The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-05-01
EFFECT OF THE WAR.
On Prices of Pro visions rs Felt by the
Residents Of This City.

llAJ TIE CUSt vi Ill MINIS va P'o'iSS
would advance as a result OF the war was
expected by nearly everybody but,
nevertheless, some surprise is expressed
by housekeepers that the increase should
De so general.
All lines seem to have been affected,
but the staples have made the greatest
advance, owing to the large government
demand for supplies for the army ana
navy.
The government is always a large
buyer. but in time of peace the army and
navy are SO widely scattered that there
is no abnormal demand upon the market
OF any section. Now. however, with all
the forces modified in the East. and
with the necessity of providing for
vast volunteer army, the entire demand
has fallen upon the Eastern market, the
natl raj result being an advance all along
the line
Flour, the most indispensable of all
provisions, has risen steadily IN price.
With May wheat quoted at Sl.2+4 per
bushel, it is, of course, only natural
that that cereals chief product should
feel in duty bound to climb upward and
It is accomplishing the task with ceer-
ity that is amazing.
For instance, standard grade OF flour
that was sold wholesale only nine
DAYS ago for $500 a barrel was this
morning quoted at $500. At retail the
same flour, with freight and carriage
added, sold q week ago for $6.4S barrel.
Now the retail price is $7.4s, an increase
Of 81 a barrel.
Dealers say that -four is now higher
than it has been for fifteen years, and
that it will probably advance still
further, although it is not likely to go as
high as it did during the Civil War.
Production has increased largely
since 1865, and enormous stocks are now
on hand Dealers, of course, will hold
back for all the raise they can get, but it
is regarded as improbable that flour will
90 higher than So 4 barrel.
Other cereal foods have also jumped
in price. Rolled oats, It'd wholesale
week ago at $50 and 5, ~ hundred
pounds, are now $3.50 Ill S4.l0 respect.
lively. The increase in the price OF oat-
meal has been even greater.
Beans, staple outside of soldier and
sailor fare, have climbed to $l.75 8
bushe. an advance of thirty-fve cents
in less than week. MacarOni, tapioca
sage and similar articles OF diet have
gone up anywhere from twelve and s
half to fifteen per cent, and are still
soaring.
Ordinary corn meal that sold ten day:
ago for $l.95 to $2.10a hundred pounds
is now held at 500 and S22.35. yellow
yranulated cornneal has likewise riser
in proportion.
Meats, both canned and smoked, are
also in the onward and upward process
sion. Pork has gone up 81 barrel since
aweek ago and is still climbing. Bacol
and hams are from one-half to three
quarters of cent a pound higher Tinnet
ercanned, corn beef costs tenn pit
cent. more than it did the week before
and further advances are probable.
Other meats that were quoted at sop
a hundred pounds one week ago an
could be bought for IS or less a hundre
two weeks before that are now $500
hundred, and the packers do not seem t
be eager for purchasers ut that price
Canned fruits and vegetables hay
gone up along with the rest. Canned t,
matoes are quoted at prices rlngin
from ten to twenty per cent. higher tina
those of Il week before.
Other canned vegetables have Il,
yanced in proportion, although the fat
will not bother buyers SO much as tt
rise in the cost Of other things. Frvs
fruits and vegetables are almost at hant
and the canned gn"!s car b" Gorc Will
oft.
Teas, c"ffcrS AMI sugars irrm anoth,
trio that has advanced. although the la
two only in Il very small degree. TIN
they are bound to go higher However,
generally admitted.
Teas are scarce and are going t. cost
little moe Il an they have been costn
Two weeks ago. when there was Il pro
ability that var duty wunld be PIT TIP,
tea. the price advanced sharply. II
. doing away ct tiic probability did II
cause Il decline either. and several tirl
have given noti"c OF al increase in Il
ntai! price.
Potatoes are about the only stag
vegetable in the law state ether til;
those already noted affected in price
The war. Quotations are 30 cents
hushel higher llan the figures asked t,
weeks ago. Oats are from two to thr
cents or bTsh"l higher than they we
before the hIncknhr OF Cuban port
while rye feed has gone up from 81!
81 and 70 cents Il hundred pounds.
Feed oil cali', used for fattening cat
is now Quoted at S23 and $3.50,
against So ard $22.25 one week oe
Screenings lave also gone up from 10
Is cents per buslel. Beef hams.
wholesale. ms well as family pork. &c
Just 50 cents per barrel NOR. Side ril
both sailed and smoked; bacon lal
and lad, all have advanced in t
wholts tie market fully one-hali cent
pound.
While Spanish n.ackerl are quiet al
dull, Irish mackerel have jumped up
fifty cents barrel, and sardincs and 81
mon are considerably higher. the cnli
ing OF many Of the coast fishermen
the navy and the danger OF sending q
tisl ing vessels on account of the fear
being captured by Spanish privatee
having their effect on all lines Of pack
and dried fish.
Even neglected red herring tod
has more respected value among de-
ers han ever before. In drugs, opiu
and quinine are advancing quite rapid
IN rrice and with new WAR pntat}
selling wholesale a. 81 bushcl com
the report that tie potato crop in t
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