The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-10-22
OKLAHOMA HAS
BROOM MONOPOLY
One State Holds Key to the situation
and Controls the Broom Corn
Market Of the
World.
PRICE OF s175, PER TON
Yield Was Small This Season and
Price is Going up Near $500
Mark Before
Long.

WICHITA, Kansas, Oct. pa
single state OF. this union holds the
key to the broom situation Of the
country. Upon conditions in that state
depend the prices that the American
housewife is asked to pay for one of
the real necessities of house work.
As things go in Oklahoma, so goes
the broom market of the world.
1t is this remarkable state OF az
| fairs that makes the broom SO easily
subject to fluctation in price and rem
| ders 1t impossible for any individual
or group of persons to hold the broom
market at an even stage. Manufacture
ers must have broom corn In order
that the housewives Of the country
may have brooms, but it is all up to
the wonderful new state of Oklaho-
/ ma, where four-ffths of the corn used
in broom manufacture is grown.
Nobody is responsible for the re- /
cent rise in the price of brooms That |
rise is due to the increase in the
price of broom corn, which was caus-
ed by the drouth and extremely hot
weather prevailing during the sum
mer months There isn't as much
broom corn in Oklahoma this year as
usual The demand fer broom corn
becomes stronger as the population OF
the country grows larger, so there
you have the very simple reason for
the marked advances in broom prices.
! The soil and climate of Oklahoma
are peculiarly adapted to the grow
ing of broom corn, which is product
that will not grow under ordinary
conditions. Certain sections of Okla
homa and Illinois are exactly right
for broom corn, SO for the utensils
with which to keep their floors, car
, pets and rugs clean the women of the
United States must depend upon the
brom corn crops in those states.
. Wichita is the biggest broom corn
market in the world, and there have
been some real activities in this
crop in the last few weeks, with
prices soaring skyward. 1t is not be-
lieved that the top figure has been
. reached, either, for many farmers in
Oklahoma, Illinois and a few other
states that grow corn in small guam
titles are holding their corn for a
further advance, and if brooms 60 up
few more notches the scarcity of
material will alone be responsible for
increased prices.
In Illinois this season, where parti.
cularly fine corn is grown around Ar
cola and other points, some farmers
have made profits on broom corn that
have practically paid for their farms.
1t has been fine year for the ones
who have had broom corn to sell.
Few crops, even including fruits or
vegetables, yield larger profits under
conditions like the ones now prevail.
ing than the corn from which Ameri.
can brooms are made. Oklahoma
brush corn has commanded as high as
SITS ton. and some predict that
average prices will go near the 5000
mark before the market settles back
to normal.
Clinton r. Lee, whose factories at
Boston, Davenport and Lincoln con
sumo more raw material than any
other broom plants In the world has
spent much of his time In Wichita
and Oklahoma during the recent fur.
ry. Discussing the situation today. he
said
1T is an unfortunate occurrence
but one for whom no one can be held
responsible. The price of broom corr
can only be regulated by the supply
"a
ed territory. This year the broom corr
crop is short In Oklahoma. and thai
can only mean high prices. Then
again, the demand is heavy because
OF the short crop Of two years ago
All the surplus corn was used up a
that time, and the manufacturer
se have no reserve with which to NEE
y the present situation
AS this seasons shortage becam
more and more apparent there was
rush TO buy. The growers soon learn
- ed the situation and began to deman,
- increased prices. The few grower
thus practically control the marke
and there is nothing to do but pa
the price,"
bFoomS nave already advanced Of
the average Of about dollar dozeI
and manufacturers show that this at
vance does not cover the additions
, cost of manufacture. The individua
user of brooms is not hit nearly 8
- hard, proportionately, as is the broor
maker. The latter must carry most G
the load and pray for the day whe
the broom corn yield in this countr
shall show a material gain.
Man AM peiioIou