davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1919-08-21
EARLY RAILROAD WAGE
SETTLEMENT INDICATED
Director General Hines Discusse!
All Phases of Situation With
President Wilson.

Developments in the railroad situa-
ton yesterday indicated that early
action to settle unrest in the ranks
Of railroad employees who have been
demanding wage increases will soon
be taken.
Director General Hines. following
conference with representatives Of
the six shop crafts. went to the White
House to discuss with President Will
son problems facing the railroad ad-
ministration. The entire question was
reviewed, it was understood. inciud-
ing the necessity for an increase in
rates or another congressional appro-
priation to provide funds for any
wage advances that may be made.
since the administration has been in
curing deficit every month this
year, due to falling off of business
aAd higher cost of labor and mate
rials, officials say.
Evening star., 1919-08-21

increase In the price Of coffee in the
last year, Mr.. Baines told the commit
tee that an American named Dirick-
son. the agent Of New York import
ing house, who had been in Brazil
for a number Of years, had recently
visited him and explained the sftua-
ton to him.
Dirickson, he said. had informed
him that last year a disastrous frost
had killed 40 per cent Of the coffee
trees in the state of Sac Paulo, Bra
zil, where most of the coffee Is pro-
duced. He said that at least 100, 600. 900
of the coffee trees had been cut down.
In the entire state there are approx
imately 1.000,000.000 coffee trees. 1t
takes ffom three to five years for a
coffee tree to mature. The people of
the state. as a state affair. bought up
all the coffee on hand, taking 3.00O.-
900 bags off the market.
They have put one over on the
rest Of the world" said Mr.. Baines.
Last year. he said. he could buy green
coffee for II or - cents Mound
for which he now has to pay 29 cents.
He said that he had sold the roasted
coffee at II cents a pound last wear
and now was charging 81 cents and
more for the same coffee. due to the
increased cost. -
He testified that his profits on gross
sales amounting to $4,000 in 1917
had been $41.00O, and in 1918 his
profits on S463.0O0 of gross sales had
been $41 900 also.
Evening star., 1919-08-21

all engineers in federal service here
will be called for the purpose of ac-
quainting them with the plans Of
the engineering association.
A committee of the local chapter,
headed by L. K. Sherman, president
of the United States Housing Cor
poration. has active charge Of the
preparation and distribution of the
sets of questions and of the subse-
quent compilation and classification of
data which will be developed.
The American Association of En-
gineers is planning to show the re-
classification commission that tech
nical engineers in the employ Of the
government do not receive proper rec
ognition or compensation. The local
branch will give it's opinions to the
reclassification commission as to the
proper classification of the 5000 en-
gineers in the government service
here.
Engineers of al kinds-civil, elec-
trical. mechanical. mining. chemical.
etc--areA scattered throughout the
various departments ind commissions
here. The War .,avy and Interior
departments probably employ the
greatest number of them, but the
Department of Agriculture and other
departments have many engineers.
Evening star., 1919-08-21

w. g. Buchanan corroborated the
testimony of Mr.. Baines as to the
increases in the prices Of coffee. He
said that Brazil has cornered the
market and that the United States
has no control over proflteering there.
Mr.. Buchanan said that his company
made a practice Of asking the retail
dealers to be satisfied with a per
cent margin on coffee which they
sell. He added, however, that some
of the small stores get as much as
they can for it.
Today bakers and cold storage peo-
pie are being heard, and also DR..
Harvey w. Wiley. The witnesses are.
besides DIR. Wiley. c. I. Corby. Holmes s
& Sons. the Havenner Baking Com
the Washington Market Company; A.
D. Brockett and John r. Ergood.
Evening star., 1919-08-21

Leaders Of the shopmen were PROM
ised by Mr.. Hines that he would gre
careful consideration to all facts pre-
sented and would try to reach = 4nhl
decision in the near future, inoIcao4g
that he will order into effect 64y
changes in the wage scale Wtthbtt
referring demands to a board OF In
vestigation. Shopmen leaders. outlin-
ing the reason for their demands. said
they did not rest primarily on the in
creased cost Of living. although that
was a contributing factor, but were
based on the proposition that the
wages of railroad shopmen ought to
be more in line with wages for sim.
liar work in other industries. Il
The minimum rate paid by the rah-
roads now is IS cents an hour, which
is asked to be advanced to S5 cents.
Evening star., 1919-08-21
QUES7|ONNA|RES SENT
TO 5000 ENGINEERS
Designed to Supplement Those Sc.
cured by Commission on Re-
classification of Salaries.

