Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-12-20
BURLINGTON MARKETS
Eggs, Both New and Old, on the
Upward Trend.
Grocers Directed Not to Sell FlOur ~
the Iarrel-Only a Two-Pound AL
lotment Of sugar per Gus
toner.
Wednesday. Dec. 10. 1917.


The market to-day was not important
because of any unusual changes In prices
While some dealers report an average hoii-
day season trade. others were decidediy
anything but optimistic about the busi-
ness done SO far. but expressed hope for
brisk sales on the ''home stretch"
The meeting Of the grocerymen In Mont
pelier with Food Administrator James
Hardness Of Springfield is said to nave
had clarifying effect in a good many
ways. For one thing. the administrator
frankly told the dealers that he had not
asked them to meet for the purpose OF
giving them instructions, but that as ne
was not a grocery dealer. he had sum-
moned them to ask for information.
One important point that he emphasized
was the necessity of giving the public
the wholesale and retail prices on hour.
sugar and potatoes. The wholesale price
Of potatoes Is not an easy thing to esti-
mate accurately. as. naturally. as q re-
suit Of last years abnorrnally high rates.
the farmer finds 1t difficult to come
to GARTH" and so seeks all he can get.
Thus. the result is a wholesale price that
ranges from $1.25 to $3.50. The retail price
of potatoes this week is As and 80 cents.
as there is a wide disparity in quality.
TwO-POUND LOTS OF SUGAR.
Mr.. Hartness, in talking to the grocers,
made the statement that IL he was to
learn Of any person having q barrel Of
sugar he would seize that barrel. an being
a violation of the governments regula.
tons against boarding. Hoarding Is what
the government Is seeking to do away
with. There is plenty for all. II the pur-
chasers buy in small and only needful
quantities. But IL they hoard. tho ad-
ministrator is empowered to proceed. and
Mr.. Hardness quoted the regulations to
the grocers at the meeting.
One local dealer said yesterday that
some of his regular customers would
tease" for more than the two-pound allot-
ment. What the government is seeking to
do Is to prevent speculation. The federal
food administrator knows pretty ac-
curately how much wholesalers are get
ting from the reineries. and allowance Is
made for fair margin Of profit to whole
saler and retailer. The dealer could get,
say. Is cents a pound for his sugar, but
it is this unfair profit that the admins
| traitor is preventing.
FLOUR BY THE SACK
Grocers are not to sell -four by the
barrel. the federal food administrator
directs. 1t is to be sold only by the sack.
Yesterday quotations were given the Free
Press. as follows: Sacks holding 24H1
pounds (one-eighth Of barrel) S.7o; sacks
holding double that amount. or one-Quarter
of barrel. $3.40 These are tho sises now
being sold. One cut-rate place is selling
flour In the first size sacks at $15a
FRESH EGGS COME HIGH.
Fresh eggs come high these days.
Seventy cents was the price quoted yester.
day. with wholesale price Of 90 cents q
dozen. Cold storage eggs. too, are higher,
being quoted at so cents.
HOLIDAY SALE OF TURKEYS.
The holiday trade in turkeys is reported
as not very good. Forty-eight cents IL the
price most generally being asked. but II Il
not finding a ready purchaser. In the
meat lists this week. sliced ham IL i've
cents more than a week ago, being given
as IS cents.
MOVE FOR FEWER DELIVERIES.
One of the things discussed at the meet,
ing of grocers with the food administrato,
at Montpelier Tuesday evening. was the
proposition to lower the grocers' expense,
in the effort to get better prices for the
consumer by having only one delivery Of
goods per day, or. If another was asked
for the purchaser to pay for 1t, at q rat,
OF say. five cents for anything under 81
J cents worth. Many people have becom.
accustomed to expect the grocer to de-
liver at any time. Just because he han
} pens to have horses and wagons. Thi,
} means loss Of time and that Of cours,
! means money to the dealer. With tn,
housewife giving her orders for the usua
one delivery. and paying for another on,
; II 1t Is asked, the result would mean ;
} lowering Of expenditure to the grocer.
The following prices for the market O.
} this week were quoted for the Ere,
Press by p. d. Kelley. grocer. r. b. How
, ard. meat dealer. the Burlington Fisl
. company. the Burlington Fruit compan,
and the A. D. Pease Feed comnanv