Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-02-23
Relief Workers, in Their
Reports, Tell of Vast
A cunt of Suffering
Among the Poorer People
of the City.
NO RELIEF FROM THE
SITUATION IN SIGHT
Great Stores of Grain but No
Way to Move it to the
Mills-Officials Hard at
Work to Avert Threat
ened Calamity.

| Chicago, Feb. 23.-Food prices con-
tinued their steady upward trend to-
day. Prices. which yesterday were
considered prohibitive, at the opening
Of tho markets today showed no indi-
cation Of declining or even stopping in
their sky rocketing.
Conditions in the crowded tenement
districts and among the poorer classes,
described us serious for tho past week.
, are regarded as critical. Charitable
organizations report acute suffering.
Urgent relief measures are being taken
by city officials and charitable insti-
tutions.
Rabbits and fish, confiscated by
game wardens. are being distributed
among the Reedy.
The reports of relief workers, gath
cred together last night and today.
show that Chicago's poor are facing
one Of the most critical food famines in
the city's history. The food scarcity
In itself. is not 80 evident, but exor-
bitant prices make 1t practically pro-
hibitive.
TO HOLD UP TRAFFIC.,
plan whereby railroads would be
compelled to hold up passenger traf-
fic for a week and haul nothing but
foodstuffs and coal was urged by Fred
w. Upham, president of the Consum-
ers: company, today. at a meeting
with federal Investigators. The trav-
cling public OF the country should be
willing to discommode themselves that
length Of time in order that the food
situation might be relieved, Upham
said. He pointed out that one third
of the motive power used on railroads
is employed in hauling passenger
trains.
Federal investigators, working un-
der the direction Of Hinton Clabaugh.
chief Of the local bureau Of investiga-
tion, today we're interviewing mem
bers Of the board Of trade. shippers and
grain dealers.
LIVE ON OATMEAL ALONE.
Il visited eight families" one report
reads. "They are living on oatmeal
alone. This forms breakfast. dinner
and supper. Sugar and milk Is un-
known"
Rice. oatmeal and beans are the chief
articles of diet OF tie poor. Many
families have not tasted sugar or milk
for weeks. Scores OF cases of malnu-
''''i'i .Aes'S cVSh icpoIt tCu " City HcS-
pitals.
A dour of the marke. today revealed
the following conditions. They will be |
accentuated by l. ght, dealers declare.
Potatoes-Retailed yesterday at So |
cents to 81 per peck. Today they are
81 to $1.05, win go higher before night. |
Sugar-Retailed yesterday at cents
per pound. the day before at IN cents.
Today at sls to . cents.
Cabbage--Retailed yesterday at 13 to
15 cents; today at II cents. VIII go
higher.
Milk-Representatives OF Producers
with membership Of
1850. at conference here last night.
raised price of summer milk from $1.55
to $2.12 per hundred, to begin April l.
Means 12-cent milk.
Sweet potatoes. apples. onions. car
rots, citrus fruits and all vegetables
stronger and firm"
Eggs - Wholesale price yesterday
reached Az cents. Retail SO to so
cents. Dealers predict higher quota
tions today.
cheese--Increase from / to cents
per pound wholesale.
Beef. pork, poultry-All slightly
higher on wholesale market. Retailers
burden to housewives.
MARKET At STANOSTill.
Today the Chicago grain market. the
greatest In the world. was practically i,
owing to the railroads. in
ability to move grains
Grain operators and elevatormen, at .
. conference. urged government seiz-
nre of trunk lines until the present
,risis Is broken.
Three of Chicagos largest grain us
FRS. among them the Corn Products Re-
lining company, threaten to close their ,
loors for lack of raw material. Two
arge mills at Gary. Ind. are running
,n two-day supply. Elevators have
pa blocked their doors.
Several conferences OF officials.
government investigators. manufacture
,rs and board of trade members are :
scheduled for today. Thus far they
rave been powerless to remedy the
situation.
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