The Hattiesburg news., 1915-02-05
THEY F0RMERI Y PAID
THAT FOR 80 LEAVES
BAKERIES Decide To Cut Size of Loaf
Fret IA to 10 ounces, But Price to
retail Trade viii Remain Unchanq.
ed-Wheat Still Scars, and It Is Pre-.
dleted That It viii Reach So a
Bushel.

The price of bread in Hattiesburg
was jumped today.
The increase, which was decided on
Dy the local bakers after much con-
slderation, as yet will not affect the
retail trade. Today or tomorrow, how
ever another increase will be put into
effect which will result in cutting the
weight of the loayes. This will force
the consumers to bear a part of the
losses heretofore borne by the bakers
as result of the soaring prices OF
wheat
Dealers who heretofore have receiv-
ed 80 loaves of bread for 81, beginning
today received but 25 loaves for the
same sum. Their former profits of
so per cent accordingly were cut to
25 per cent.
Even at this increase, the bakers
maintain that they are still losing
$1.04 on every barrel Of flour they con-
vert into bread. The fourteen-ounce
loaf consequently will have one ounce
cut OF it, and in this way the bakers
say they will about break even on the
manufacture and sale of loaf bread
An increase in the price of bread
here has been expected for weeks.
Flour consumed by householders in
now costing them about $3.50 per bar
rel The local bakeries have been
paying about $S for their supply.
although the old rates of 80 loaves to
the dollar for the merchants have not
been changed until today.
WHAT BAKERS THINK.
James II, Lewis, president of the
Hattiest1r,- Steam Bakery, said this
Uornn tia the price of bread was
not mpcd until the bakers decided
That IT We unfair for them to continue
to bear all The losses caused by tht
Unprecedented price of wheat.
Continuing lie said.
I'VE are laying IS per barrel fol
-four that formerly cost us $3.50 Tha
makes a difference of $3.7O in the cos
of the raw material. A barrel of floul
will make 400 loaves of bread. ThC
bakers have been receiving from the
merchants about 1888 for the brea(
from each barrel. By cutting the mum
Der of loaves to the dollar by five, the
bakeries will receive $1S per barre
for their product. They will MAXI
$2.66 a barrel as a result of this
while the retailers will make 25 pei
cent daily on their sales.
1--WE did not decide to make this in
crease, until it was found that there
is no immediate prospect of decrease
in the price OF wheat taking place
soon. Conditions are bad in the grair
world, and it is possible that whea
will reach 50 a barrel"
Issues an Explanation.
Mr. Lewis this afternoon issued th'
following statement, giving his rea
sons for raising the price of bread tt
the retailers:
mThe prevailing price of flour an'
wheat in the markets make our prlc
of 30 bread to the dollar untenabl'
without considerable loss. We haV'
carried 30 to the dollar really too long
thinking something would relieve tn
situation. ,.o,
~ eve have decided to make 20 prea
or tickets to the dollar and l cunc
cut in loaf. which will lack about q
cents per barrel of carrying the Oil
ferenee in cost per barrel last Angus
and toas, J price per barrel. Ana I'll
Is,ss an embargo is placed on exports
lion of wheat, -four will go to $40 an
wheat to 50 without speculative fe'
lse. re. Simply supply and demana' ~
SiS-iA 1overnment reports Sso'ooo'VO OOo :
BY e. Ia T. ~ home m coasxmiaon;S Is busf
n capita. ae see0 ~neA
.,;nraH KY olx.)