New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-05
WAR ONLY PRETEXT
In MEAT PRICES
Butchers Show Tribune
Prober Retail Cuts Are
Back to July Basis.
BEEF RIB ROAST
FROM 20 CENTS UP
Housewife Must Pay as High as
80 Cents in Some Shops
Same Range for Lamb.

ANY housewife who is still charged
advanced prices for meat on the
ground that the European war Is re-
sDcnsible can feel assured that Mr..
Bptchei IS using the war simply as
prete&E for eXtortionate prices.
An investigation yesterday of the
retail meat trade by The Tribune
brought out that meat prices, when
were increased considerably during the
middle of August, as the war swung
into its first phase, have subsidized to
practically the level they stood at IN
July, before there were even any
rumors of war. The investigation was
.n.de along lines similar to those fol-
lowed in the study of grocery prices.
A number of the larger chain
butcher shops were investigated, as
we'll as many smaller shops, and the
prevailing prices, upon comparison
we're found to be markedly lower than
those asked in the middle of August.
The prices asked for various cuts in
more than a hundred butcher shops IN
Manhattan and The Bronx were OBJ
tanned The fixed factor in the com
Darison is that the prices are uniform
ly lower than they were two weeks
ago. There is, however, some varia-
zion in the prices quoted by dealers
for the same cuts.
This variation was somewhat
greater than that found in the specific
a'ticles, such as Hecker's -four or best
American sugar, chosen for compari-
son iE the grocery trade. These
articles are fixed qualities, whereas
there are many grades of beef and
lamb, the articles used in the present
meat price comparison.
None of the butchers interviewed
advanced the war as a reason for their
prices. By referring to their books
they showed that the prices asked
soon after the war began were con-
siderably higher than now. The prices
here quoted will be maintained to-day
also. The housewife, bearing these
rates in mind when she goes shopping
this morning, can judge whether her
dealer is still maintaining the "war
tax" The prices for the best qualities
carried are quoted, although each
dealer has cheaper cuts than these
mer toned.
b. BuXbaum, main store. 150th st.
and Amsterdam av., asks 22 cents a
pound for leg Of lamb roast, % cents
for chops, 10 cents for fore quarter
and 10 CENTS for stew meat In beef,
rib roast lis Gents, porterhouse
steak 30, kirloin %, round %. and
chuck Is. (Smoked ham is %, chicken
16 cents, and fresh broilers 25.
Eisler's :FNcking House, main store
at 3Ol We4S1 43d ST., has leg of lamb
roast at 49, ichops %, fore quarter 16,
stew II cents In beef, rib roast is 20
cents. porterhouse 26. sirloin %,
I und 26, tehuck Is, beef stew 20.
Smoked hamt is y cents.
The Washington Market Company,
a larger chain of stores,
main Office 1884 Columbus av., asks %
cents for lfg of lamb roast, so cents
for chops, ~ cents for stew meat. Beef
rib roast IS %, porterhouse 30, sir
lcir rs, chuck 16. Chicken "a cents,
broilers %.
The Independent Beef Company,
main store 1851 Broadway, holds leg
OF lamb roast at % cents, chops 80
cents, stew 10 cents. Beef rib roast
26 cents, porterhouse 80, sirloin %,
stew rs. Chickens 80, smoked ham 90
The Charles Weisbecker stores have
leg OF lamb roast for % cents, rib
chops 80 cents, loin 80, stew 10, fore
quarter 20. Beef rib roast 30 cents,
porterhouse 35 cents, sirloin 30. Roast
ing CHICKENS 80, broilers 80. Smoked
ham "a.
L. Oppenheimer, main office Cpl
West both ST., holds leg of lamb
roast at 20 cents, rib chops at rs, stew
at 10 cents, forequarter at IS. Beef
rib roast % cents, porterhouse steak
80 cents, sirlon %, chuck 16, stew 16.
Roasting chickens are % cents and
oroilers %.
Schuck & Co., who operate large
cnain Of stores in The Bronx, with
their main place at 1912 Boston Road.
ask 20 cents for leg of lamb roast
20 for rib chops, 80 for loin, Is cents
fer forequarter and IA cents for stew
Beef rib roast is 20 cents, porterhouse
slrloir and round steaks % cents.
c ',ck 18 cents Roasting chickens are
% cents and broilers %.
The average price here for lee r.
! NIB is about 22 cents; in the height
Of the war boost in prices. The middle
of last month, it was about % cents,
Roast beef is here shown to be about
the same on the average with lamb.
but in The middle Of August it reached
% cents.