Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-08-23
STOVES UP IN PRICE
Advance Already Felt Said to Be
Due to the Strike in the Steel
Plants.
ALL HARDWARE MORE EXPENSIVE
Record Breaking Marks Are Ex-
pected If Labor Troubles
Continue.

Stoves are rising in prices and the
man who must make a purchase in
that line this fall will in many cases
be obliged to pay more than he has
for some years. This is a direct re-
suit of the steel strike. Steel plate
ranges, oil heaters and the heating
stove usually known as oak stoves
will lead in the high prices on account
of the large amount of steel used in
their manufacture.
While this is the state of the mar
ket it will not likely affect the Rock
Island dealers. The manager of one
Of the largest stores said that they
had purchased their fall and winter
stock on the old schedule of rates and
would not increase the cost to the
consumer over the scale on which the
stoves were purchased.
Poor persons especially will be
affected by the rise. They are the
ones still dependent upon large stoves
for cooking and heating purposes.
Iujthe fashionable houses, where fur
naces heat all the rooms, and the lit
tie cooking is done on a small gas
range. the housekeeper will hardly
realize that stoves cost more than
heretofore. But among those
whose homes are heated by coal
stoves, while the cooking is done on
big ranges, the rise in prices viii be
keenly felt.
Coming as forerunner OF the high
prices in all lines of domestic hard
ware goods is the recent increase in
the price of stovepipes. This is be-
cause the manufacturers of steel pro-
ducts have almost no stock on hand
and the present steel strike is Great
ing such a scarcity in the market
that they are forced to put up the
price to the retailers, and the retail
ers in turn are charging the con-
sumner enough to MAKE up for the
difference.
Spread of Strike Is Feared.
If the molders' strike in some parts
of the country should at this season
be extended to the molders in the
stove works it is said by retailers that
the price of stoves would reach a rec
ord breaking mark. Many of the
firms have contracts which cover
their trade for the first demand of the
fall. But if the strike spreads. the
manufacturers would be unable to
meet the demand from the re-
tailers for their second supply
prices soaring. Jobbers of whom
supply of stoves and furnishings in
stock, just enough TO cover the con-
tracts which they have already made.
Prices on those goods will remain the
same, but it is thought safe to pre-
dict that il a shortage in the market
is in sight for the second orders for
the season retailers will look far
enough ahead to raise the prices on
goods already in stock so as to MAKE
them go as far as possible.
Tendency to Higher Prices
Wash tubs. water buckets. garbage
in fact, that is
made from galvanized ware is ad-
vancing 10 TO 80 per cent. Small
dealers will. of course. be pinched
first. for they seldom carry large
stock or make long time contracts.
Some of the larger stores say that
they have contracts which cover the
seasons trade and that the
strike will affect them only when they
come to make their contracts for an
other year. Some of the msnufsc-
turers have contracted with retailers
to furnish them with all the goods
they can use this season at a specified
price. Under these conditions the
Will be unable to raise
the price. but if they should be I'M
able to supply the demand, as now
seems likely, the retailer, through
the iobher. will be the man VINO Will