Questionnaires for all civilian en-
gineers in the government service
here, more than 5000 in number, are
being sent out this week by the
Washington Chapter of the American
Association of Engineers. The ques-
tionnaires are designed to supplement
the questionnaires secured by the
joint congressional commission on re-
classification of salaries in the Dis
trict.
Distribution of the blanks began
today, and engineers will be given
two weeks in which to fill them in.
Within ten days a mass meeting of
Evening star., 1919-08-21
AVER GR0QERS'GA
GREATEST IN 1917
Wholesalers Tell Senate Sub
ks
committee Consumer Aided
/, by Food Control.
BRAZIL CORNERS COFFEE

Wholesale grocers, testifying before
xhe Senate subcommittee investigat-
Sns alleged profiteering in. Washing
ton. yesterday afternoon gave figures
showing large profits in 1917. as COM
pared with the proceeding years and
1918. The war had begun in 1917.
making the demand for their wares
great, while the food control act, by
which their profits We're regulated, did
not become a law until late in 1917.
I. Members of the Senate committee
drew from the witnesses the state
mene that the control exerted by the
government in 1918 under the food
control act had been in the interests
of the consumer. The dealers insisted
they had done all in their power to
observe the regulations of the food
administration.
why wouldn't such regulation be
good thing for the consumer as a per-
$,anent policy" suggested Senator
Ball of Delaware, chairman of the
committee.
Charge Brazil With Profiteering.
Besides the wholesale grocery deal
ers. the committee heard coffee roast
ers or manufacturers. The coffee men
revealed that Brazil has cornered the
coffee market and is engaging in an
orgy of profiteering in this article.
They said they saw no way for the
United States government to deal
with this matter, which is controlled
by Brazil.
The price of green. coffee. paid by
the coffee men, has increased in a
years time from IL cents pound to
81 cents a pound. they said. There
has been increase after increase. they
said. in the last twelve months.
The wholesale grocers heard were:
W. T. Shea, representing n. III. Shea.
at 632 Pennsylvania avenue; A. Lieb-
man of 474 Pennsylvania avenue, F.
n. Hume of Asa Pennsylvania avenue
and j. B. Earnshaw, representing B.
B. Earnshow & Bro, 1105 11th street
southeast. The coffee men were: J. Z.
Baines of Browning & Baines, Inc.
316 Pennsylvania avenue. and w. G.
Buchanan, representing j. H. Wilkins
Company, Inc.
Evening star., 1919-08-21
WOULD KEEP PACKERS
OUT OF MISSISSIPPI

JACKSON, Miss. August 21-Per-
petual Injunction against the big
five" packers is sought in a petition
fled here yesterday in the Kinds
county chancery court by State Rev
enue Agent Stokes v. Robertson. The
Injunction would forever bar the
packers from doing business in Mis-
sissipp.
Evening star., 1919-08-21
Drys Seek to Enlist Irish Clergy,

LONDON. August 20.-The Daily
Mails Ennis. Ireland. correspondent,
says Dr. FogartyI bishop of Killaloe,
were trying to enroll the Irish clergy
in their campaign, but with little sue
cess.
Evening star., 1919-08-21

