The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-11
Dealers Are Taking Advantage Of the
People by Raising Prices on
Whatever They
Wish.
PACKERS TAKE LEAD
Raise Pork 9 Cents and Pay But I
Cent More Than They Did
Before the War
Started.

I NEW YORK, aug. 11.-Ine cost VI
living is going upward by leaps and
bounds already as result of the
European war" New York butchers
quoted meats today four and five cents
higher. Butter has scared. Sugar has
reached new top prices.
These are purely domestic food
staples. On those imported the prices
have shot upward to record figures.
Not only in food has the high cost
Of living scared. Here are some other
staples affected because Of the cutting
OF Of foreign ports: Hats up Is per-
cent because Austria, Germany and
England are the largest producers.
Dress goods already up 10 percent,
and stores beginning to announce
American styles" because Paris is
isolated. Shirtings up % percent, on
account Of interruption Of British
shipments. Cigarette tobacco-partic-
ularly Turkish and Egyptian-becom-
ing scarce and increase expected. I'M
ported wines. liquors and whiskeys at
new high record prices. Tea up 20
percent and the reserve supply in the
United States is exceedingly small.
All imported cheese skyrocketing ano
supply on hand small Shoes will
probably cost more because 80 percent
OF the upper leather is of Russian
calf and because OF heavy export de-
mands for American shoes. Because
the greater part Of the worlds supply
of toys comes from Germany and
Christmas shipments were about to
begin when war was declared, Ameri-
can children may get fewer gifts on
the Christmas tree. Dye stuffs i'm
| ported from Germany are almost I'M
obtainable. Imported gloves advanced.
Furs advanced.
!
War as Excuse.
| WASHINGTON, Aug. 11.-Slight in
creases in food prices since the war
started, are reported today. Beef is
up few cents, -four, sugar and vege-
tables are also higher. Many dealers
I deny costs are higher, charging rivals
with arbitrarily boosting prices with
the war as an excuse.
Call II Outrageous.
CHICAGO, Aug. 1.-THE Chicago
Butchers association today announced
that it will name a committee Thurs
day night to investigate the cause OF
the boost in meat prices by big Chi
cago packing houses. Leading mem
bers Of the association denounced the
action of the packers in ordering
sharp price advances as outrageous
and today advised their patrons not to
buy certain cuts OF meats until the
packers restore the prices to nearly
normal. The retail price of porter
house steak, after moving UP gradu-
ally since the beginning of the Euro
pean war has jumped 8 to 5 cents
since Saturday. All beef cuts have
made similar advances and pork
chops have jumped from % cents last
Saturday to 30 cents today. The pack
ers' assertion is that the boost in
prices was ordered because hog prices
have advanced sharply and is scoffed at
today by John Kotal, secretary of the
National Master Butchers association.
1.-THE prices are outrageous" said
Kotal. THE packers have boosted
the price of pork loins cents a
pound though they are only paying
about a cent more a pound for hogs.
They are charging wholesale 26 cents
pound for pork out OF II cent hogs.
They coulc sell It to US for II cents
and still make a profit. I am adv1s-
ing my customers not to buy pork I'M
til prices come down."
Sharp Advance.
CLEVELAND, Ohio, Aug. IA
sharp advance in all imported and do.
nestle foodstuffs has been noted here
within the past few days, dealers say.
due to the European war.
i. Wholesale pork is up to % cents a
pound. Beef, -four and sugar prices
have made alarming bounds.
Even Cheese Goes Up.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Aug. 11.-With
flour up 20 cents a hundred at the
mills. due to the rise Of wheat re-