Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-26
COMMODITY so SCARCE CUSTOM
ERs ARE RESTRICTED TO
25-cENT PURCHASES.
LOCAL JOBBERS HAVE NO
GRADUATED SUGAR ON HAND
Retailers Have Few Bags Each, and
Trade Is Being Supplied in Pribbles
Potatoes Climb, Said to Be Due to
Recent Cold Snap, and Are Selling
Around s1.65 and $1.75-Fruits High.

Housewives Of Marshall county are
feeling the pinch of war. With sugar
being doled out by grocers in 26-cent
packages, with but one package TO a
customer; potatoes mounting in price
because Of the recent cold wave caus-
ing damage to the crop and hampering
transportation, and fruits and vege-
tables generally showing marked in
crease Of price, the ultimate consumer
is beginning to ask, where will t
stop"
The sugar situation is not peculiar
to this community or state, but is gen.
eral over the United States, with little
indication of relief before the beet
sugar manufacturers can get their
| product on the market, which viii not
be sooner than early in November.
| Even then the relief may not be great
~ appreciable for some time, as trans
| p~ortation difficulties peculiar to winter
may delay shipments and the ne"
sugar may be parcelled out a little to
each locality.
Wholesalers Have No Sugar.
The Letts-FIetcher Company, of this
city, has no graduated sugar it's sup
| ply being absolutely exhausted. 1t IS
estimated tina a few hundred pounds
are in the hands of the grocers OF the
city. the supply being distributed
among the many stores, which have a
sack or two each. AS a result the
grocers. in order to give everyone an
equal chance, are selling bags contain
ing two and one-half pounds at 70
cents. no customers being allowed to
! purchase more than one bag at a time.
| There still is a limited supply Of cube
sugar in the city and 1t is selling at
12lc cents a pound.
The Letts-F1etcher Company esti-
mates that by early November the stu
ation will be somewhat relieved with
the arrival of beet sugar from the
| manufacturers. The sugar beet crop is
large and when manufactured is eN-
pected 10 supply the demand for the
| winter.
r. J. Whitaker. Of the Letts-F1etcher
Company. was in Boone Thursday, and
found tina but one grocer in the city
had any ,sugar This retailer had a
supply Of forty sacks and he is retail
ing It In small lots at the price asked
here.
Candy Manufacturers Quit.
The Oppice Fruit Company, joppers
of the products of the American Candy
Company. of Milwaukee, has received
notice that the company has closed
down nearly all its factories owing 10
| the sugar shortage. It is expected thai
other manufacturers will be obliged 20
take the same course. If the sugar
shortage should continue for any great
length Of time il is unlikely that the
manufacturers can get the Christmas
candles on the market in time for the
holidays.
Potatoes Climb Rapidly.
Just as ho~useholders were preparing
to lay in their winters supply OF pota-
toes at 81 or s1.25, prices for spuds
took a sudden upward shoot, due main
ly to the recent cold snap. The freez-
ing weather caught part Of the crop
in central lowe unprotected and many
potatoes now going on the market are
frost bitten. Prices have Jumped to
$1.65 and SIS within the week. 1t IS
reported that many Minnesota n
! Wisconsin producers lost part Of their
crop thru freezing.
Other vegetables have taken a like
skyward course, but for the most part
this is due to a sympathetic advance
| with potatoes. One onion grower in
the city his week Is quoted as saying
he had 1900 bushels of onions in his
store house, but that he did not intend
TO sell d Dusilei ueiUrs: Jan. i. When ne
expected to receive SO a bushel for his
crop.
The old reliable cranberry, which is
so essential to Thanksgiving and
Christmas dinners. apparently is to be
a luxury. The few berries now on the
local market are commanding a high
price and it is said there will be a
shortage owing to early frosts In the
cranberry swamps.
Apples are high, and the western
crop will have to be depended upon.
local jobbers say. Bananas are scarce.
owing to. a lack Of transportation, fruit
line companies having turned over
many Of their vessels to the govern
ment for war use. Figs and other i'm.
ported fruits Of that nature are retail
ing at Just twice what they cost a rear