The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-16
PRICES OF FOOD INCREASE
Vegetables Poorer in Quality and
Higher in Cost Than for Years.

Z
Tcndcncy-SOmc Fruits show an
Advance Of 300 Per Cent in Sell
ing NnIucS-A Comparative Table.
An unprecedented increase I'm the price
of meats and vegetables is causing great
anxiety and alarm TO Washington house
keepers. Prices of almost everything 20
eat have $50 advanced during the past
few months as TO cause tho Eraysst APP
prghtusiou that persons of moderate
means may soon find their daily fare re-
duc,d both i'm quantity and quality. The
situation. instead of improving. grows
worse. Local dealers say that there will
he mo- change for tho better this summer.
High prices will probably continue dur
ing the fan. while winter values will
probably also increase
Trusts and the drought are assigned as
the causes FOR the condition of the mar
kCt- Tomatoes. peas. string beams. in
| fact almost an vegetables arc OF quail
" inferior To that of last year Toma-
toes especially are small and imperfect,
Yet they are worth ESD cents u hu-hel the
same price which they brought last year,
The greatest increase 40 prices. howvv-
( err has developed IN the case Of the most
I necessary table article the potato. and
. I...HNll .tE L..aA I.t.ll...atah. N....tsA-
4 tIc-s cu tEcm viii continue during the
winter Potatoes cost more than twice as
/ much as was asked for them last year.
ana their quality is poorer All of the
/ POTATOES now I'm the local markets come
: from she vicinity Of Washington. but
/ general scarcity OF them seems to pre-
| vail over the entire country. The po-
/ tatogs are not nearly So good this season
| as they Were twelve months ago
/ \ purchasing expedition through the
] markets Is considerably more cN-
J peusive than such a trip has been for
/ many years past. and what could be done
! with 80 cents last August can not now
| De accomplished for 81. PockCthooks must
I bc filed with Ereenbgcks. and even
! after a very moderate and modest
/ marketing. the extent To which they
! decrease ia size Is marvellous. The great
/ increase IN values is noticeable I'm the re-
/ tail prices Wholesale prices have taken
] decided jump upward. but upon the
/ housekeoper fails the burden Of the rise.
/ The dealer is obliged to pay moro for his
/ stock. but h. makes it up on the customer.
| and sometimes with an added penny or
I two
| Meats. fruits. and dairy products. have
! increased all along the line in company
| with the vegetables. and the present price
/ Of A modest dinner in small family
would twelve months ago have looked as
! large as the cost Of a banquet Among
/ other vegetables which indicate which
! way the wind is blowing, is the small but
/ by no means insignificant pea Last year
/ a busheI could have been purchased for
/ - cents The same quantity this summer
is valued at s.. and the price is paid with
! out a mUrmur. When purchased i'm small
| or quantities the housewife pays price
! which is at a considerably higher rate.
: String beans are worth - cents more a
/ busheI than last year. while the lover Of
! the old time Virginia dinner is hit hard in
| a vulnerable place. Cabbages have doub-
I led in price. and have not increased pro-
/ portionately in to0thsomc1css-
/ Last season a hundred large fine heads.
/ the best in the local market and con-
/ sequently the best iu the country. could
/ Doe acquired for s., or at the rate OF ?
| cents per head. They have risen steadily
| in price. and are scarce al twice this quo
! tati0n. Even the retiring parsley has felt
/ the effects OF the drought and has in
! creased in value
/ WateTmeIons and CanJalDupes cost about
/ the same this year as last Cucumbe-s
/ also have remained stationary in the
midst Of a general rise. and can be pur-
] flta~f II at ID cents n tbafIl4 mere IDS
! been no increase In the price OF onions.
The great Increase in the price Of food
/ is causing considerable anxiety 20 the
| thoughtful provider Of the family. The
| poorer people are the greatest sufferers.
! and many articles always considered as
necessary have been omitted from the
! menu OF many tables because the pr1hibi-
tive prices have moved them far out II
! reach. There IS no telling where the enc
Will be- and the prospect Of a famine in
some staples is not an imp9ssihiity. PO-
tatoes especially viii undoubtedly be very
scarce this winter. They are now worth
more here than fl almost any section OF
the country. and the present indications
are that the price viii increase even more
! before any reduction becomes likely.
Fruit Of an description is almost as
scarce ard costly as jcWelry. and only
the commOuer varieties can be looked at
without blinking by the average house
keeper. Berries. grapes. and cherries are
scarce. Peaches are just three times as
/ expensive as they were twelve months
ago. and the quality is not SO good. The
peculiar weather Of the late spring" as
I one dealer expressed IT. this morning is
laid down as the cause. Whatever the
cause. the fact remains that peaches now
valued AT - cents per basket, could have
| been purchased last summer for "a quar-
ter. Elackberries now almost gone are
held "a $3.50 for crate. while last sea-
son s. was a good price. Grapes which
last year sold for % cents cost % this
summer. Oranges are s. more expensive
this year than they were last, when a
crate could have been purchased for s.
Bananas which sold for 20 cents peg
! bunch Last year now cost $50 q phe-
| uomeuaI increase in values for which
there is no explanation. California fruit
is on the rise. and pIums have increased
from % cents 10 90 cents per box
Meats have increased somewhat In
| spite OF the fact that the iucubators are
working over time the supply of fowls
az the market is not large. and the birds
are of "A poorer quality this year than
last. Dressed chickens are worth . cents
per pound more than IN August. 1890. Eggs
are worth % cents. They sold last year
| for u. Butter is valued at 90 cents PEI
! pound. and cheese al ~ cents
| The comparative prices OF vegetables and
/ fruits In August, 1900. and August OF this
| year. are shown in the following table
last years prices being given first
ls@ l.9l
| Potatoes. bUslel NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 81 "1 s. ,
Com. dozen Observation-Disclosures j.
I Peas. hu-Es. -----....--... .-.------ % %