Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-09-20
Unprecedented Activity In Can
ming Results In Shortage
In hiarshalItown
HAVE NONE
First Season in Years Grocers Have
Been Caught Standardization Al
ways Carried Over Large Supplies
Gossip of the Grocers, of Interest to
Housewives.

For the first time in many years Mar
shalltown is without fruit Jars. Here
tofore, including last season, wholesale
and retail grocers have carried over as
old stock fruit Jars by the hundreds
There was no demand for the large
stocks carried, altho the usual number
was sold. This season the conditions
are altogether different and instead of
having to carry over fruit Jars two car
loads have been ordered by the Let's,
Fletcher Company, to satisfy the de-
mands of grocers. Retailers are abb
soluteiy without glass jars for canning
purposes, and are putting off their GUS
toners as best they can, requesting
that they be patient. One grocer did
manage to get few dozen from Des
Moines the other day, but they were all
snapped up scarcely before they could
be unpacked. One car load should be
here soon, and the other will only be
q few days Denlnd II, IL tTaHSpoi eeaeioii
facilities do not fail.
The housewife who has canned hef
peaches is in luck, for the luscious
fruit, while still Of an excellent quallty'
Is scarcer than it has been, and more
expensive Grocers have been buying
good peaches, Michigan varieties. III
Chicago, in one-f1fth bushel baskets,
delivered here, including freight, at
from 80 to 80 cents per basket. Ihe
same varieties now are now billed out
from Chicago at 80 and 80 CENTS ana
are costing the grocer here anywhere
from 81 to 80 cents, and the consumer
40 and as cents. The only thing that
is held accountable is the demand tor
peaches in the cities.
Pears are selling from as to SO cents
per peck, and are of good quality.
Bartletts are scarce, and but very few
are being received. While the Bart
let's are a popular variety, there are
others that are just as good and be-
ing substituted by the housewife, who,
perhaps, has always asked for Bart
let's heretofore.
Plums are practically wound up for
the season. There are a few Miners
on the market, but for the most part
plums are out of the way.
Potatoes at 35 Cents.
Potatoes are costing the consumer
these days 95 cents per bushel. They
are of a superior quality. big and sound.
Grocers in the potato line are nothing
more than jobbers for the farmers pro-
duct, and the farmers have to be dealt
with as customers, the same as the
consumer. Grocers do not look for po-
tatoes to be much cheaper than IS cents
this winter, altho they may be. Groc-
ers have not laid in potatoes in twenty
years at less than 25 cents per bushel,
and that price is being paid the farm
ers now, in trade, or 20 cents in cash.
Opinions as to next years crop differ
Some farmers say that two banner
years in potatoes are never found to-
gether: others say that 1t Is seldom one
sees two bad years In succession. Last
year at this time potatoes were cost
ing the consumer on an average OF
80 cents per bushel, or anywhere from
go cents to 81.
Eggs Will Be High.
Eggs will be a luxury this winter
from present indications. They are
gradually going up, and grocers do not
look for them ever to be less than is
cents again, as long as Armour and
Swift control the local market, as they
do at the present time. Eggs are now
a trifle over 10 cents to grocers, and
cost 20 cents to the consumer. In for
mer years, after the farmers had fin
ished their threshing, grocers always
looked for dozens and dozens Of eggs,
enough. in fact, so they could sell them
cheaply, and still lay aside several cas-
es for winter use. Eggs will probably
be from IS to 40 cents dozen all win
ter. Where eggs have been ordered
in two and three dozen lots the orders
now average only a dozen, and in many
instances only half dozen.
Tomatoes are still cheap, and are
selling at 10 cents peck or 35 cents a
bushel. A good housewife can pro-
duce from bushel Of tomatoes var.
iety Of bushes. including catsups, that
would cost her $40 to purchase at man
ufacturers prices during the winter.
1t is the tomato that is causing the
demands for cans at this season, for
that and apples and crabapples, are oc-
cupying the principal attention in the
canning line.
Sweet corn is practically out Of the
market, or at least as far as desirable