Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-16
ECCS ARE UP.TW0
CENTS PER DOZEN
Cold Storage Variety Ascends to Re-
tail Price of From Fffty-one to
Fifty.three Cents.
LID Is CLAMPED ON By BOARD
United States Food Administration
Sets Figures Which it Asks be
Maintained.

Eggs went up two cents dozen in
Rock Island county today-cold stor-
age eggs.
The county food Interpretation
board authorized the increase, the
new retail price being from 81 to So
cents a dozen as against the former
price from 40 to 81 cents. Dealers will
pay from 4S to so cents dozen in
stead of the former price of from 46
to 48 cents.
The lid was clamped on soaring egg
prices-those for cold storage eggs
yesterday by the United States food
administration in Chicago.
With the price of fresh eggs reach
ing 70 cents per dozen, the highest
price in several years, and reports OF
dealers fagrantly disregarding the
agreed price fixed before Jan. l for
cold storage eggs. the principal egg
dealers of Chicago were called to
Food Administrator Harry A. Wheel
er's Office.
Before they left they had agreed up
on price for eggs in carload lots
which is to stand for the remainder OF
the cold storage season-to May /.
Under this agreement the maximum
price for all grades Of cold storage
eggs is not to exceed 43 cents per
dozen plus w per cent handling
charge to holders, which would make
the top price "A cents. The cost to the
consumer should not be over cents
per dozen in excess of that price.
The agreement, which was an
nounced at this mornings session of
the Chicago Butter and Egg Board and
is binding upon every licensed dealer
and is of national effect.
Dealers throughout the country will
be summoned in by food admi1fstra-
tors of all sections and asked I'd
ratify the price, the only variance be-
ing the usual freight differential
which in the instance of New York
City amounts to 2 cents additional.
Storage Stocks Decreasing.
The action of the food administra-
ton was occasioned not only by the
knowledge that storage stocks are
AdPluIy uCS1Cd dllu LlIdL uCdlClS III
some instances were disregarding the
agreed prices, but in accordance with
the pact entered into before Jan. ]
that prices should be readjusted on
Jan. Is to meet changed conditions.
Gold storage stocks are steadily
decreasing and in view of extraordi-
nary conditions prices have reached
unusual heights Mr.. Wheeler said
in discussing the arrangement. with
apparently no top to prices, the coun-
try was faced with the prospect that
when, the time arrives to store eggs
the price might be so high as to be
! either prohibitive, or that eggs would
go into storage at such high prices as
would make next winters supply be-
yond reach of any pocketbook
THE egg men have realized this
They have recognized the importance
of fixing a basis for prices for the
balance of the season. The agreement
entered into prevents speculative price
advances.
1T means that the price is to be
begged until the fresh eggs start in
Now the market is practically barren
OF fresh eggs.
ut was agreed that Al cents Del
dozen should be fixed as the price al
which the egg men held the eggs they
now have in storage. To this was
added 5 per cent carrying charge
covering storage charges, interest and
market risks since the eggs went into
storage and a wholesaling margin O.
2R per cent, which brings the price W
to A cents.
| BY both the food administration anG
the egg men this was regarded as ar
equitable compromise and is to BIZ