The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-18

for the Increased cost of meat is the
shortage which is clearly traced in the
reports of the country's markets for the
present year when compared with a
year ago."
Decreased Shipments.
statistics taken as authoritative by
packers show that as compared with
the month of July. 1913, the cores
ponding month of this year has shown
decrease of shipments to market as
follows: Cattle. 1911 per cent; hogs,
1877 per cent; sheep. 1888 per cent
Compared with July of a year ago
the visible supply OF cuts of meat on
hand in the American packing houses
showed general falling off. This de-
crease is shown as follows:
July 1. 1914-51,00O,00 lbs.
July 1, 1913-63.O0O.O0 lbs
July 1. 19l4-15. 900. 900 lbs.
July 1, 1855, 100000 lbs.
ALL CUTS OF MEAT
July 1. 1914-204. 900, 900 lbs.
July 1, 1s13-266.0OO,O 900 lbs.
War Is No Cause.
1.-The war has nothing to do with
this situation" added Mr.. Harris. I'VE
are not in the export business and
are unaffected by the European stu
alton SO far as the outlet for our
products is concerned. Present mar
ket quotations compared with those
of a year ago show a general increase
in the cost of live stock with particu-
lar emphasis on the hog market,
which has made striking advances.
This is probably partially due to the
holding back of stock in the hope of
still better prices, but the general up
ward trend of meat prices is due to
the lack of production in proportion to
the demand. This country is ap-
proachi the conditions existing in
Europe, where meat is eaten once a
week as a luxury"
r. r. Baer, manager of the Topeka
packing house, testified hat a general
shortage OF poultry and eggs has
raised the price level of all grades of
fowls slightly, while it has sent up
the price now paid by packers to pro-
ducers or eggs to rather more than a
dollar a c;-se higher. Eggs worth
$4.35 last year W bring the farmer
$5.45.
IF the people of Topeka are paying
more for eggs. the money is going to
the producers --ithout the intervention
Of the packers" added Mr.. Baer. be
ers are sent east almost entirely.
Grocers We're Examined.
Local grocerymen contributed noth-
ing new to the information CLEANED
thus far when they took the stand and
testified to prevailing prices and recent
increases before Mr.. Robertson this
morning.
That the grocers have not all har-
vested profits from. the increase of
sugar prices was indicated when Fritz
Luenberger, grocer at 502-4 West Tenth
street. told how he had lost money one
day because he agreed to deliver an
of stock He promised to sell at $6.45
of stocw. He promised to sell at s. Is
a hundred pounds but discovered that
the price had advanced that day and
was obliged to pay IS cents hundred
more for the sugar than he got for 1t.
Since then he has been cautious.
Neither Mr.. Luenberger. c. A. Whit
tlesey Of the Whittlesey Mercantile
company nor w. A. Wegele Of 5s6 To-
pelka avenue knew Of any regulating
activities of the Topeka Retail Gro
GERS association, in regard to which
Mr.. Robertson quixzed each in turn.
That organisation, Of which neither
Mr.. Whittlesey nor Mr.. Wegele are
members. was. so far az they knew, de-
voted to credits. Mr.. Luenberger sub
stanttated this belief.