The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-24
SIE-CENI LOAF
CUTS DOWN SALES
Bakers Find Appreciable
Slump in Business
RISE IN PRICE NECESSARY
Manufacturers Explain Situation BY
Reference to Crop
Statistics.

Six cents for a loaf OF the stan Of life.
That s. the price that is being asked
for bread in Washington today, as "a re-
suit OF the new scale nXed by the mas
ter bakers lu the city. The new price
went into effect this morning among The
majority OF retail dealers. and from
early reports resulted in a marked fall
ing on iu theiT sales.
While The exact decrease in eousump-
ton as q result Of the increase in price
viii not be- known until an accounting
is taken this evening. an intimation Of
what may be expected was given ia the
reports received earlier in the day,
Drivers Tor the bakers which have adj
vanccd the price reported that the fall
ing on iu the demand amounted any
where from one-hfth 10 one-twentieth.
Estimates Wide Apart.
Estimates OF what the decrease viii be
are SO wide in range that it is prac-
ticaIiv impossible 10 foreteu how the
public wIu accept the higher price Tor
bread. the one article which graces the
table Of rich and Door alike.
One Wholesale dealer says he anticl-
paJes a falling on ia hts business Of
about oue-half; another fixes the prob
able decrease at One-u1ths another az
one-Jenth. and so on until the enect C1
The rlse is mlnlmlzed 10 scafceiy hotA-
II IS AN interesting fact that many
families in Washington took % mal1lts 8
their own bread this morning; tHt
| baker. when he called. with MS Gus
1Omary supply was informed mat ne
need make no further visits until bread
has receded 10 it. former price.
Not Significant.
This feature Of the situation is not
/ considered highly significant by the
/ master bakers VINO ordered the advance
I II is their opinion the portion Of the
I public which Is protesting against The
! increase viii soon come to recognize tina,
+ d IS through no desire TO demand any
thing unjust that the price of bread Is
/ raised 10 cents "a loaf.
They feel that housekeepers who be-
! lievc they have found remedy 10 Jhe
/ situation VIII soon discover that II IS
/ chCa ger and better 20 buy bread al tnt
J own nomes. they say lt rs Simply De-
. cause the price of wheat and flour are
+ soaring tnat the price OF bread has aa
i yanced % the level which went int
( fect TODAY
Ia the meantime. bakers who have no,
advanced the price are taking adFan-
! tage of the situation 10 eudeavor 20 OBJ
( tain the trade formerly held By theiT
{ competitors. A number OF these bakers
fstIll sell bread retail for cents "a Loaf
/ and wholesale Tor 4 cents Loaf. which
/ is au increase OF lz cent over the former
/ wholesale price.
Some Increase Business.
One of the Iower-price stores today
/ reported that their business had almost
doubled since last Saturday. the last daH
OF scent bread among the firms which
/ determined upon the advance. IL is am
Inouuced that In spite OF the increase iU
the price OF flour. the price OF bread
VIII be kept Ehe same throughout Lhe
year.
The coterie o. bakeries which decide
upon the advance meet this opposition
{ on thc part oi few rival ba ding es-
Establishments with -he statement that
{ ar the product or the latter Is Lp 90 tht
standard II Is only a question of time
before they must too. adopt a new scale
Of prices % is held that it viii be-
/ impossible for TEEN 10 conduct theil
! Continue GA Ninth Pagel