The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1915-02-16
Advances Catch Two Firms
With Only Small Amount
of Flour Purchased at
Lower Prices.
ONE HOLDS SUPPLY
Company With Large Stock
on Hand Controls Situa-
ton, Forcing Others to
Keep Prices Down.

Interviews with local bakers today.
leads to the conclusion that six-cent
bread is not a prospect for the immedi-
ate future in Richmond. but small
sized loaves will be made until the
price of flour drops from its present
remarkably high figure, ranging from
1925 to $7.75 per barrel, back to nor
NAL, which ranges from $500 to $500.
Two of the largest local bakeries arc
now manufacturing bread out Of flour
which cost them $3.50. One will have
exhausted its supply of flour pur-
chased at this figure within thirty
days, the other has enough of this
last until the first OF july. 49,
Managers of these two bakeries
each asserted today that they were
now making bread at profit of only
a small fraction of cent per loaf,
loaves ian ounce under standard) and
the other 141a-ounce loaves.
Makes Bread at Loss.
A third large local bakery is now
manufacturing bread at loss, for he
was not SO fortunate in future pur-
chases at medium prices as his two
competitors and is now using flour
which is costing him over 500. He
Is putting out a 14-ounce loaf.
The bakery which has the largest
supply of $3.50 flour of course con-
trolls the local situation, and it's man.
agement announced today that it
would continue to put out 141a-ounce'
loaves, wholesaling for cents and re-
failing for cents, SO long as its $3.50
flour supply was available
If the price of flour as quoted to-
day still holds the middle of next
month two of the three largest baker
les will be selling bread at a loss.
what would you do if the high
price of flour continues when you
have to go into the market for a fresh
supply?" the manager of the bakery
having the largest supply of $3.50 flour
was asked.
Would Raise Price.
Il don't know exactly, but l would
either cut my loaves down to the
minimum. twelve ounces, or put out
my present size loaf at cents whole
sails and cents RETAIL" he replied.
Bakeries use northwestern flour.
made from wheat harvested in August
and September. almost exclusively for
bread-making purposes and it has to
be flour of good quality. Northwestern
flour is generally quoted in July and
early August. One local bakery, short.
ly before the outbreak Of the Euro
pean war, was fortunate enough to
purchase flour made from last falls
wheat to last him until January /. at
prices ranging from $4.1O to $3.50.
The first of the year he purchased a
supply which will last him until July
at $500. The two other large baker.
les were not SO fortunate in their buy
ing.
One of these bakers said today that
he did not put in a very large supply
when flour was at moderate prices be-
cause he did not anticipate more than
an ordinary winters business, but in.
stead there has been an exceptionally
heavy winters business.
ITO get good bread flour women
now have to pay Az cents pound for
flour at the groceries SO a large num-
ber of them are now buying bakery
bread because it is cheaper for them
to do SO. This increase in business.
however, has been a hardship rather
than benefit" one baker remarked.