Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1907-10-12
COMMERCIAL
Cost Of Living Higher.

within the past fortnight there has
| been general advance in the prices OF
nearly all the necessities Of life milk.
| butter, eggs, bread. fruit, canned goods,
| etc. The increased price of fruit and
| vegetables is credited to a short crop
In nearly all sections, due to an excep-
tfonally dry summer. The price of milk
has been advanced In several cities to-
8 cents quart retail During the sea-
son there has been a 20 per cent adj
vance In the price Of canned goods OF,
the best quality, and it is said that the
pure food law is partly responsible for
this by compelling the retirement OF
many cheap and adulterated articles
The tomato crop is said to be 60 per
cent short, and this, too, will figure 10
the increased price of canned tomatoes
which are expected to go from 80 cents
to 81 a dozen wholesale. Sweet corn
In the can has already gone from 10 to
Is cents dozen. Prunes are expected
to advance one-thfrd over the average
price for the past five years, as the
crop is only a little more than one
third of last years. Peas and beans
will share in the general upward trend.
The Erie Makes Record.
The report of the Erie railroad for
the last fiscal year, which is now made
public, is remarkable in several, re-
Dpects, but chiefly in the statement that
not single passenger out Of "a, 1919, 72S
carried was killed during the year. At
the same time there was reduction in
the cost Of operation, and more passen-
gers were carried at a less rate per
mile. Wages were increased 81 600, 900
In the aggregate. In spite of the big
increase In wages the road made gain
In net earnings Of nearly $4,000, 900,
the total being $16171, 1856.
w. u. and p. r. r. Make Peace.
The long legal war between the
Western Union Telegraph company
and the Pennsylvania railroad, which
began in 1908 with the expiration Of
an old contract, has ended In a new
twenty year agreement, and all The
lawsuits are dropped. The Western
Union will resume operations along
Pennsylvania lines and will extend to
Columbus and Sandusky lines, which
heretofore have been used by the Post
al. Between the lines of this announce
ment people read triumph for the
Gould Rockefeller interests, which, by
raiding P r. R. stock, compelled Cas-
satt to stop opposing the entrance of
Wabash into Pittsburg and to let West
ern Union alone.
Hartman Loses His Alton. zs -.
At the annual meeting of the Chica-
60 and Alton railroad e. II. Hartman
failed to be reelected director, and
the name of his friend, James Still
man, was left off, this marking the
complete ascendency Of the Rock Is
land interests in Alton and victory for
the Moore Reid people. Recently the
Alton was purchased by the Toledo, st.
Louis and Western, or Glover Leaf"
Edwin Hawley, head of the latter road,
becomes now an Alton director in Har-
riman's place. ]
Demand Credit Currency.
The resolution adopted by the Amerf.
can Bankers association at it's recent
Atlantic City convention favors the
credit currency plan submitted by the
commission appointed last year and
favored generally by eastern fnanciers.
although opposed by western men.
This indicates that another effort will
be made to get another credit currency
law through congress. In general the
plan Is to authorize national banks OF
good standing which have surplus
fund equal to 20 per cent of their capt.
tai to issue credit notes in amount
equal to 40 per cent of the bond Sc
cured circulation, subject to a 21a per
cent per annum tax, and O further
amount equal to 1914 per cent of the
bank capital, subject to q 8 per cent
tax.
Heaviest Failures In Decade
According to the reports Of the com
mercial agencies, the year 1907 thus
far has shown the heaviest commercial
failures of any like period In the last
ten years, the month Of September be-
ing particularly notable, as It's failures
In point Of liabilities have surpassed
those of any month since December.
1903. Dun's review regards the dis
turbance as distinctly monetary one
and not to any falling off in the gems
eral business Of the country or anxiety
regarding the future.
Two Cent Fare Pays Railroad.
In his annual report President
Charles S. Mellen Of the New York,
New Haven and Hartford railroad adj
m1ts that the two cent passenger rate
established about year ago has prov
ed profitable one, the gross earnings
of his company having increased about
per cent during the past year. Mr..
Meilens report also deals with the
recent acquisition of the Boston and
Maine by the New Haven company,
which now practically controls the
nrst mentioned company, although thek
consolidation has been temporarily
blocked by the Massachusetts, legisla-S
ture the New Haven road has re-
Ivy Srfi-t arJ e :. 49,