Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-08-30
STRIVE TO INCREASE
C|TY'S FOOD SUPPLY
Seriousness of Railroad Situa-
ton DaWns Upon All Wash
ington Dealers.
CHICAGO, STRIKE HALTS
ONE SHIPMENT TOD. C..
Enough Meat Here to Last About
One Week-Milk Dealers Must
Make New Arrangements.

How striking teamSters in Chicago
are hitting directly at the supply Of
butter. eggs and cheese for the people
of Washington was revealed today.
when one of the largest local dealers
in these foodstuffs told how his plans
to meet the food stringency which will
result from the railroad strike were
being upset by the Chicago haulers.
This dealer. 20 meet the situation.
had this week ordered large supplies
from Chicago, but the strike of the
tearsters in that city has to date pre-
vented the shipment of the foodstuffs.
and II not put on the trains soon, and
the strike goes into effect, of course.
these supplies will not be availa BILE in
this city.
Food Question Serious.
The seriousness of the question of
the local food supply is just beginning
to dawn upon local dealers, 1t would
seem. all of whom are now making
stocks on hand in all lines of food.
most of whom have large shipments
ordered, but who fear that their ship
ments will never reach this city.
The large wholesale meat packers
have on hand about a weeks supply of
meat, probably not that much, as it
has been the plan Of the local houses to
depend upon the middle west centers
day by day. 1t is said that there is a
large supply of the well known brands
of cereals in the city. and that the
supply of -four ts large. Baltimore being
available at all times to furnish this
last commodity, it being one Of the -four
centers of the country. In case Of
the strike, flour could be brought to
Washington from Baltimore by motor
truck
Milk for Children First.
Local milk dealers will be hard hit
by the strike, a large proportion of
the milk used in Washington comes to
the city over the railroads. The deal
ers. individually. are now considering
tho problem. and wherever possible
are taking steps to transfer their milk
deliveries to electric lines. but this is
possible in only several instances
The dealers will get milk from nearby
diaries by truck. If necessary. and will
serve families with small children first
OF ALL While the dealers have no or
ganfzatfon as such and have no con-
certed plans upon this question. 1t was
the response of all dealers approached
today upon the matter that no mat
Ter now seriously the milk supply
might be affected what milk there was
would go to the children first of ell,
then to invalids and, finally, to the
general public The dealers were op-
timistic. on the whole. and while they
face the situation squareIy believe
that there will be milk, no matter how
long the strike lasts.
AS TO the matter of delivery of milk
this is done by horse drawn vehicles
generally. and the dealers look for no
trouble on this account The gasoline
supply of the District is at top-notch
and the price of gasoline was this
morning cut / cent, il being today Of
Tered at wholesale at 20 cents a gal
Ion, and retail at 81 cents
Possibilities as to Vegetables.
Truckmen and small farmers of
Maryland and Virginia will have the
time of their lives" IL the strike Is
prolonged. produce dealers state, as
vegetables and green goods in gen
eral will not be available from large
cenrers. The opportunity will thus
be offered TO nearby truckmen to feed
the city Of Washington. Dealers are
optimistic as to the outlook for
vegetables, pointing out that the
trucknen Will come to tho rescue and
that barge delivery from the east
err shore will help out considerably.
The general consensus of opinion Of
dealers in all lines is that the strike
from food standpoint will not be
SO serious as If it occurred in winter.