St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-07-24
RIVER AT s A. M.
OUR DAILY BREAD.

L The movement of the bakers re-
sulting in the advance of the price
OF the pound loaf to four cents, and
the advance by the millers of the
price Of flour during the recent
furry in wheat, are matters of con-
cerned interest to all Of us who earn
our daily bread either by the sweat
OF brow or in any other manner. In
the cursory investigation made,
some curious and unaccountable
conditions are discovered. The first
inquiry being what is the cost of
Hour, one naturally turns to the
local market reports, where he finds
that spring patents" are quoted as
ranging from 81 to $3.50 a barrel. IN
der the ordinary and natural condi-
lions of trade, the price of product
is least at the point of production,
and increases as the point of con-
sumption is removed. We are at the
focal point in the great spring wheat
grain from the fields passes into
Hour in the mills. Here, then, wheat,
the raw material, and -four, the fin
lshed product, should be at their
minimum price, and here the fort
innate jewellers should enjoy the
cheapest flour and bread to be
found between the grain fields and
the farthest consumer. The same
report gives the price of wheat on
the same day at &C cents a busheI.
The old average of five bushels to a
barrel of flour has been reduced by
Ehe roller process to four and a half.
The cost to the miller of the raw
material, then, is 1927 for a barrel
of his flour. Between that and the
average Of the flour quotations, S4.15,
is the quite comfortable margin of
S1.1S out Of which to pay labor
employed, cost of administration
and dividends. In the 80 per cent
margin there should be abundant
room for this, especially the divi-
dends.
But when one carries his investi-
cations further, and seeks the price
of spring patents at points farther
away from the point of production.
he runs across some figures that
upset his premises. He finds, to his
price diminishes as the point Of con-
sumption increases its distance from
that of production. He finds that
the spring patents quoted in st.
Paul at 81 to $3.50 are quoted the
Same day in Chicago at $3.75 to S4.25,
from five to twenty-five cents less
than in st. Paul. Going farther
Rfield and consulting the New York
markets, he finds spring patents
quoted there on the same day at
$3.50 to $780, twenty cents less than
the lowest home price and five cents
less than it's highest. Here is a
paradox that puzzles one Do the
NiAi OebNo i4OI olily the hour
from st. Paul to New York for moth
ing, but actually pay the miller
Enough for the privilege of carrying
80 that he can sell his flour there
for less than he can-or does-sell
1t right here at home? But the par
RdoX does not stop it's marvellous
and confounding career at our great
EST seaport. The inquirer finds that
''town-made seconds" are quoted in
London at one pound three shillings
for $50 pounds. This is equivalent to
1886 for a barrel of 1913 pounds. Con-
sulting, in his search after facts,
the monthly report Of the treasury
bureau of statistics, he finds that
the average price of the flour ex-
ported from this country in the
month of June Of this year was So. Al
a barrel; which, allowing for ocean
freights, makes the London price
compare reasonably with our export
price. But at this point he gives up
Further investigation in that direc-