Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-11-09
4 demand for Cheaper Bread
and Meat.
TFrom the Richmond State, Oct. 81.

From tile Richmond State, Oct. IL
We have no idea that the bakers desire to
gouge their customers. In an Interview with
several of them yesterday they spoke cand-
id ly and did not hesitate to let the public
know just what it costs them to make bread
They reason that there is such falling of!
in the consumption of bakers bread in this
city, that they cannot afford to make and de
liver it at smaller price, but in this we think
they are mistaken. We think it quite cleai
that the reason why bakers bread is MOI
more generally used by poor people is that
the difference in cost between it and home
made bread is so great that they can
not afford to use the manufactured article. A
poor man can now buy fairly good article
OF flour for $500 per barrel, ont OF which his
wife caii make 259 loayes. But if he buys the
same number OF ioaVes from a baker, they
will cost him $3.50!
We grant that most of the Richmond bakers
pay 81. for flour, but the poor man can pay
that price for flour and yet get his bread made
at home for much less than the baker charges
Now if the bakers will reduce the price we
think they will find that their sales will
largely increase. But be that as it may, there
day which cannot be controverted. One
bakery in this city is making good article
of bread for three cents loaf, but the poor
man pays five cents for it at the dealers
This is ineXcusabie, and i'll the name of hu
mainly we appeal to them to give their poor
customers the benefit of this reduction.
[From the Washington News.]
A loaf of the staff Of life sells to-day to the
consumer, with flour at S325 a barrel, at the
price it did when that article cost anywhere
from 80 to Sill per barrel. Wheat is now sell
ing for forty eight cents per bushel and bread
the same price it was when wheat sold for 81
and 81 50 per bushel. Things are sadly out of
joint when this state of affairs is allowed tc
exist. This is question for the wage-earner,
who comprises the great majority of the long
procession of bread consumers, to think about.
Bread trusts are a disgrace to the country
that permits them to exist.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Nov. 81
For the past year -four has been exceeding
ly cheap, as compared with two years ago,
and yet the price CT bread has never varied
A change.is about to occur, however, and one
which will in all probability affect all the
local firms. W. &, Irwin, President of one OF
the largest bakery establishments in the city
announced yesterday that, beginning with that
morning, his firm would commence to sell
bread at a reduced rate, which will he three
cents a loaf, instead of five as formerly Mr.
Irwin says that the size Of the loaves will not
De changed and that the quality will, in all
respects, be up to the old standard. 1t is a
good move and will probably affect the prices
similarly all over the city,
Washington letter in Baltimore Sun.
The agitation on the subject of the cost Of
bread has led to a general reduction tn the
price OF the loaf, and now bread which for
merly sold at 5 cents per pound is selling here
at from "a to cents per pound.
["Consumer" in the Alexandria Gazette.]
In consequence of the low prices OF wheat
and flour the price of bread is being reduced,
as is everything else but fresh meat-to the
Alexandria consumer. The dealers in fresh
meats in this city have held up the prices for
years past and beef now sells in the market
at y, 20 and even 25 cents a pound for
choice cuts. There is no reason for this, and
prices should be forced down. Beef on the
hoof is bought at from to ~ cents a pound
and western dressed beef at from to cents.
Most of the meat sold in market is western
dressed beef, and the dealers make the con-
sumers pay them from 80 to 800 per cent. adj
vance on their purchases. Retail prices now
are exorbitant, and the consumers should not
longer be compelled to pay them. Let the
prices come down.