Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-10-18
FLOUR TAKES RISE;
NOW! $12AB BARREL
Advance Follows Wheat'S Sen
sationaI Jump in Chicago
Yesterday.
NO RELIEF is IN SIGHT NOW

The price of -four, for several weeks
higher than at any time since the civil
war, advanced again today in varying
figures, ranging from rs cents to SO
cents per barrel, putting the cost to the
householder in the neighborhood Of $12
barrel.
This advance, flashed by wire to gro
GERS, both wholesale and retail. followed
an exciting session yesterday in the
Chicago wheat pit, where the grain it.
self advanced from S to IN cents
bushel.
Although news from the big milling
centers seems to indicate that there is
a fairly large supply of flour in sight,
the men in the trade covered them
selves from possible loss by Immediate
ly advancing the price of flour to
wholesalers, and in most instances It
was discovered today that the. retail
buyer will soon begin to pay the ad-
vance, if not today.
One of the biggest grocery concerns
in the District of Columbia received to-
day a notice of an advance in price OF
80 cents a barrel for the best grade
Minnesota flour. putting the scheduled
price today at $10.25 barrel wholesale
and $10.55 a barrel retail at that par
ticular establishment The manager
said that he had on hand a supply
at the old rate, but that the advance
must be paid for by buyers as soon as
the old supply is exhausted.
Other dealers quoted flour Of differ
ent grades from SO to $12 barrel
this morning.
High Prices Here to Stay.
The high prices of -four are here
to stay for a time" said P. T. Moran
today. as he opened kilograms giving
notice of the -four advance, land do
not expect any material reduction from
the present levels until this country
sees a big crop of wheat and we quit
endeavoring to feed all the rest OF the
world and ourselves at the same time
edge of the business I have, 1t seems
to me that we will have these high
flour prices for about year at least
Philip NJ. McKim, manager OF a large
grocery establishment, predicts a SIM
liar situation:
'aThe only chance we have for a re-
duction from present levels in flour
prices" he said. 'is to get Russian
wheat through the Dardanelles, and l
don't see any possibility there at TINS
time"
There isn't enough wheat and flour
in this country for domestic require
ments," said r. B. Earnshaw, and un-
iii we get enough we will have to pay
= big price for It,"
Cheaper Ocean Freight Rates.
The occurrence which sent wheat
soaring in Chicago yesterday was based
IN the statement that the British gov
.rnment is making strenuous efforts to
cheaper the cost of ocean transporta-
lion of gain. SO as to beneht English
consumers. Transactions amounting TO
500, 900 bushels ran the price up.
The British government has taken
entire charge of the business Of import
ng wheat for England. and has already
tut the ocean freight rates to less than
30 per cent of what they were few
veeks ago. On that basis news from
chicago says that in addition to the big
iealings yesterday more than 100000
bushels of winter wheat have been con-
.racted for.
However. reports from milling CEN
.ers, where the manufactured -four is
leaIt in. indicate that there Is sup
ply of generous proportions on hand
and that millers are simply covering
themselves because of the mercurial
Of the wheat pit.
Price of Bread May Go Up.
AlthouRn tnere are no ihuICdtionS OF
my immediate advance in the price of
bread to the people of the District in
Of today's sharp advance
and the rather steady recent rise of
-four, those familiar with the problems
Of the retail bakers here and elsewhere
admit that their difficulties in obtaining
a fair profit have grown steadily since
the outbreak of the war.
The last three months, especially. are
bakers and one that calls for every
economy. 1t would appear
probable. therefore. unless new econ
omies are devised and operated for the
benefit of both retailer and consumer.
that Washingtonians may eventually
have to share the increasing burden of
cost with their bakers.