The Washington times., 1919-08-19
SUPPLY
FOR DISTRICT
NOWARRIVING
First of go Carloads of EdibIes
Inspected This Morning BY
War Officials.

The sixty carloads OF canned meats
and vegetables which were to be dis
tributed to Washington housewives
by parcel post, and which were re-
ported stranded en- route yesterday.
are beginning to come into the Gov
ernment warehouses. il was said BY
Assistant Postmaster kerlin late this
morning.
The exact contents OF the cars that
were arriving were not known at the
time the statement was made. but
officials OF the War Department had
gone TO the warehouse 70 inspect the
cars as they arrived.
After an account had been taken of
the contents OF the cars that arrived
this morning, it was stated at the
War Department that the supply OF
food now on hand. includes 5000
pounds Of dried beans, $50 cases ce
peas, $500 cases OF corn, 146 cases ot
baked beans, and $4,000 cans of roast
beef This is only part OF the guam
tity allocated to Washington. and It
is expected other cars will come IN.
soon.
All Deliveries At Once.
The problem OF distributing this
food rests with the Postoffice De-
partment. Postoffice authorities this
noon favored waiting for the total
shipment to arrive before delivering
any Of the items now on hand. As
sistant Postmaster kerlin said it
would not be good business policy
to fill part of an order. To have two
or three items on an order awaiting
the arrival Of more cars, he said
would cause a great deal Of confus-
ion.
At the office OF the assistant di-
rector Of sales of the War Depart
ment should distribute the food IL
now has on hand 50 that congestion
both in storing and delivering. might
be avoided when more cars are un-
loaded at the warehouse.
Want Part OF Order Filled.
The Var Department il was said,
has nothing TO do witt. the distribu-
ton Of the food. but Assistant Direc-
or Of Sales Morse this morning said
he would urge upon the Postofhce
authorities the advisability OF filing
parts OF orders.
Chairman Atkinson. Of the commit
tee of fifteen, said he hoped to dis
tribute today some Of the flve car
loads OF food at the Municipal Fish
Market Three men are now employ
ed to handle this food, and it is hoped
that some Of it will be delivered to
ment departments this afternoon.
The food was ordered about two
weeks ago, il was said at the War
Department, and food cars were start
ed by the railroad administration
from several army depots. Owing to
recent railroad strikes, however, It
was claimed, the food cars were held
up in transit
Assistant Postmaster Kerlin. be-
cause OF the delay in the receipt OF
the shipment, ordered the distribution
of order blanks stopped. About $1,000
order blanks were given out before
the order was issued.
The Department OF Labor Yesterday
announced that. retail food prices
reached the highest mark since the
beginning of the war in the month OF
July, 1919.
The increase during July over food
prices in June were as follows:
Potatoes. 20 per cent; bacon, 10
per cent; pork chops, 8 per cent: cof-
fee, 8 per cent; eggs and rice, g per
cent; lard, per cent; ham, corn
meal and sugar. 5 per cent: crisco.
10 per cent; bananas, 3 per cent; roll
ed oats and prunes. per cent; evap-
GRATED milk and raisins, per cent
Few Declines shown.
A few articles showed a decline
during July as compared with June.
Cabbage decreased 10 per cent, on
ions, u per cent. and plate beef,
per cent.
Dealers at the Center Market de-
clared the general trend upward yes
terday in food prices was due to the
fact that the large supplies Of last
week are rapidly vanishing.