lowing themselves salary. they have
put the money earned back into the
business. he said. He and his brother
each receive a salary of $4,000 q
year, he said. In 1913, he said, the
gross sales had been about $4,000,
the gross profits about $56,0OO and
the expenses, including his and his
brothers salaries. $4,000. leaving a
net profit of about $4,000.
The Senate committee asked Mr..
Liebman and other wholesale grocers
who appeared to furnish 1t a list
of their customers, and also Of the
prices charged those customers. 1t
Is the purpose of the committee to
check up and see what the retail gro-
GERS charged the consumers for these
articles.
MIR. Liebman volunteered the state
ment that he did not think the re-
tailers, as rule, have much of a
margin of profit on groceries.
Are there too many retailers?'
Senator Ball asked the witness.
There are a good many, but whether
there are too many, 1 can't say" was
the reply.
Complains of Bad Debts.
F. N Hume said that his company
was incorporated with a capital of
800. 900 and had surplus of about
$4,000. Much of his business, prob
dDly 80 per cent, was uoHe on creolt.
he said, and he had suffered much
in past years from bad debts,
which, in 1914. amounted to $4,000.
and wiped out his net profits and left
a loss of s1,237. His volume of sales
that year was $$S2.000. In 1915 his
loss of s101; in 1916. his sales were
s3S9,0O0 and his profits $5,325; in
1917. his sales were $4S6.00 and his
profits s1s,561. and in 1918. his sales
were $559,000 and his profits $11,13s.
Members of the committee pointed
out that in 1917 the food administra-
ton had not been in operation, with
its restrictions upon wholesale gro
GERS outfits. except in the last few
months of the year. whereas it had
been in control in 1918.
Thinks Prices Have Dropped.
Questioned by Senator Ball, Mr..
Hume testified that in 1917 he had a
considerable stock on hand. which
had been bought at a comparatiyely
low figure. and that the stocks were
disposed of at much higher prices. He
said that prices have dropped since
the armistice was signed and that he
thought his company had suffered a
loss in the first three months of this
Hume testified that he purchased
much of his csnnsd goods from B. F.
Shriver & Co.. at Westminster, Md,
and from other Gamers nearby, and
from the packers. He said that he
thought prices at this time last year
were slightly higher than at present.
He said that -four and tomatoes were
cheaper now.
]. B. Earnshaw told the committee
that his company had invested $685.
900. His sales and his net profits he
gave as follows: 1914. gross sales
s613. 1000. net profits S6.400: 1915, gross
sales $611. 900, net profits $1O,100; 1916,
gross sales s692. 900. net profits $11 .2UO:
1917. gross sales $7S9,000. net profits
s2s,50o; 1918, gross sales $1.116,000, net
profits $20,60O
Senator Ball again cited that 1917
had apparently been a banner year
for the wholesale grocers.
Evening star., 1919-08-21

The tusks Of the African elephants
sometimes weigh as much as a hun
dred pounds and reach a length of
eight or nine feet
Evening star., 1919-08-21

Starlings. which are extremely
quarrelsome over food, will sleep to-
gether at nights packed like peas
in a pod
Evening star., 1919-08-21
Tells of High Coffee Prices.

]. E. Baines. coffee manufacturer,
said his company was capitalized at
100000. of which $15S.000 was ac-
tually paid in. Discussing the great
Evening star., 1919-08-21
A. Lehman Gives Figures.

! A. Liebman said that he and his
brother are in the wholesale grocery
business; that they have between
$4,000 and $4,000 capital invested
They started in business about twen-
ty years ago with capital of $4,000
After paying their expenses and al
Evening star., 1919-08-21
Asserts Business Fell OFF.

Mr.. Shea told the committee that
his gross sales in 1918 had been ap-
proximately $415,000. and his net
profits. S. 900. from which rent should
be charged off for the building occu-
pied. He said there had been tremen-
dous increases in the labor costs in
the last year and a half. After the
armistice was signed last November,
the demand for groceries,, especially
when the population began to fall off
here and the camps wanted less, di-
minished. and business went down. He
said that goods were left on the
wholesale grocers' hands.
Mr.. Shea testified that the prices
charged for. groceries, wholesale, were
about the same now as last year
Canned tomatoes. he said, have gone
down in price somewhat in the last
few months; coffee is way up; sugar
is about the same. though scarce. He
said that he purchased canned goods
from Maryland and Delaware and
other nearby canneries, his sugar in
Philadelphia. and his flour from local
people. who get it from western mills.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
Over W. I. Phelts & Co.'s Wire

New Orleans, June 13.-Rather nervous fluctuations within narrow limits were registered in the cotton market today. prices advancing in the early hours on bad crop reports and weather news. but reacting later under weekend realizing from the long side coupled with offer ings of spot cotton on expectations of better weather in the western belt. The large export movement gave the market a better tone later and in the early af ternoon prices were slightly above the level of yesterdays close. Tn the early trading the market went to a. net ad- vance of 29 to IS points from which 1t re- acted to a net decline of g to 42 points.
 The weather map showed too much rain in the central and eastern portions of the belt, while Alabama and Texas sent in sensational boil weevil reports, claim ing that the insect had appeared In greater numbers than in several years. The forecast called for considerable rain in the eastern belt, but for generally dry weather in the western belt.
 Freight brokers reported an easier market and it was said that Savannah had marked Liverpool down from s2.2o to st5o per 100 pounds. Exports for this week amount to ,5s0 against S.6o2 this week last year. Cotton is moving in vol ume to the ports which means continued large shipments. We feel friendly to the market.
 The close was to IS points up net Shephard & Gluck.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
The Cotton Outlook
By AssscIatsd Press

