The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-09-01
PRICES GAIN
Observation-Disclosures
Gasoline, Wheat, Copper, Iron and
Steel Sugar and Canned
Beef Soar TO Sky

Remarkable advances in the prices
of the chief items In American export
trade, are shownin figures published in
the monthly summary Of foreign com,
merce of the department of commerce,
Washington, n copy Of which has been
received by the Chamber of Commerce
Of Honolulu. A study Of the rapid
rise in the quotations in gasoline,
wheat, copper, cotton, pig iron, struc-
! tural iron and steel, canned beef and
sugar since the beginning of the war
leads to. the conclusion that con
siderable part Of the increase in the
values of exports is due to the present
imitation of prices.
Just before the opening of the war
gusoline for export was selling at
Twelve and half cents a gallon. In
September of 1914, the quotation drop
ped as low az $.106 gallon. The price
fluctuOted in narrow limits until it
reached ten cents o gallon in April,
1915. After that the quotations rose
rapidly until in May, 1915. the latest
figures given in the commerce report,
the export price YVES twenty one cents
a gallon.
Wheat Scars In Price
The variations in the cost of wheat
have been equally as great. In July
before the opening of the war wheat
fell to ninety.one cents bushel, but
after the beginning Of hostilities the
quotations mounted monthly to n high
point of $l.62 bushel in May, 1915.
This was due largely TO the shutting
of of Russian wheat by the closing
Of the Dardanellcs. Since that time
the price has fallen to $l28 a bushel
in last May.
Similarly copper has varied be-
tween twelve cents a pound in October,
IDA, and twenty-six cents a pound in
last May. The start of the war caused
cotton to fall to less than eight cents
n pound in October and December, 1914
but has now climbed back by gradual
stages to more than twelve cents a
pound.
The. quotations on pig iron have
more. than doubled since June, 1914
when it sold at $13.46 ton. The
hEures for export in last May reached
$27 ton. This high price was reach
ed by monthly variations on a small
scale with the exception of January,
1918, when the price suddenly mounted
to $24.92 ton, but speedily fell Of
to $l4.10 a ton, after which the ris,
took place steadily. Structural steel
has advanced, in price from $33.l7 a ton
in August, 1914, Immediately after the
war began, to its present abnormal
Price of 5000 ton, n quotation which
has resulted in, the postponement OF
many building operations.
Canned Beef Also High
The price Of canned beef, under the
stimulus of war demands, has increased
from less than thirteen cents a pound
in July, 1914, to more than twenty
cents pound in last May. The high |
est point WIS reached in December
1915, when the quotation was twenty.
three and half cents'a pound.
Because of the stoppage of sugar
from the beet fields of Germany and
heavier demands in the United States
The price Of this commodity rose from
.hree and half cents a pound in NAV,
1914 to more than six cents a pound |
N the following September. This leveI |
was not maintained, and in the next
March the price fell to three and half |
'"nts pound again, The quotation
In May was $.057 a pound.