Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-13
DEALERS IN SAME TOWN MOT
CHARGING UNIFORMLY FOR
swEEreNlNo.
SPECTATORS CAUSE
UNSETTLED MARKET
No Uniformity In Wholesale Price
Cheap Sugars From Cuba at Bar
gain Prices Not Very Desirable
Consumers May Purchase in
Larger Quantities.

Waterloo. March 13.-Sugar prices
are bobbing up and down like cork
on the waters Of spring freshet.
The only consolation to the customer
is the fact that sugar is plentiful and
he may purchase a whole dollars
worth.
Some new light was thrown today
upon the very complicated situation
light that explains why such a
wide range of prices could be pos
sible.
1t was disclosed thru investiga-
tons made by. r. l.. DeGon, secre-
tary of the Waterloo Retail Mer-
chants Association, that the cheap
sugar quoted In the advertisement of
merchant Of Cedar Rapids was
cheap granulated Cuban war sugar.
It was quoted at is cents a pound
at retail last Saturday.
Investigation revealed that six Of
the seven retail grocers interviewed
by telephone today quoted sugar at
20 cents a pound and one at 10
cents a pound. The latter merchant
bought his sugar on a basis Of some
thing like ST hundred. Wholesale:
the others bought on approximately
an SIS basis.
Cheap Sugar Leaked.
The investigation disclosed that
the Cuban sugar was bought In bar
rel lots at a14 hundred, whole
SALE to be used as a trade leader.
But the sugar proved to be Of such
poor grade that most Of It had to
be turned back to the wholesaler
and was resold by him to q candy
factory. The sugar melted and be-
gan to ooze thru the bottoms Of the
barrels. When tho retailer saw this
condition he lost no time. IL is re
ported. in returning the sugar. be-
ing either unable or unwilling to dis
pose Of 1t In that moist condition to
his trade.
A Wholesalers Offsr.
A Waterloo wholesaler said today
that he would buy all the sugar Of
fered, II Of a good grade. so that 1t
could be retailed at IA cents pound.
The jobber welcomed any tip or any
information that would disclose to
him where good granuiated sugar at
such ridiculously low price, In
these times, could be purchased.
It was learned today that repre-
sentatives of wholesale grocers at
Cedar Rapids were in Gilbertville
and at Coggon yesterday, offering
sugar at Is to 10 cents. wholesale
One Cedar Rapids jobber has been
Offering a lot Of cane sugar at $1,000
per hundred. wholesale, but thus fal
he has received no takers.
Price FIuctuatine Greatly.
Inquiry today showed that the
! wholesale price OF sugar varies
greatly. depending on whether 1t is
beet or cane sugar. whether from
refineries or spectators. The beet
sugar in this central western dis
trict was wholly Inadequate IN
quantity to meet the demand. The
limited output Of the factories has
been exhausted. 1t has been nee
| essary for some time past fol
| wholesalers to buy cane sugar. the
| price of which, at the refineries. to-
, day was reported to range from "a
to l6 cents a pound. One 3obber TO-
| day showed bills Of lading for tn, :
or four shipments and the price was
different in each, being just under
! is cents for the most part.
Cane sugar Is being received here
both from eastern and from wes'
| coast points.
Some shipments Of sugar received
! a few weeks ago were billed at as
high as 10 cents a pound.