Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-05-02
PHOTO ENGRAVINGS
WILL NOW COST MORE

WILL NUW CUSI MUhe
New Scale Adopted by Chicago Con-
Vention, Providing for Advance Of
20 Per Cent Goes Into Effect in
New York April 3-lncreased Cost
Of Labor and Raw Materials Prin-
cipai Reasons.
A general average minimum in
crease of 20 per cent in photo engraV-
ings will become operative in New
York City on April 3. This was de-
Cided upon Tuesday evening at d
meeting of the Photo Engrayers'
Board of Trade of New York, and IS
based upon the standard scale for sell
ing their products. adopted by the Ma
tionai Association Of Photo Engra:-
ers at the Chicago convention in
June, 1915.
In discussing the proposed increase
with representative OF the Editor
and Publisher one of the officials Of
the Photo Engravers' Board OF Trade
said that the standard scale is de-
signed on cost plus Legitimate profit,
One of the important items in the
cost, he said. was the increased cost
Cf labor, necessitated by a new labor
agreement entered into by the Board
of Trade with the Photo Engravers
Union, which became effective April ).
Some Reasons for Advance.
Another reason for the increase, he
pointed out, was the greatly increased
cost of raw materials, which have
risen from 80 per cent to 1916 per
cent in the last year and half
AS a forerunner to the proposed IN
crease, the various members of the
Board of Trade have sent to each OF
their customers a circular entitled,
why Photo Engraving Is Costing
More" and showing a comparison or
the prices quoted in July, 1914, and
March, 1916.
In this schedule copper, one Of the
principal ingredients of photo engraY-
inv, is shown to have increased 46 per
cent, or from 351a cents in July,
1914, to so cents in March, 1916.
Zinc. another of the important raw
materials, is shown to have increased
$40 per cent, while 40 per cent nitric
acid and 20 per cent muriatic acid
have each increased 100 per cent. The
biggest increase, according to the cir
cular, was in potassium bromide,
which rose from Al cents in July, 1914,
to 1852 in March, 1916, or 1916 per
cent Other large increases quoted
are: Mercury bichloride, COS per
cent; hydroQuinine, 40 per cent;
copper sulphate, 2S4 per cent; acetic
acid, $40 per cent; acetone, 225 per
cent.
Higher Prices for Small Cuts.
X Analysing the new scale Of prices,
the Board of Trade points out that
the burden of the increase will fall
upon small engravings, while the in
crease in the large plates will be pro-
portionately small. Under the present
method of price making, the Board of
Trade states, the profits of the bust
ness are almost wholly derived from
the fiat" on the large engravings.
With the new scale in operation there
will be, according to the estimate of
the Board of Trade, a reasonable
profit.
- This means that three-inch engrav.
iEgs will cost proportionately that
much more than two-inch engravirgs,
anu 81 Ou upMdIu " IuS IdI SSSI Gil
cravings. BY this method, it is esti-
mated that while the cost of the small
engraving will average considerably
more than the large engraving, yet
the generally yearly cost to the con-
sumner will be practically the same as
now.
At the meeting of the Board Of
Trade on Tuesday evening, "a mem
bers, representing "a concerns, were
present. A meeting of the board of
directors of the Board of Trade was
held on Wednesday afternoon, at
which the action of the Board Of
Trade. was ratified, after which the
new scale of prices was ordered
and distributed to the customers Of
the members. Introductory to the dis
tribution of the new price scale, a
circular letter will also be sent out,
informing the customers of the pro-
posed increase and setting forth the
reasons.