The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-01-05
THE TUMBLE In COFFEE
VIEWS OF LOCAL JOBBERS on THE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FIGHT.
GrOccrs Are Not Losing Any Money
The Method of Controlling the
Sale i'm This state.

sHANAA III III
fee war now being waged between the Ar
buckles and the Havemeyers. and as TO the
final outcome of the battle. The general
consensus among them seems to be that the
present situation Is a case of dog eat
dog" or, more elegantly speaking, 'dia-
mond cut diamond" with two stubborn
capitalists of resources in the
ring against each other, and the people of
indianapolis, together with all the other
| people who purchase package coffee, drink
ing their favorite beverage cheaper to the
extent of a cent and a half a pound.
The grocers themselves are not losing
money, for their profit remains the same on
each case, and as the price per case goes
down their per cent. may increase. So far
as profits are concerned. the grocers are
willing the war should go on, though for
other reasons most of them prefer peace.
j. c. Perry, wholesale grocer. expressed
himself on the situation thus: I'VE are en-
joying the light. and we haven't lost a cent
by it. purchasing, as we do, our package
coffee from hand to mouth. l think the big
fight will not last long. for there isn't
enough profit in coffee roasting to admit
much more of a drop. A compromise will
doubtless be effected" Referring to an
opinion which has been expressed, that the
fall in coffee is responsible for the rise in
sugar, Mr.. Perry said: The two have
nothing to do with each other. Sugar al
ways rises this time of year, when a great
many of the refineries close for repairs and
invoicing, and the increased demand for
holiday time makes a legitimate rise
G. A. Schnull, of Schnull & Co., said: "Of
course, our price on package coffee has
dropped TO correspond with the cuts made
by Arbuckle and Havemeyer. We don't
look for much more of a drop, but as they
come down so will we. The retail trade is
not much interested in the fight, and we
have noticed no particular increase in our
sales. People buy just about so much cof-
fee anyway. The night is giving consumers
cheap coffee, but that's the only good thing
about it,"
Mr.. Syfers, of Syfers & Mcbride. thought
that the rise in sugar Was a method of
equalizing the drop in coffee on the part of
those who are doing the slashing. Said he:
A eoffee comes down sugar goes up to
egralize the losses. Arbuckle goes down
or a cent on sugar. which more than evenS
things up. All this gives the consumers
cheap coffee. but we have noticed no in
crease III our sales SO far"
j. l. Moore was inclined to see the bright
side OF the contest, and had no cause for
complaint. we are making money out of
it, said he. we sell coffee at the same
profit per case, and. of course. the less the
price per case the greater per cent. of profit
We make. Notwithstanding this fact, l hope
the trouble will soon reach a settlement, or
ii may finally result detrimentally to us. /
have no idea how the fight will be settled.
lower"
Mr.. Kothe, of Kothe, Wells & Bauer.
spoke with characteristic warmth of the
antics of the millionaires. Said he: This
fight is not a legitimate one. 1t is simply a
contest between two stubborn men, with no
reason on earth for it. The other handlers
Of package coffee are losing money in meet
ing the cut made hV the HaVpmpVpr and
A~rbuckles, and, of course. the dear public
reaps, the benefit: Woolson seems deter
mined 10 stay half a cent below A~rbuckle,
but | think the Arbuckles nave facilities
which will make it possible for them to sell
three-quarters of a cent below all COMPETE
tors. AT present prices | think they are not
losing money. and, figuring only the actual
expense OF putting up the coffee and deliv-
ering ii. they can go half a cent lower with
out loss. Still. that wouldn't make any diff
ference. The men in this deal can recoup
their losses by other means, and are likely
to carry this fight to the bitter end
NJ. OConnor said: Il don't know much
about the fight that is going on. but | think
our local trade is about the same as usual.
In my opinion, though, Arbuckle's coffee is
worth half a cent more than the Lyons cor-
Zee, and the present difference Of half q
cent between the two is no more than light.
The war is affecting others besides the par
ties Immediately concerned. the Jersey and
drop"
In connection with the present agitation
a little not generally known
with regard to the methods of handling
package coffee might not come amiss.
Package coffee is sold i'm Indiana under an
equality plan which makes a delivered price
for every railroad station i'm the State. ANY
Jobber selling coffee in that town. no mat
ter where he is located. sells il at the Same
price as any other jobber might from any
other quarter. The roasters retain a rebate
on coffee sold to jobbers for two months,
and at the end of that time. if they have
not sold coffee at less than the regular price
given, then from time to time the rebate OF
81 a case Is paid them. This enables the
JoDDer 10 make about o per cent. on his in
which is a very small margin,
taxing into account the expense of doing
business. This plan has been in operation
since November of 1895. has proved salts.
factory to jobbers. and has been no detri-
ment to retailers or consumers.