Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-18

Pipe and soaring price OF pipes
good pipes, cheap pipes. home
grown" pipes and imported pipes
they're "going up, going up every
day and those who formerly hit the
pipe because OF its economy are about
to find that it's about as costly as
cigars or the festive cigaret.
The famous French briar, the most
popular pipe in use among choice
smokers, is now about as difficult for
tobbers to obtain as ham sandwiches
in Berlin, while the ariStocratic meer-
chaum Is virtually off the market. 1t
can he bought from only a limited
number OF dealers in the United States
and they are disposlng of what stock
they have on hand most grudgingly.
The meerschaum's native home is
Austria. the composition from which
it is manufactured obtainable only in
that country and as Austrian COM
merce has been cut off for the past
three years from the remainder of the
world, meerschaums could not be ex-
ported.
Higher Like Hawaii.
The scarcity of this celebrated pro-
duct has caused the price TO Jump al
most beyond reach. II has increased
100 per cent and will probably go still
higher.
A prominent Main street retailer,
the head of half n dozen tobacco and
cigars stores in oklahoma, stated yes
terG-y that he is selling meerschaums
and French briars now cheaped than
he purchased new stock for few
days ago. But he's gong 20 quit II.
He's going TO remark his old stock
and stick the prices up equal to what
he will ask for the new goods recent
~ purchased.
'What's the use Of my selling these
goods at old prices when conditions
have doubled their value?" he asked,
and as luck has placed them in his
hands at prices 100 per cent lower
than the present wholesale value. he
can't resist the opportunity to do a
little easy profit taking"
See here" remarked this dealer, as
he turned and fished out of n safe
an iron safe mind you; imported pipes
have become so valuable that they're
now kept In iron safes-s'here's n
stock OF French hriars-genuine
French briars, too-that / picked up
some time ago from n jobber at
bargain price. This pipe"-picking
one Of its tissue paper Wrapping
"cost me so cents. I couldn't buy II
today anywhere in this country for
S125.
And here's another; II cost me 40
cents: today II WHOLESALERS at 81, and
can hardly be bought at that price"
French briars of course come from
France. but the French are so busy
looking after the Germans that their
pipe manufacture has almost ceased.
Hence the scarcity of French briars.
Even Cobs Higher.
Even the honest odd Missouri cob
Pipe which never demanded more
than n nickel Of anybody's money, is
now selling at 10 cents.
"Why so?" demanded the reporter.
"Surely the corn-cob pipemakers OF
Missouri can't offer The war as A. eN-
cuse for doubling the price Of their
pipes"
wei. they've hiked the price. just
the same" said the local retailer
"But they have not doubled It. There
is n wide margin of profit for the rv-
taller In selling corncohs at 10 cents,
but we couldn't afford 10 sell at the
old price OF nickel. However, we
give two for Is cents where n
customer wants them. This gives us
fair profit"
Champ Clark. speaker of the house,
the other day decided he'd present "a
Missouri corncob pipe to each membtr
of the First Missouri regiment. When
he got the bill for his purchase II
double what he had expected.
There are tricks in pipe-making as
in everything else. The retailer men,
toned lifted pretty little $3.50
meerschaum from his showcase.