Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-04
Advances in Prices Of Various Inn
pertant Products.
BUNTING, PRINTING PAPER and WHEAT
Probable Scarcity of Ice Matter
of Concern.
GREAT DEMAND FOR FLAGS

The effect OF the war between the United
States and Spain has been very materially
felt in the prices of q number of products
of this country. Probably the rise in the
first among these is due to the patriotic
spirit of the American people, as shown in
decorating their residences and places of
business with flags and bunting. There are
but two manufacturers of bunting in the
United States-the New England Bunting
Company and the United States Bunting
Company. Both of these corporations have
been working night and day, but have been
unable to supply the demand upon them
Under ordinary circumstances these two
companies have always been able to fill at
once orders for bunting. of which to make
flags, but the advent of war caught them
with a short supply on hand, and they have
been able to furnish but small portion of
the quantity called for.
A reporter fer The Star learned from one
of Washngtons largest flag manufacture
today that the supply of bunting on
hand in this city had been almost entirely
exhausted.
I'VE have never had such a demand for
flags in our entire experience" said this
manufacturer, land we have been COM
PEELED to turn down thousands of dollars
worth of orders.
Price of Bunting.
The price of bunting has advanced fully
100 per cent on account of the great de-
mand for flags and the shortage in the
supply of material.
Never in the history of the country, it
was stated, has there been such a de-
mand for the national coiors. Flags of all
sizes and kinds command a premium There
has always been a custom among the flag
manufacturers to rent out flags and bunt-
70 soc s.f n
time the practice had to be abandoned, as
the supply was not equal TO the occasion.
In fact the manufacturers have not been
able TO make enough flags to sell, much
less to rent. If the people cannot get large
flags they appear to be perfectly satisfied
to get the smaller ones, and the advance
In price, incidert to the lack OF material,
does not appear to make any difference.
The bunting manufacturers are arranging
to increase their facilities and work their
mills to their utmost capacity in order tc
supply the trade
Advance In Paper.
Another product which has very ma
terially advanced in price is paper for
printing purposes This is not due to any
lack of capacity of the mills of the United
States to furnish the necessary quantity.
but to the fact that before the war came
on the mill owners were of the opinion
that they had on hand a sufficient guam
II
ed their attention to the manufacture of
the finer grades. When war became
reality, however, the newspapers through
out the country made such a demand upon
the mills on account of enlarged circula-
ticns. due to the issuance of extra papers
and the enlargement of the regular edi-
tons. trat the supply Immediately began
to melt like ice under hot July sun, unit!
now there is hardly enough on hand to
meet the daily requirements, and, a
consequence, the price has been raised
nearly cent pound. 1t is believed, how
ever, that this strain will be relieved
shortly by the mills turning their atten-
ton to the manufacture of print papers.
Those newspapers which have not already
a supply of paper on hand will have to
hustle to get out their regular editions.
The local dealers in print paper have run
out of stock almost entirely. One of them
told a Star reporter today that they had
had orders out for several weeks, but had
teen unable to get even a car load.
The fact that sulphur which IS used
largely IL the manufacture of the pulp from
which paper is made, has been declared to
be contraband of war, may interfere very
seriously with the manufacturers. Just
how large supply OF this material the pa
per mills have on hand will govern the
price nf Paper as it is manufactured. 1t is
understood however, tha- several mills
have already been compelled to snut down
owing to a shortage in tau supply of sui
phur
Upward Tendency of Wheat.
The price of wheat na1 advanced very
materially, and for time it was thought
that this would make it necessary for the
bakers to advance thu price Of bread.
At a meeting held last week, however it
was decided that for the pcesent. at least,
there would be no charge
Now that summer is rapidly approaching
In. attention of consumers ) turned to the
price of Ice 1t has oeen stated that the
shippers of kennebec ice have been afraid
to start their vessels south for fear they
will be captured and taken as prizes by
Spanish Warships. In view of this fact it is
stated that the ice men contemplate rails
ing the price to local consumers to O large
extent. 1t is interesting to observe what
the manufacturers of artificial ice will do in
this connection. While it may be impos-
sible to get the natural ice from the usual
sources there will, as heretofore, be a suf-
fciency of water in the vicinity of Wash
ington to make all of the leo necessary for
home consumption.
May Take Advantage.
1t is believed to be possible that the arti-
fetal ice men will try to take advantage of
thu scarcity Of natural ice to raise the price
Of that made at home. 1t Is more than
probable, however, 1t is said, that the sup
ply of natural ice will reach here il plenty
of time to prevent such action.
While the dealers say they are afraid to
make plds FOR supplying the government
and others with ice in large quantities, it Is
generally believed that this is but one way
to command an advance in ths price Of this
very necessary commodity. So far as the
other necessaries of life are concerned, 1t
is not feared that the war will create much,
If any, change in quotations.
fhaR M