham Is
brought here. The best ham, we are
constrained to say, comes from the east.
and by the time 1t gets to the Astorian's
breakfast table it costs enough 10 justify
the expectation of prime cut, twenty
one cents pound not being an outside
figure. Fresh meat Is extremely high,
and as it is one of the principal articles
of purchase, the price that one has to
pay for il Is noticeable. The Astoria
butchers have the reputation of furnish
ing neater, cleaner, fatter and juicier
meat than the .purveyors of any other
city In the northwest, and to meet the
demands of their customers, situated as
they are down here in the extreme west
ern part of the state, often taxes their
abilities to the utmost. They have to
pay high price for cattle and sheep and
all things considered are not getting rich
very rapidly at the present prices,
Butter and eggs are on the border line
between necessities and luxuries. Like
other extravagances they come high, but
people will have them. As to vegetables,
We are better supplied. Potatoes, carrots,
parSnips, turnipS, ETC., of splendid quail
Ity are brought from Clatsop, and from
across the river, and find ready sale. Ap-
pies come down the river, and this sea-
son are scarce, and consequently dear,
S1.75 box being about the prevailing
| figure. In other departments of the fruit
| line there Is a good deal bought in the
way of dried and canned fruit, particu-
larly the latter. Though Astoria is head
quarters for the finest salmon in the
world, yet there Is comparatively little OF
! the canned article consumed here, partly
because We get such a surfeit of it when
| il is finest and freshest In the spring. On
! the grocers shelves are mackerel, goldfish
| trout, whitefish, ETC.; which find then
purchasers on the ground that variety Ii
the spice of life. In game and fresh
fish, however, Astoria excels. Through.
out the year We have. an ever changing
variety of the finest fish, and IN the fall
and winter months the stores are never
devoid of fresh game of all varieties