The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-02-01
OFF FOUR AND A HALF
January Closes at S1.04 in
Chicago.
LETTER AND THE MILlERS
Crop Statistics and the Euro
pean Prospect.
LETTER AND THE MILLERS

Chicago, Jan. S1.-Wheat was sold off
today from s1.oS1z to s1-OS and closed at
H.04. The decline was caused by liberal
offerings by one broker, but not over 75,-
DOC bushels were traded in at the decline.
The break in January was strongly reflect
ed in the futures, which had ruled weak
sll day on a decline at Liverpool, and
ether bearish statistical news, and sent
the price of May a little below 947s cents.
Letter brokers were credited with good
buying of May on the decline, but other
heavy longs unloaded. May closed at 947s
tents, a decline of cents since yester-
Hay.
MILLERS CAN'T GET WHEAT.
Chicago, Jan. 31.-Joseph Letter, accord
Ing TO experts, is forcing thousands OF peo-
Die to eat darker bread than has ever
been seen since the introduction or the
patent roller process Of making -four. His
control of 15,00oOOO bushels of contract
wheat means, they say, that the millers
are grinding the best grain they can pro
cure since their supply of choice No.
hard spring wheat has become exhausted
and that best is not very good. Grocers
pnd retail flour dealers have been re-
ceiving complaints regarding broadstuffs
from cooks and housewives, who have
sent back sacks and barrels of flour
marked with the fanciest brands at the
highest price but the loudest protests
have been raised by the restauranteurs
and bakers, who buy -four at wholesale.
CORN IS WHOLESOME.
Commissioner Of Health Reynolds to-
day sent out men to gather samples Of
-four from leading dealers. This flour
will be analysed and definite information
given to the public as to the nature of
the authorizations which are said to have
resulted in general prevalence of dark
bread.
Commissioner Reynolds said:
eff corn has been used to adulterate
the wheat there need be no alarm, so far
as health is concerned. Corn is an emil
nently healthy food and if wheat should
ever be cornered so as to preclude Its
purchase by the common people, corn
could easily I'LL its place"
1t is announced that the farmers of Ma
con county will have an exhibition of corn
in all its shapes and styles at their an
nual Farmers Institute, and that they
will endeavor to start a compalgn in adj
Vocacy of the health of corn.
LETTER IS AMUSED.
The story that the wheat corner con-
troIled by Joseph Letter is causing peo-
pie to eat darker bread caused the Ma
poleon of the board of trade much amuse-
ment.
Il see." said he, that they say my
wheat corner compels the millers to grind
Rny sort Of old stuff for their customers.
If they are grinding poorer stuff in their
rollers why don't they reduce the price?
/ have not heard of any reduction in the
price of wheat -four. If the millers want
good flour they can come and get the
best there is at market prices. The prices
are now advanced tremendously, you say?
Yes, but note this, that the millers are
charging proportionately advanced prices
for the mixed stuff they are grinding. That
is to say. they ask Just as much for their
dark adulterated flour as if 1t was the
purest brand. Consequently. if anybody
is getting the worst of It, it is the pub
lie If -four mill men would lower the
price of their dark compound and an
nounce that they sold adulterated flour
at a lower price they would get public
sympathy, but when they ask just as
much for stuff as they would be entitled
to ask for the best wheat at present
prices. where should the blame be
placed?"
VISIBLE GRAIN SUPPLY.
New York, Jan. 3l.-The statement Of
the visible supply of grain in store ant
afioat. Saturday, January %, as com
piled by the New York Produce Exchange
is as follows: Wheat. Sc .O62 900 bushels
decrease, 90. 200. Corn. 4O.5S1. 600; decrease
!. POS. OOO Oats Is. 112 900; increase, 572, 900
Rye. s,S4, 600; decrease, 162, 900. Barley, 3,
O28 O0O; decrease, 133, 900.
GOVERNMENT ESTIMATES.
Washington, Jan. 31-The final esti
mates of acreage, production and value
of crops in the United States for 1897
made by the statistician of the depart
ment of agriculture, are as follows:
Corn, S,095. 1O1 acres, 1902 96S, $3.50 bushels
$501. 072.952 value.
Wheat. 3s.465.O6s acres. 5SO14s,16S bush
els, S42S, 547.121.
Oats. 25, 73O,375 acres, 69S767.SO9 bushels
s147, 719.
Rye. 1,7os561 acres, 27,ae3,a24 bushels
s12. 23e, 647 value.
Barley, 2,u9.ns acres, 6S.6S5, 127 bushels
S25.1421s9 value.
Buckwheat, HISS. 4,s97451. s6.S19,1s
value.
Potatoes. 2,534577 acres. 164O15,964 bush
els, $50. 643, 059.
Hay. ~. 425. 10 acres, 6O,664,s7s tons, s401,
500. T2S value.
Detailed information by states will b
issued in printed form in few days. TIL
revision of the estimates of the acreag
OF MlllleI wheat anu rye AbI Nllt bACStil
season is nearing completion. No repoI
on tobacco will be made at present.
EUROPEAN CROP SITUATION.
London, Jan. 31.-The Mark Lane EX
press. in its weekly review Of the graf
market. says:
Although the French wheat fields prom
Use well, ii is feared they are affecte
by rankness and weeds. Austro- Hungar
is suffering from a plague Of field mic
and moles. which is spreading over tn
vast plains of the Leytha and Danub,
The news from Russia is satisfactory. :
far as the Azima wheat of 1895 is cor
cerned. but the threshing Of the 1897 Gro
indicates that the yield is very small
the provinces which have hitherto bee
credited with an average crop. Lars
sales of Russian wheat point, therefor
10 very bad agricultural situation
showing that Russia, while not increasin
her total production. is becoming
through AGRICULTURAL poverty, a proml
seller. for cash after the harvests. Wit
America also weaker holder. we mu
be prepared for increased fluctuations
nl-s.ks. nG-..1 nn~s. n.