The Washington times., 1920-01-15
Can Save 43 Per Cent.

retail In Washington, at most places,
at about So. On January 7. the snip
ment or foodstuffs from Warsaw and
nearby points OF Virginia alone woIs
lls sacks OF potatoes and twenty
eight gallons OF oyster. On that day.
potatoes were retailing at most stores
at $3.50 a bushci. and oysters sroInd
90 cents a gallon.
MANY Washington consumers hny
been buying fresh eggs through the
parcel post system at as low as Z.
cents "a dozen, when retailers were
charging as high as 90 cents" .
Through the office OF Mr.. Blakslee.
twelve counties OF northern Virginia
are being reached-places were there
are no railroad or steamboat facili'
ties, While steamboat facilities are
open to many OF these points In sum
mer, steamboat traffic is held up in
winter because OF frozen rivers.
save s5s7 In One Day.
Going back to November IL, Ar.
Blakslee showed, records that 81
crates OF eggs-2.600 dozen-were
shipped from Warsaw, Va. TO Wash
ington consumers. a distance OF i25
miles.
The postal patrons. or consumers
said Mr.. BlalSslee, paid x1.6a5.40 for
this produce, which would have cost
them, at the lowest price prevailing
In the city on that day. $2.012.40. or
a net saving 1887. The postal revo-
nue. was S541S. and the postal OK
pendlture was ys60.9i. Thus. loss
of approximately SO to the postal
service resulted in net saving OF
1887 to patrons OF the service.
Lob II. .. fE
of various staple articles OF food. the
postal revenue amounted to 3l,6S776,
with a direct cost OF transportation
OF SI,725.54, which indicates a loss in
operation of s37.7s. However, the
paid Si5.1Ss.3c for such
when they would have
cost, at the lowest market price, on
the same days they were delivered.
$21 500. Ga net saving 10 the con-
sumers OF 36,6l2.32."
How to Get Produce.
Here is how you buy from the pro-
ducer:
II you want to get a bushel of 70
tatoes or other produce. telephone to
the market representative of Mr..
Blakslce's office. He will quote you
prices and tell you the name of a
farmer or producer at a given place.
You then write to the producer. tell
ing him to ship you a crate OF eggs,
or what not, inclosing your check, at
the prices quoted by the representa-
tive OF Mr.. Blakslee. The produce
will be sent you by the next parcel
post mail. You will receive the de-
sired produce within forty-efght
hours/
The parcel post service extends all
around Washington. Trucks every
day collect parcel post packages for
Washington consumers from Fred
erick, Eastou, Md. Leonardtown. Scot
land. and Rockpoint, Nd; Warsaw.
Va; Charlotte Hall, Morgantown. and
other points not touched by the rail-
roads
Service Most Complete.
There are hundreds OF other points
tapped by the parcel post service.
Postmasters at the various points get
the quotations, and notify Mr.. Blsks-
lee of prices. 1t takes but a minute
or so to learn by telephone from Mr..
Blakslee's office at what price pota-
toes, eggs, poultry and other staple
articles may be bought
"Inasmuch as the organization OF
the postal service" said Mr.. Blaks-
Ice, " has been extended to the door
of practically every food producer,
and is available as an instrumentality
of distribution to the door of all con-
sumers, il is evident that the con-
veyanco of food in the postal service
could be made a vital factor in intro
ducing efficiency into the movement
Of food from the producer to the
consumer.
Must Encourage Producer.
The gouger and the profiteer may
be Jailed; fair prices may be set;
some conspiracy in restraint of trade,
or some combination that speculates
in storage, or future demand exceed
ing supply, may be located: indi-
viduals who create deficiency, or
dump a surplus Of foodstuffs, by
agreement, periodically, to influence
prices, or who manipulate prices to
keep supply just short of demand.
may be exposed; but in the final
analysis, the feSSities of the postal