The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-29

PUBLIC PAYS WHEN FARMER
RAISES PRICE OF WHEAT
Size of Bakers Loaves Will Be
Decreased if Present Figures
Remain in Force.
FEAR HOME PRODUCTION
Local Firms See in the House
wife'S Cook Stove Their
Greatest Competitor.
FEAR HOME PRODUCTION

when the farmer raises the price Of
wheat the public must pay the cost. Neither
the baker the manufacturer does it,.
This statement, made by large whole
sale baker of this city to the Journal,
gives the key TO a present situation, az
fecting the public in its most vital spot.
The bakers of Indianapolis are a unit in
the statement that II the price of wheat
continues to soar, or even remains at its
present high place, the prices of all kinds
of breadstuffs will have TO rise.
In the case of bread itself, this rise in
price will not be made by increasing the
price per loaf. but by decreasing the size
of the loaf.
The price of butter crackers will be raised
to-day from seven to seven and a half cents
per pound, at wholesale. Joseph Taggart-
the baker, in answer to an inquiry as to
the possible increase In prices, said:
Il have thought of waiting a little while.
but of course If the price of flour keeps up
/ Will nave to make the loaves smaller. rms
may not be done Immediately, as / have
considerable supply of -four on hand. but
it will have to come. 1t is the only way
the baker has to protect himself
THE public should keep its eye on the size
bread is always based on the size of the
loaf. and believe that Chicago has law
governing that question. But there Is no
such law in Indianapolis, and the public
must look 10 the size OF the loaf itself.
PUBLIC ALONE AFFECTED.
There has been no conference between
local bakers as to prices. and so far as
1 know none is in prospect" Alexander
Taggart, local manager of the National
Biscuit Company, said:
IF flour stays at it's present price. rise
IN bo ri. Of oJcfr &c inc oil no
baker has no gold mine on which to draw,
and when the farmer advances the price
of wheat the public has to pay. There has
already been some cut in the size of the
loaves of bread, and a greater cut will fol-
low.
ut will come gradually, by ounces and
half ounces, until the baker gets his product
TO the point where it gives him normal
profit.
matter, however, as the competition of the
cookstove is so great-the greatest that a
baker can have. First because of the quail
ity of the bread, and secondly because of
the price, there is a greater quantity Of
bread sold per capita in Indianapolis than
in any other city in the country. But even
here, II bread gets too high, the people will
bake their own bread.
Retailers will not increase on the price
of the bread at first, because their competi-
ton is so keen. But they will come TO 1t
gradually. to protect themselves.
NO UNDERSTANDINGS IN TRADE.
There can be no conference between
manufa cturers, three four of the large
bakeries in this city are corporations, and
they cannot by law consult as to prices.
But they follow suit When one raises
prices the others soon find IL out, and do
likewise. Some such thing must come soon,
for fours have increased in price by whole
sale lots from 60 TO 70 per cent.
The National Biscuit Company will raise
the wholesale price of butter crackers Mon
day morning from seven to seven and half
cents per pound. Wholesale.
The Peter f. Bryce Bakery Company in
timated that a raise would be made, al
though not Immediately. 1t was said there:
I'VE do not think that the present price
war will last very long. We have on hand
a large amount of flour, and will not in
crease the price until the supply is gone.
There is bound TO be an increase on the
part of those who have not much flour on
hand
The Century Biscuit Companys represent
alive said that the price of crackers adj
vanced Feb. 1 and will advance again
March l, and the Hiltz Bakery Company
and the Parrott-Taggart Company replied
| TO the Journals queries with the state
ment that they would decrease the size
of loaves of bread.