Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-09-21
tas
Alexandra Merchants LvvA - =:
Higher Prices. Interesting
Account Book.

That there will be a scarcity Of
sugar and that prices will ad
vance still higher was the opinion
this morning of both wholesale and
retail merchants in this city. The
New York headquarters Of the Great
Atlantic and Pacific Tea company ad-
vised the local branch this morning
that scarcity Of sugar is possible
and not to sell except to regular
customers or to those who purchased
other groceries. AS this concern has
over three hundred branches through
out the country, its action in thus
curtailing the sale may be taken as
Indicating somewhat the state Of the
retail market. The A. & P. store is
selling sugar at 7k cents today, but
]. F, Eaton, the Alexandria manager,
stated that. In his opinion, the price
would advance in day or two TO 8
and possibly S1a cents. Sugar was
quoted generally throughout the city
at TX and SC, while the wholesale
prices ranged from 6A to 7 1a cents.
1t was stated that prompt wholesale
deliveries could not be secured ex-
cept at top prices and that the lower
quotations were principally for ef-
feet. One Of the largest wholesalers
in Alexandria states that he has had
an order in at the refinery since June
5 and that it is impossible to ascer-
tain when the delivery will actually
be made. He also ventured the opin--
ion that there is possibly not more
than 100 barrels OF sugar in Alexan-
dria today.
The New York wholesale market
indicates that sugar will remain firm
until November or December and that
the supply on hand will probably
show an increase in about two weeks
when beet sugar, which is largely
used in the West will come on the
market The demands Of the can
neries have, Of course, tended to de-
crease the supply but the advance in
price also has had a tendency to de-
crease the demand.
In connection With the present era
of high prices an old account book Of
J. C. Milburn which dates back tol
18S6-just rs years ago-is Of un-
usual interest Mr.. Milburn was, at
that time, selling the same grade of
granulated sugar at seven cents. |
Bacon, however, sold at 10 to 13
cents per pound and ham at Is cents.
chickens were cents per
pound and turkeys at from 10 to Is
cents. Coffee, in which Mr.. Milburn
specializes, advanced only about tve
cents. Strange to say, however, many
articles were sold at about the same
prices that are prevailing today. But
ter was from 80 to 35 cents then,
eggs were % to 80 cents, and tea sold
at practically the same prices. Some
goods were at higher prices than are
asked at the present time. For in
stance, lemons brought 90 cents but
the prices in general were on a much
lower level than today and the thrifty
housewife could effect substantial
saving If she could buy today at prices
that prevailed quarter of century
ago
The old account book Of Mr.. Mil
burns was interesting in many other
ways. 1t had been saved only through
an accident and it contains the names
of many Aleyandrians who have since
passed TO the Great Beyond. A pc
culiar fact also is that most of the
entries are of staple articles and the
book in general shows but few char
ges of fancy groceries or those in the
nature of Injuries. Probably the per-
son who made a remark about THE
cost of high living" was mot altoge-
Their wrong.