The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-02
Dealers Supplying Customers at
a Loss and Price May
Be Advanced.
DROUGHT AND LACK OF
COWS ARE BLAMED
New York Dairymen Demanding
and Receiving High
Rates.

Newark is today facing the worst
milk shortage 1t has known in years
Already the situation is so serious that
the dealers are supplying their regular
trade only by the most heroic of en-
deavors All large orders have been
cut down. and agents have been sent
out by the wholesale by the big dealers
to tap hitherto unknown milk resources
good instance of the efforts of the
responsible dealers of this city to sup
ply their regular customers without
raising their prices to exorbitant figures
is the recital of transaction over the
telephone between a prominent whole
saler and the proprietor of a small
dairy up in New York State. which oc-
Cured in the presence of a STAR re-
porter
What can you do for me?" asked
the dealer.
'send you twenty cans a day for one
month at 81 per- came the reply.
What" shouted the dealer why,
that is the price at which l sell it?"
Those are our terms" was the an
swer
well, the only thing to do is to send
IT," finally ordered the dealer.
Then, turning to the reporter, the
wholesaler remarked: You can see
what we are up against. I'll have to
pay 80 cents can to the railroad and
so cents a can for icing. That will make
it IS "A can, and then we have to de-
liver it. Still sell it to my customers
at the rate of 81 a can. and will con-
tinue TO do so until further advance
Is made. Then l shall be compelled to
raise my price"
Another instance VI the effect of the
shortage is the refusal of two of the
milk dealers who have been supplying
the milk for the STARS sick babies
fund to furnish their usual amount this
morning. The refusal was accompanied
by the explanation that it has been
only by superhuman effort that the
supply was kept up last week, but to-
day it was found impossible to supply
their trade customers with their usual
amount.
Unscrupulous dealers are taking ad-
vantage of the shortage and are de-
manding extravagant rates from the
retailers. The big companies operating
throughout the metropolitan district
are sending out wagons picking up all
the supply of milk, cream, butter and
cheese, the prices of which have never
been higher. That this has not been
done sooner is because the milk can
not be delivered with a guarantee of
high quality for the reason that 1t must
be pasteurized and sterilized.
In regard to the r,lmor that the price
of milk will be raised early this week
to nine cents. a well known wholesaler
said that this will not be done without
a meeting of the Consolidated Milk Ex-
change in New York. This can only be
done by telegraph notice of twenty-four
hours, or written notice of forty-eight
hours. he said.
There are several reasons for the con-
ditions of the milk shortage. The most
important is the protracted drought,
which caused the drying up of streams
and grass. Another reason is the scar
city of cows.
Reports that the milk is being
watered we're scoffed at by most of the
dealers, the consensus of opinion being
that this is just the time when this
scheme is improbable. The famine
naturally causes people to be more sus-
picious, and the inspectors more par
ticular.