Middletown transcript., 1909-06-12
HIGHER PRICES ON FOOD
Housewives Find afI Necessities Of Life
Bearer Than Ever

: Housewives Find ali Necessities of Life
) Bearer Than Ever
AS indicated BY the economical prac.
tices OF the housewife and others who
buy provisions for house and hotel con.
sumption, inquiries as to the conditions
at the stores and markets aiscloses The
TACT that the prices of food-stuffs have
advanced some during the past few weeks.
and show tendency to go at least q mite
higher before long, unless something
prevents. The conditions is not appalling,
however. even when ii is considered that
some commodities are quoted from three
to five cents higher than last year.
At the meat markets the prices of fresh
meats remain about the same, the recent
slight raise by the wholesalers not affect.
ing the marketmen, who rely on CORES.
ponding decrease to even up accounts.
The supply in the various cuts and dual.
tiles is equal to the demand. To say that
the prices are the same, however. ia TO
say that beef is away up, and pork, in
all forms, has advanced to prices beyond
understanding. With pork may be con.
sidered the by-products which have ad.
Vanced correspondingly. The reason for
this advance is given as the failure of last
seasons corn crop, and the subsequeut
high prices which made it more profit.
able for western farmers to accept fair
price at the station for the corn rather
than feed stock, and take the chance Of
possible epidemic of hog-cholera, which
will mean great loss.
The vegetable question corresponds
we'll with the situation, as it was at this
time OF the year. AS yet the products
are mostly of the Southern variety though
some merchants have been selling Della.
ware lettuce, spinach, Watercress, aspara.
gus, radishes and other greens. Southern
tomatoes and peppers are also to be had
at fair price. The tendency, of course,
is towards the increase of consignments
and reduction of prices.
Fruits are in the market in plenty for
this season of the year. The prices are
steady with tendency to drop with the
spring shipments, though no real break
has yet been felt. Good quality Of oranges,
bananas, pineapples and other fruits.
Dealers have post season supply of ap.
pies at prices away up, due of course to
the general scarcity in the markets
throughout the country. Straw berries
are considered reasonable at the prices
prevailing.
At the grocery store the shoe pinches
either the customer or the storekeeper,
depending upon the spirit of optimism
expressed by either. The grocer is still
selling sugar and few other commodities
merely for the accommodation of patrons
and the latter find that there are few
bargains to be had, excepting possibly in
some canned goods and dried fruits.
There has been falling off in the local
or strictly fresh egg supply and reports
from the west note scarcity, aHd the ten.
dency of the price is upward. The enforce.
ment of a stricter sanitary code and the
fight against tuberculosis among the cows
ia given as the reason for the high price
OF butter. The tendency is upward
rather than downward, and this article
becomes, to many, luxury. Flour is
becoming almost luxury and if things
keep up the pace that has been set, to
give as many soda crackers for five cents
as formerly, grocers will have to hand
out biscuits about the size of oysterettes,
TOR upon everything that wheat enters in
to, excepting special brand cereals, the.
price has been raised. Practically all the
cookie and cracker bakeries have found it
axpedient to raise the wholesale prices.
The competition in special brand cereals
,cooked), is keen and there seems to be
little indication of an increase in price at
ibis time. With a ten per cent. increase
n perishable groceries, and the prospect
If still further advance the housewife
1as something to contend with which,
ike the meat question, will be source of
! little anxiety until conditions are bet.
er.