The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-05
SULPHUR is SCARCE.
There Is Almost a Famine Re-
suit of Existing War.
Chicago Post.

Chicago Post.
If several of the large match companies
had not exercised extraordinary promptitude
in laying in q supply of sulphur within the
last week or ten days. people in this coun-
try would have had to resort to fiilts or
other means for starting fires, for 1t is said
there would have been no matches on the
market within a comparatively short time.
5es NTH ana ch t
matches, is the principal ingredient of pow
der, and as such is contraband of war and
liable to seizure. For several weeks before
the actual declaration of hostilities all of
the big importers of sulphur, saltpeter and
chlorate of potash began to nail up their
stocks and since the trouble began they
have refused to sell pound of it until the
cargoeS now at sea are safely landed and
the importers know just where they stand.
To-day there is, 1T is said, not ounce or
any of these articles in the market. Sew
eral vessel loads of sulphur and chlorate OF
potash which are now ON the way to the
United States from Italy are, it is said, be-
ing closely watched for seizure by the gum
boats of both navies.
AS soon as it was evident that there was
going to be famine of sulphur two of the
big match companies, it is said sent agents
to every port of the country with orders TO
buy every pound of sulphur they could get
hold of. These agents did their work so
well that there is now little danger of the
match supply giving out for some time, but
it is said that if hostilities are very pro-
longed there will be no sulphur to be had
in this country and consequently no home-
made matches. Officers of the Diamond
phur they need, that they have had no
agents out after the fire instgator and
that they can get all the sulphur they want
in this country Notwithstanding these as
Sertions, wholesale druggists and others
who deal extensively in these articles say
that there is no sulphur on the market in
the United States to-day. and as the stuff
is contraband of war there is likely to be
an entire absence of it as soon as the pres
ent supply, which has jumped from 80 to
Is per cent. in price within the last week,
is exhausted.
There is practically no sulphur, saltpeter
or ehlorate of potash to be had to-day"
said j. w. Morrison, vice president of the
wholesale drug company of MORRISON.
Plummer e. Co. "These articles, you
know are contrabands of war and liable
to seizure. / understand the Diamond
Match Company has had agents out all
over buying up sulphur. The war has
caused a general advance in che prices OF
these three articles, besides other things
in the drug line particularly quinine."
Chief Buyer Jacobowsky, of the same
firm, says that there is no sulphur chlorate
of potash or saltpeter to be had at any
price.
None of these articles is mined or manu-
featured in this country he said The Inn
porters in the East refuse to let any more
out of their hands until the stocks now at
sea on the way to this country arc safely
landed. Within the last week the price cf
birthstone and sulphur has advanced 30 per
cent, chlorate of potash has gone up % per
cent. and quinine has risen 30 per cent. The
sharp advance in the latter Is. of course. in.
anticipation of the increase in the demand
for the article in the army. The match COM
panies have, | understood been securing
the country for sulphur and have laid In
large supplies
IF there is a. famine in sulphur. saltpeter
and chlorate of potash ii will have one good
effect 1t will bring the people to realiza-
ton of the necessary of developing our own
sulphur mines and making our own potash.
There is plenty of sulphur in this country
but we have neglected to mine it. relying
on the seemingly easily procured supply OF
Europe. But now when il is shown how
easily we can be put at the mercy of these
foreign mines. think Ii will spur us to de-
velop our own resources. There are Inn
mense beds of sulphur i'm Utah"