Evening star., 1909-06-02
HIGH PRICES IN THE MARKETS
EXPENSIVE NOW TO KEEP THE
TABLE SUPPLIED.
Butter and Eggs Especially High for
the Season and Meats Soaring.
Fruits Plentiful.

Almost everybody who has to do
market dealing is complaining of the
high prices merchants are charging
for the necessaries of life. Some of the
prices result from the heavy demand.
it is stated while some others are
| charged because packers are busy put
! ting away supplies for next winter.
Packers are putting away great guam
titles of butter and eggs. all they are
able to get at reasonable prices, ani
| so great is the demand for such goods
to be stored that retail prices are
higher than dealers in the local mar
kets have ever known them before.
Butter is cents a pound higher than
it was this time last year. while eggs
show an advance of about cents Il
dozen.
Reports from wholesale dealers in
the west continue to show that the but
! ter market is firm and active and well
cleaned up. while eggs are in great de-
mand for storing. Dealers are selling
butter at 80 and 35 cents pound, and
| it is believed. the prices will be no
lower this summer Next winter.
some local dealers predict, prices will
be higher than ever. Fresh eggs are
retailing at as much as 30 cents
dozen. while this time a year ago no
dealer was asking as much as IS
cents. The demand for both butter
and eggs is great but the increased
prices affect the market to some ex-
tent.
Meat Prices Rule High.
There is nothing cheap in the meat
line. remarked a dealer this morning,
''and people will not become vegetarians.
If they would simply shut down on meat
for short while they might be able to
bring about conditions which would lower
prices. but there are SO many people who
think it absolutely necessary to have a
steak roast. and who will not do with
out them. that it is out of the question to
expect them 10 fast.
A porterhouse steak off Of choice beef is
not to be had for less than 80 cents
pound a dealer said this morning. al
though there are other grades that sell
cheaper Choice rib roasts are quoted al
- cents and sirloin steak at 25 cents
pound Round steak brings Is cents a
pound The cheaper grades of fresh beef
are comma anding higher prices than they
did a short while ago.
Pork and lamb are also high, while veal
is cheaper than the other meats A leg
or loin of lamb costs 25 cents pound,
while rib chops are quoted at 35 cents a
pound. Fresh pork is quoted at II and is
cents pound. smoked hams at 10 and Is
cents. and bacon at 10 to 18 cents, sliced
bacon bringing 20 cents. Veal is selling
at from Is to 1S cents.
Poultry prices are not such that the
average consumer is able to indulge in
broled chicken remarked a dealer.
Poultry is not plentiful, and prices are
correspondingly high
Broilers were quoted at 30 cents a.
pound this morning, while frying chick
ems were to be had for a quarter. fowls
for 1S and ~ cents and turkeys 18 cents.
Increased shipments of young chickens
are expected from Tennessee and states
nearer the city In the near future, when.
it is expected, prices will decrease
Fish are also commanding good prices
the stock from the waters Of the Potomac
being exceptionally small. Fish from
the salt water are being relied upon by
dealers 70 supply their trade. Soft crabs
are much larger and in better condition
than they have been, and also much more
plentiful. Many crates of them were
in the LEGAL markets this morning, the
supply being great that some dealers
| were anxious to get rid of them at the
rate of ~ cents a dozen.
Plenty of Fruit in Market.
| The fruit and vegetable market pre-
sented an unusually attractive appearance
this morning. There were watermelons,
cantaloupes, peaches, berries Of all kinds.
oranges. pineapples. shaddocks and almost
every other variety of fruit magina bic.
could he mentioned in the vegetable dis
play. Melons from Florida sold all the
way from ~ cents to S1.25 each, while
choice cantaloupes brought from 10 to II
cents. Strawberries glutted the market
Yesterday and sold as low as 81 crate of
| thirty-two boxes. Peaches are quoted
at from 60 to 4, cents a pan. They are
| from Florida and are of excellent quality.
| Cherries and blackberries are selling at
/ IL cents box.
New potatoes are much higher than
! usual, the wholesale price having ad-
| vanced 81 barrel this week. necessitat-
! ing a corresponding increase in the retail
price. The price charged today was 40
cents a peck. Lettuce, radishes and spring
onions are plentiful and cheap. Peas are
| 40 cents and string beans 80 cents a
| peck. Caulif1ower is quoted at from 10
to II cents. peppers 35 cents a dozen and
egg plant from 10 to Is cents.
June. the Month Of Weddings,