New York, June 13.-Uncertainty re- garding the future progress of the crop with unsettled outside conditions is sup posed to have been responsible for the tendency to even up commitments, pos sibly with a view to waiting the out come of the peace negotiations and d more convincing line on the probable showing of the end-June crop report.
 During the earlier part of the week it was rumored that returns to one of the prominent southern authorities indicat- cd mid month condition of 69, or q tall- Ing off of over 6l2 points from the end May figures.
 There was also nervousness over re- ports of continued Showers in some parts of the belt which helped the rally from E7.53, the low point of last Saturday, to l 90 for October contracts on Tuesday. h. creased offerings were encountered at this level, however, owing to the more favorable weekly report of the weather bureau and improving weather conditions in the belt, end fluctuations later in the week were extremely irregular.
 Trade buying for both foreign and do- nestle account was reported on the de- .line, but did not seem to be as much Ill evidence as 1t was last month, all though advices from the goods trade have indicated an active demand at advancing prices
 Reports that the first cotton steamer had reached Hamburg attracted consider able interest today, and optimistic views of export prospects have been encouraged by reports of an easier ocean freight sit uation and further allocauons or ton- mage by the shipping board.
 A number of foreign buying commis- sions are said to be in this country pre- pairing to operate as soon as the peace treaty is signed to the extent that credits can be obtained It is reported that tex tile interests at Chemnitz have arranged credits with neutral financial interests to purchase 10000 bales of cotton and that the mills at Lodz. Poland. are compar- atively undamaged and capable of oper- ation as soon as raw materials are available.
 Later in the week another private re- port made the condition 7l.7 compared with 75.6 the end-May figures.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
TOPMOST FIGURES REACHED BY GRAIN
 TRADERS IN CORN
Oats Made Fractional Gains, While the Provisions List Was 17c to 77c Above
 Thursday
By Associa.es Press

Chicago, June 13.-Nervousness over the crop outlook led to active trading in corn today and prices touched the topmost level yet this season. Reactions follow ed. but the market closed strong half cent to IS net higher, with July 1,72ss to 1.7215 and September 1854 to 1.66
 Oats gained Is to 1kc Provisions finish ed F to 77 cents up.
 Notwithstanding that weather condi- tons were better. misgivings in regard to the progress of the new crop seemed to have attained greater force. The facts that receipts were diminishing drew attention more sharply than ever to the reduced acreage. the delayed start and the smallness of the carry-over. Besides. there was further advance in the hog significant by many, although feeding of corn at present is not extensive. After the market had risen to about Sc above the low point of several days ago. profit taking sales took on large proportions and there were reports that rural offer ings had increased. Gains were thus temporarily wiped out. Toward the last. however, upturns were again becoming rapid.
 Oats bulged with corn.
 New record breaking high prices were touched by lard.
 Pork and ribs strengthened too, all stimulated by jumps in hog values and in grain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
DUN's REVIEW
sy Associated Press

New York. June 13.--Dun's tomorrow vii! say:
 Neither labor controversies nor foreign political uncertainties have caused devil ation from the forward trend of business and the constructive elements in the sit uation, which have undergone no essen tial weakening, foreshadow sustained ex- pansion. Where seasonal influences. sucb as preparations for mid-year inventorying impose restraint on operations, the mar. kets are now rather quieter but nothing suggests lasting abatement of activities and many more points of gain than Of loss are still apparent. The commercial: recovery, in fact. has been recently more rapid and far reaching than seems to be generally believed and the lifting of the embargo on gold exports from this coun- try followed immediately by shipments of the metal to South America, is an- other step in the elimination of artificial restrictions and is significant of the move ment toward restoration of normal eco- homie conditions. While the vexing de- laying actual adoption of the peace treaty remains an obstacle to full measure Of progress, less is heard of the deferring of important commitments on this ac- count as consumers needs develop more
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
Coffee Market.

