The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-31
Backbone of Inflated Costs i'm
Topeka Bending Today.
Butter and Eggs Have Taken
Sudden Decline on Market.
OTHER COMMODITIES FOLLOW
Beans, Sausage, POrk-AlI Rid
ing on the TObOggan.
Exceptional Values in Other
Lines Advertised Today.

Altho not yet broken, the backbone
of Topeka war prices is bending to-
day. Both the retail and jobbing mar
kets for butter and eggs are growing
more demoral.zed, and a serious fiuc-
tuation in pork. both fresh and cured
with a decline prevalent, is promising
still lower prices on that commodity.
Eggs and butter began their tobog-
gan slide about two weeks ago with an
unsteadiness caused by increased pro-
duction and large quantities on hands
of dealers. As the result eggs are
selling in Topeka-retail-toda for
from 40 to SO cents Dozen register
ing total drop of from 30 to 80 cents
indications are. dealers say, that they
are going lower.
Butter IS off from 25 to So cents a
pound. selling on the Topeka market
for from 40 10 so cents
| The big drops in both butter and
eggs nave been registered in the last
few days. The decrease is prevalent
all over the country. dealers say, and
| todays egg price, on the average here
ana elsewhere, is from Is to 20 cents
| lower than year ago today. Cream
cry butter is holding up better than
| any other brand of that commodity. IL
is said. but the decline is serious. The
demand for country butter for pack
ing stock Is most serious
other commodities are following.
n.
are on a downward trend.
Pork chops have fallen from s to 10
cents a pound on the retail market
with a corresponding decline of course
i on the wholesale market The pre-
Vaiiing prices in Topeka for pork
| chops today ranged around 80 cents.
| as against 3S cents a pound a few
days ago. The average decrease on
iresn pork is cents a pound-all
| kinds considered.
Sausage has dropped from 80 to 20
cents. Bacon has fallen about ~
cents a pound. and this drop has been
registered in some Topeka retail
stores.
Beef Still High.
As yet beef prices have not dropped
Dealers fear. however, that should the
government dump its reserve stock
onto the market. a decline will he reg
istered and pork and pork products
Will go down still more.
The price declines this week and TO-
day are indicative. II is asserted by
some dealers, of general slump in
all necessities before the year is over.
Trade journals have been discussing
the outlook on clothing doubtfuIy in
the last few weeks, and that industry
is said to be unsteady.
In all parts of the country mer-
chants and jobbers are taking steps to
meet any decline Great sales are be-
ing made by stores In an effort TO plav
sales in Topeka, as advertisements in
the State journal today will show are
offering some of the biggest price re-
auctions registered in the last four
years.
Decline in Other Cities.
Chicago. Jan. 31-with almost
three months elapsed since the signing
OF the armistice. high food prices to-
day showed no inclination to follow
the German lead in running up the
white flag.
Assaults by big supplies. falling
wholesale markets and lack of demand
had made no appreciable dent in the
high cost front.
Wholesale prices continued falling
! here today. Meats. the last to show a
decline, were weaker in wholesale
markets than yesterday.
! Retailers. however. refused 10
! change their signs.
t Retail prices last November were.
. STEAKS 1880 cents; roasts. 22-3Z
cents: pork, 1892 cents; pork roasts
27-35 cents; potatoes sI9O-szsO.
! These still prevail today.
Extra large shipments OF dairy
= products, with Investigations promised
, among dealers In those lines has
forced retailers TO lower their prices.
! Butter sold over the counter at So
cents. Ia to 30 cents lower than two
weeks ago. Eggs dropped - 10 20
cents, selling at 55 cents retail
A Decline In Butter
Kansas City. Jan. 31--Butter auo-
: tations on the local market today
: show decline OF cents from yester-
: days prices. Creamery butter came
2 down to 80 cents wholesale. the low
? est. quotation on this kind Of butter
] here for several months. First. Sec
! ond and packing grades followed suit.
= quotations on these being 81. IS and
y 70 cents. respectively.
Eggs also declined. dropping 4 cent.
under yesterdays price. Eirsts were
quoted today at 3s cents
THE HIN AND THE COW