The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-05-08
Now IT'S Rice and Salmon,
Hailed as Poor Man s Food,
Which is Raised
a Notch.
HOLDING BY CARLOADS
one Chicago Jobber Has Twenty Cars
Full o. Canned Salmon, Waiting
for More Greedy
Profit.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service. J
CHICAGO, May S.-Rice and sal
mon, hailed as the poor mans
food, are kiting.
When tenderloin and potatoes
Jumped out of sight, the experts
told the man with the lean pocket
book to feed his family on rice and
salmon. A good many did.
Well, today rice has jumped to
nine cents a pound. One month ago
It was five and a quarter cents.
Salmon Jumped fifty to sixty cents
dozen pound cans and is now sell
ing at $1.s5 to 80 dozen.
A representative OF the wholesalers
said that special attempts had been
made to keep down the price OF these
staples. They were about the last to
go up.
There were local denials that big
packing house had purchased large
quantities OF Texas rice. A dispatch
to the United Press from Orange.
Texas, in the heart Of the rice belt,
denied there was any corner and
stated that Armour and Company hal
made small purchases. A Chicago
jobber explained that the rise In
rice was due to the abnormal demand
occasioned by the public turning to
this staple after the prices of other
foods had been inflated. He said
that the influx of fresh vegetables
shortly, however, would lower their
prices and that the consumer would
turn to them in preference to rice.
Huge government contracts for army
consumption were alleged by jobbers
to be responsible for the rise in
salmon. 1t was admitted, however.
that one local jobber is holding
twenty carloads of salmon as a spec
ulation. The new crop" Of salmon
is expected to be on the market in
August.
Armour and company officials today
vigorously denied reports that sixty
million pounds of rice had been pur-
chased by their Houston, Texas office
and also that corner was being es
tablished.
1--WE have purchased a very small
percentage of that amount" ]. B.
White, manager of the rice department
said. "And there is absolutely no
ruth to the rumor that our offices
have ceased selling rice. We are not
.rying to establish a corner"
Reports from Texas indicate that
he yield this season will be around
,ne million pounds. Rice now is sell
ng at from 3k to cents per pound
Wholesale. White said.
Fifteen Cent Bread.
CHICAGO, May S.-The fifteen
cent bread loaf has arrived. Local
bakers, preparing the hungry public
sor the added touch" began insert
ng explanatory advertisements in
he newspapers today.
Lisewise the word Is being slipped
along that the six cent loaf is to give
way to the ten cent loaf.
Just when the advance will become |
,ity-wide, is deep mystery-or
secret. Bakers, fearing Uncle Sam
nay become interested, are acting
or at least ostensibiy SO.
indictment for illegal |
price fixing" has caused the Bakers |
association to be relegated. More |
han 500 members Of the Bakers and
Workers International |
nion will return to work today after !
eaching an agreement with the
'ewish Master Bakers association
Reports that the master bakers
orced the recent strike, during which
he city was practically breadless for
week in order to foist an already
boost in bread prices
n the public, is being investigated
~ fa6era1 authorities