El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-03-23

Q
1 , Of pretty yards, there Is still
/ room for various vacant lots-vacant,
1 that is, with the exception OF neigh
borly contributions Of trash, tin cans
and heaps Of ashes
Three little boys were working dill
I gently on one Of these wide stretches
Of trash. With a small hand wagon,
I they were loading stuff and dumping
/ it on another portion OF the lot In
Quiry as 10 the purpose Of this opera
Z ton brought an interesting story
] one OF the boys pointed TO a pile
7 Of dirty bottles OF all shapes and sizes
at one corner Of the dump. There
were easily 10 in the pile including
everything from milk bottles 10 those
OF more suspicious design Them
there bottles is worth 90 cents. mis-
ter he said impresslvely. "aud were
not half through the pile yet"
A Bottle Scarcity.
The bottle scarcity IS the latest. and
to the housewife. one Of the most an
nOying scarciues Occasioned by the
war. For, Of course, the war is re-
spOnsible for most Of f., although the
weather is also guilty 10 a large ex-
tent
Bottle making has always been
about equally distributed in this
country between the east and the
west until last year the western sand
manufacturers from turning out their
usual supply OF bottles. This was
the first scarcity, but the public was
not yet aware Of IT,
With the declaration OF war came
an increase in the demand Tor bottles
as well as an increase in manutac-
turing costs Since then. the humble
bottle, monument Of past picnics and
an admirable target for rifle prac-
tlce, has become a valuable and some
times unattainable commodity.
In the first place, the cost OF IN
Skilled labor in the bottle trade has
turers, 100 per cent since the out
break OF the war. Even so. very lit
tie unskilled male labor Is to be had
and II IL were not for the women who
have taken up bottle making fin the
place Of men, we would doubtless be
forced to look about for some other
kind Of a container.
Cost Advances Fast.
OF the ingredients used in making
bottles, the cost OF sand has in
creased IS per cent; soda ash S. per
cent; lime 100 per cent; nails $50 per
cent lumber 100 per cent. and Old ]
100 per cent Now the government Is Z
talking OF communicating American l
resources for its own uses. so an bot I
tie Manufacturer not enga Ued in l
filling orders for the government are ]
not sure OF any future deliveries Of I
oil at all
The bottle Industry has suffered I
from the coal shortage, too. The !
cost Of coal they assert. has adj ]
vanced $50 per cent. but even so they /
are not getting anything like their /
requirements Orders placed with /
coal dealers six months ago have not /
yet been filled. In many cases. and ]
others are being held up by the lack /
Of transportation facilities. The bot /
tie men are now in Washington at ]
tempting to make the coal admins i
tratiOn understand that bottles are /
absolutely essential TO the existence !
Of the American public.
Coal Shortage, Too.
Unless the government permits ]
the coal operators to deliver TO bottle I
the coal that Is due on
contracts placed last summer" says /
one prominent bottle maker. there 2
Will not be many glass companies OPP
Grating by March I. except those fac
tories making bottle directly for gov
eminent use and such factories as are
still operating with natural gas. ]
which so far has not proved satisfac-
tory"
Meantime. with no consideration for
the difficulties Of bottle making IN Z
der war conditions. the American pub
lie has steadily increased its demand
for bottles A certain amount OF re-
lief was expected when war prohibit
lion went into effect, but as a matter
0I 1act the strain was only heightened
by the immediate rise OF large near
The old alcoholic stimulants. Last
year, according to bottle manufac-
-urers, many breWeries famous for
heir beer. for the first time turned
1ut greater quantities Of near-beers
han the original
Demand for Bottles Grow.
With the approach Of the summer
season, the demand for bottled soft .
thinks viii certainly increase. re-
Iuiring more bottles. The public has ,
he bottlemakers word for Il that
Americans are avid in their thirst for
III the variety OF cool sweet drinks !
.Ormerly sold at five and ten cents I ,
lottle. Hence, thev feel certain that I
although these drinks viii be sold at l
IN Increase OF five cents a bottle this
'eason, there viii still be a large de-
nand for them
There win be this difference. how
.ver-a difference already noticeable
n buying milk and drugs and other
hines sold IN bottles: The consumer
VII be compelled TO pay for this bot
lie. In most cases II viii merely be
deposit which viii he returned to S
i'm when he takes the bottle back. Tn |
'thers. the price Of the bottle NAV be
acked on 70 the price Of the con-
ents.
Denosif System in Vorue.
The deposit system Is already IN
-ogue in regard TO milk bottles. when =