Evening star., 1920-06-24
BANANAS RETAILING
AT 75 CENTS DOZEN
Shortage Due to Labor Trou-
bile at Baltimore Wharves
Sends Up Prices.

The prices of bananas were the
highest today in the history of the
National Capital. The retail prices
| dozen for the fruit
The shortage of the market was
given by dealers as the cause of the
high prices. This shortage resulted
from labor trouble at the steamboat
wharves in Baltimore, where the ship
ments are landed from the tropics.
Retail dealers who would pay the
price we're aSke about Sc a bunch, or
II cents pound for: the fruit
on the wholesale market. In fact.
there were only two places where the
fruit could be purchased.
Only 500 punches of bananas ar
rived in Washington this week from
Baltimore, as against 5000 punches.
the regular run. A ship arrived at
Baltimore Monday. Two local deal
ers were on hand and bid more than
10 cents a pound on 500 punches. With
the disposal of these 500 punches the
sale was stopped and the ship was
diverted to New York, with the re-
suit that these two dealers are the
only ones who got fruit here. this
week. The shipments were made to
Washington by motor truck.
New Ship Arrived Today.
Another banana boat arrived at Bal
| timore today, with $4,000 punches on
board. AS the fruit is brought. in
green it will be several days Before
1T can be ripened to be sold Two
cars of the fruit were, started from
Baltimore fo, Washington over the
Pennsylvania railroad. Another ba-
mana boat is due to arrive at Bal
tfmore tomorrow
Shipments of California cantaloupes
which come by express were arriving
steadily In the local markets today.
three more arrived today. The whole
sale prices OF standard crates were
from $3.50 to IS; for ponies, $3.50 to
$3:75, and for fats, $2.25, which con-
tain from twelve to fifteen canta1opes.
These prices are about the same as
prevailed last week. '~'i
No shipments Of citrus fruits from
California were received yesterday or
today. Lemons however, came in
from northern ports, having been
shipped from Italy.
Vegetable Prices Decline.
Prices on vegetables are gradually
declining, with the exception of pota-
toes. a prominent wholesaler stated.
He said shipments of vegetables are
being received by boat from Norfolk
and that many have come by rail
from the Carolinas and Georgia.
Peaches from Georgia and the Caro-
linas are coming in and the prices
are dropping. Peaches which came
by freight were selling on the whole
sale market today at from 50 to $2.75
per crate. while the large peaches,
which came by express. were selling
at $3.50 per crate.
The market Is practically glutted
with onions, a dealer said. 1t has
been some time since onions have
been so low. he declared. In Balti-
| more the people refuse to use onions,
he said, and as a result many ship
ments rave come to this city which
were originally consigned there. They
are being sold at about 2 or 3 cents
a pound wholesale
Complains of Express Rule. ,
Complaint was made by one whole
saler against a rule of the express
company, whereby, he said, the: deal
ers are prohibited from unloading ex-
a shipment of o.. blackberries from
North Carolina. which, he Said, he
should have received from the ex press
company yesterday morning, was not
delivered until late yesterday after
noon, with the result that the fruit
was NOT in as good. condition as dc
should have been.
Il could send my trucks to the ex-
press depot and have my men unload
the shipment is delivered the fruit
before the express company delivers
it," he said. but they have a rule
which prohibits US from unloading the
shipment. The; result is that when
the shipment is delivered te fruit is
not in good condition. Prices, accord
ingly, are not as good and the con-
sumner does not get fresh fruit" -