New York, June 13.-Yesterday's big ad- vance was followed by rather nervous and irregular fluctuations in the market for coffee futures today. This was due to realizing by old longs. but reports from Brazil continued firm in the pri- mary markets and reaiizations here were followed by rallies on coverings and trade buying. The opening was unchang- ed to points lower and after selling up to 19.45, December broke to 19.30. but rallied in the later trading with the close showing net advance of 5 to 15 points. July sold as high as 2015. while Septem- Der and December also made new high records during the day. Closing bids, July 2o19; September, 1895; october, 19.7S; 1; December, 1945; January. 1895; March, 920; May, 1903.
 Spot firm Rio IS 2015 to 205s; Santos As 251b. Comparatively few firm offers were received from Brazil and those re- ported were higher, including Santos As at 25.05 American credits.
 The official cables showed an advance of POO reis in the Rio market and of 50O reis for Santos spots. The early cable quoted futures 25 reis higher to 25 reis lower and a later cable showed an ad vance of 100 to 150 reis. Rio reported clearances of 15,O00 bags for New York and 15,000 for New Orleans. Brazilian port receipts 26,000 Jundiahy receipts, 700O
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
INTEREST RATES ON STOCK EXCHANGE GO
 ID RECORD FIGURE
Industrial Collateral Rates Rose to 12 Per Cent Dur
 ing Final Hour of Trad , ing, a New Record
By Associated Press

New York. June 13.-This was a day of severe liquidation on the stock exchange, with trading influenced by the money situation. Declines registered early in the session were extended when in the final hour the interest rates on both mixed and industrial collateral rose to 12 per cent, a new high record for the year This advance, illustrative of restriction of funds for stock market purposes, re- flected the necessity which has arisen for making money supplies available in other directions notably for the payment of the federal income tax installments due tomorrow. and for meeting the gold ex- port needs.
 The situation was not one to encourage pool interests to support the speclal stocks which were foremost on the rise of last week. Shares of virtually all groups were unloaded freely under the activities of the bear faction, the occasional short covering not being sufficiently important to check the decline except during mo- mentary periods.
 Prices for the motor shares dropped to F points, oils 1 to 8, shippings to 51A, and srails l to 21A. United States Steel common declined 25s to 105A, and other steels from to 3 points.
 Bonds also yielded today, but Victory 3&s exceptionally advanced to a new high levei of 100.4S. Total sales, par value, ag- gregated $10,650,000. Old United States bonds were unchanged on call.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-14
Iron and Steel Review

Cleveland June Momentum gradu- ally is being acquired by iron and steel
 market, as heavier buying in most prod
 ucts is carried forward in a way clearly
 denoting broadening of enterprise. Ger tain lines still lag but the general trend
 is distinctly toward'~larger volume or business and more. normal conditions
 Buyers show no signs of being swamped
 and are carefully weighing requirements before action, but are manifesting strong CT desire to discount future requirements in this attitude. Prices seem to be play ing a smaller part. Operations again are turning upward: idle blast furnaces here and there are being put back into com mission, and mill output is increasing.
 Buyers not only are going ahead more confidently in contracting for their needs over the next three to six months ou'
 are specifying more literally for early shipment. Some announcement is prov1d- ed in plates by the fact that negotiations for ship contracts with foreign ship own CTS by American yards are approaching g definite stage. Bids have been asked On steel for six 3000-ton tank ships for an American oil company. Information IS available that recent selling of pig iron has been made heavier than generally believed; some unusually large lots nave been booked through negotiations quietly conducted with consumers in the foun- dry industry. Conservative estimates place bookings of past two weeks at we'll over 5eO.cO0 tons The lake ore market has ex- banded in keeping with enlivened pig iron situation. Sales in past week easily have reached 100000 to 100000 tons. Many furnaces, however, have yet to cover their needs which is bringing forth warning from operators that unless they act soon there is danger that sufficient ore may not be brought down to fill later require ments because of expected heavy wheat movement Release of pent up construc- tion work is on the increase Recent booking by independent fabricators has extended the capacity of these shops on deferred construction needs of municipal ities, of recent rapid growth. Detroit has begun purchase of cast iron pipe which is expected to reach 50.00o tons during the present year.-Iron Trade Review.