The evening world., 1916-09-02
ALL STAPLE FOOD
PRICES BOOSTED
THROUGHOUT CITY
SmaA Dealers Blamed tor IN.
crease on Coffee, Tea, Su.
gdr and Flour.
ROADS LIT EMBARGO.
Prosecutor Takes Up Evidence c
Against Farmers and PouI.
trymen.

J."
Corner gfor,rs ani deiicats...s
dealers In all parts ~ the city to.da,
raised the prices ~ coffee. tea. ~.
ssr. flour ant other staple article,
81 food. Ths vas done despite rrn
erai assurances that there viii bs
no rallsay strike Monday and IN the
face of announcements that raj.
ways are already letting up on food
cmbarroes
Commissioner of Weights and
Measures Joseph Hsrtlsan. who
gathered evidence ~ the lacking up
~ prices. declares that only the
small dealers appear to have resort .
ed 90 ex,ortion. There IL AN average
advance OF 0 per cent. over yester.
day.
Il learned during tour OF the
city beginning at daybreak." said
Commissioner HartIgan. that the
big grocery houses are standing pat
on the prices that prevailed before
the strike scare. Among these are
Acker. Merrill 4 CoHdlt. Park a Til.
fod, the a. and T., the Butler stores
and others From what can learn
fhAga A.
groceries stored 10 last an almost
indefinite period.
practically allgrocers and delicatcs-
sen dealers who do business In a sma A
way made slight but general advances
In prices to-6hy. I want 20 repeat
what said yesterday. that there ISM
justification for thesa advances and
tho business men who are making
them are acting dishonesty.
although cannot say | favor a
boycott. because It Ia against the
law" added tho Commissioner. "it
seems to mo the house wives ought to
organize for their mutual protection.
just the same as certain cliques OF
food dealers unite 10 rob the public" ="
Commissioner Hartigan also an
nounced. an alarming Increase in tho
price OF all vegetables at the local
markets. Farmers at the Gansevoort
Market increased the price OF potatoes
approximately hfty-six per cent. over
the figures OF week ago. They are
now Offering potatoes at $3.50 a barrel
which were selling before the threat.
cncd strike az $500. This Is tho
second jump in prices during tho
week.
Carrots. which yesterday were Of
Tered at SO per barrel. have been In
crea ased To 81. while cabbagos selling
yesterday for Sc per hundred arc cost
the retailers 81 to-day.
Tho reports showed an Increase Of
10 per cent. for all meats over tho
price OF last Saturday. The increase
In the butter, cheese and egg market
was even more marked Tho increase
was between 20 and 80 per cent. This
viii not affect tha housewife until
the middle of next week, according
to tho Commissioners.
Live poultry was selling for s.
cents q pound wholesale to-day. as
with % cents last Tuesday.
Commissioners Hnrtigan has re-
ccived word from the Pennsylvania.
New York Central. Erie and Lack
awanna Railroads that thcy will
probably lift their food embargoes
late this afternoon or to- night. This
would bring IA flood OF pershable
into the city early Monday
Concrete evidence against the far.
mers who have conspired to Jack up
vegetable prices was to-day pre-.
sented by Commissioner Hartigan to
District Attorney Swami OF New
York County. where the Gansevoort
and Harlem Markets are located. and
to District Attorney Lewis OF Kings
County, where Wallabout Market is
located.
DistTiCt AttoiHcy swami mas du =
a letter to the ten firms com
prising the Live Poultry Mems Asso-
ciation Of New York. inviting them
to appear at his office at IL o'clock
Tuesday morning and explain the In
crease In price made during the last
few days.
The attention OF Commissioner
Hartigan has been called to the
methods being employed by the
Wholesale dealers in meats and fowls
who are holding up large shipments
in nearby yards waiting to put them
on tho market next week when the
prices are expected to increase stili
more. The Commissioner received
this letter from q Federal inspector,
who Is working In tho city:
"Since last Monday. Aug. IS. thirty
cars OF beef and lamb have been
stored at Fort Greene Place in cars
In the tunnels OF the Long Island
Railroad. Although two were gone
bad this A. NJ, none were allowed to
be sold-held for an advance In case
OF tie-up. Can you blame the small
fry when the big pirates who 60 to
church do this2"
Washington Market merchants held