Railroads of U.S. To Advance Rates

1920

WILL ADD BILLION AND HALF TO YEARLY EARNINGS.

Fare to Cost One-fifth More; Freight 25 to 40 Per Cent, Pullmans 50.

WASHINGTON, D. C. — Authority for the railroads of the country to increase their revenues by approximately one and one-half billion dollars has been granted by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Freight rates will be advanced about one-third, passenger fares one-fifth and Pullman charges one-half.

Coastwise and inland steamship lines and electric railway companies also were granted permission to increase their freight rates in proportion to the increase granted to the railroads serving the same territory. No estimate of the aggregate amount to result from these advances has been made.

May Go Up September 1.

The new rates, which are to continue in force until March 1, 1922, will become effective upon five days' notice by the carriers to the commission and the public, and they must be in operation before January 1. Since the Government guarantee expires September 1, the carriers are expected to bend every effort to put the advances into effect by that date.

Increases granted by the commission are designed to offset the $600,000,000 wage advance awarded by the railroad labor board and to provide the 6 per cent net income on the aggregate value of the railroad properties as permitted under the transportation act.

The aggregate value of all of the railroads was estimated by the commission at $18,900,000,000 as against a book value of $20,040,000,000 given by the carriers.

Increase Is General Thruout U. S.

The 20-per-cent increase in passenger fares, excess baggage charges and milk transportation rates and the 50 per cent surcharge on Pullman fares authorized by the commission will be general the country over.

Freight rate increases will vary according to territory, with 40 per cent in the East, 25 per cent in the South, 35 per cent in the West (from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains) and 25 per cent in mountain-Pacific territory (from east of the Rockies to the Pacific coast, not including Alaska).

The commission held that the increases were justified in view of the rapidly changing conditions as to prices and the necessity for providing adequate transportation facilities during and after the period of readjustment

NEW RATES EASILY FIGURED.

Travelers will have little difficulty in calculating from the present fare rate the amount of the new fare, With no surcharge complication, the new fare is simply one-fifth more than the old fare.

The following table illustrates the difference which the new rates will make in travel between Chicago and other cities:

To New York — Present rate: $29.40; New rate: $35.28; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $45.00.

To Milwaukee — Present rate: $2.75; New rate: $3.20; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $4.02.

To New Orleans — Present rate: $30.38; New rate: $36.45; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $47.39.

To San Francisco — Present rate: $72.12; New rate: $86.54 2-3; New rate with surcharge and Pullman: $[*].

The freight rate increase means a levy of $12 per capita a year for every man, woman and child in the country.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 2.

Note: [*] Missing information. The other San Francisco rates are pretty certain.

Bakers Would Abolish 5-Cent Loaf

1916

Chicago, Sept. 9. — Recommendations to all bakers of the United States that the five-cent loaf of bread be abandoned and the ten-cent loaf standardized, were made after considerable discussion at the closing session of the executive committee of the National Association of Master Bakers yesterday. They urged that the recommendations be put into effect immediately. Economic waste incident to the manufacture of the five-cent loaf was emphasized. Saving in manufacture, improvement in quality and standardization are urged in favor of the ten-cent loaf. It is also recommended that where local conditions make it necessary a smaller loaf may be maintained, with a price consistent with the cost of manufacture.

The bakers cited the following percentages of increase in the cost in the ingredients in the manufacture of bread within the past two years: Patent flour, 100 per cent; rye, 124 per cent; sugar, 66 per cent; shortening, 60 per cent; milk, 40 per cent; salt, 14 per cent; wrapping paper, 70 per cent. Delivery costs also have increased, it was stated, through an advance of 100 per cent in the price of gasolene and of 25 per cent in feed for horses.

The bakers went on record strongly against any attempt to lower the quality of bread.

—The Fryeburg Post, Fryeburg, Maine, Sept. 12, 1916, p. 6

U. S. Crop Report

1916

Maine

Corn — September 1 forecast, 477,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 656,000 bushels.

Oats — September 1 forecast, 5,540,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 6,080,000 bushels.

Barley — September 1 forecast, 135,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 132,000 bushels.

Potatoes — September 1 forecast, 25,700,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 22,010,000 bushels.

Hay — Preliminary estimate, 1,830,000 tons; production last year, final estimate, 1,397,000 tons.

Apples — September 1 forecast, 1,550,000 barrels; production last year, final estimate, 720,000 barrels.

New Hampshire.

Corn — September 1 forecast, 798,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 990,000 bushels.

Oats — September 1 forecast, 442,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 456,000 bushels.

Potatoes — September 1 forecast. 1,940,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 1,520,000 bushels.

Hay — Preliminary estimate, 767,000 tons; production last year, final estimate, 504,000 tons.

Apples — September 1 forecast, 510,000 barrels; production last year, final estimate, 353,000 barrels.

United States.

Corn — September 1 forecast, 2,710,000,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 3,054,535,000 bushels.

Oats — September 1 forecast, 1,230,000,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 1,540,362,000 bushels.

Barley — September 1 forecast, 184,000,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 237,009,000 bushels.

Rye — September 1 forecast, 41,884,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 49,190,000 bushels.

Potatoes — September 1 forecast, 318,000,000 bushels; production last year, final estimate, 359,103,000 bushels.

Hay — Preliminary estimate, 86,200,000 tons; production last year, final estimate, 85,225,000 tons.

Apples — September 1 forecast, 67,700,000 barrels; production last year, final estimate, 76,670,000 barrels.

—The Fryeburg Post, Fryeburg, Maine, Sept. 12, 1916, p. 6.

The Federal Farm Loan Measure

Maine, 1916

After many years of effort on the part of those who were interested in the proper capitalization of the farms of the Country, Congress has passed what seems to be an adequate law that will give the farmer and land owner the same privileges in our banking system that have been enjoyed by other branches of industry for many years.

The grange, both State and National, has been a factor in creating a sentiment that has made the passage of this measure possible, and is seems a matter of great concern that at the hearing on the measure at Augusta, recently, those who had official connection with the grange, or who had commissioned themselves to speak for that body, felt called upon to discourage the Commissioners from trying to locate one of the branch banks in Maine.

Had the farmers, who realize their needs, and who are trying to meet present day conditions on limited capital, been allowed to speak for themselves the result of the hearing would have been different. But they were on their farms, working against great odds, and others spoke for them from knowledge obtained in the class room, in business circles, on the lecture platform and in City counting rooms.

How this hearing emphasizes the necessity of leaders who really realize their responsibilities, and who are able to look at the problems of the farmer from the proper view point.

Is it possible that these men let partisan prejudice warp their judgment? Did they think it improper to judge favorably an act of the present Congress? If such is the case, which God forbid, let me quote a little from the last President of the United States, of the opposite political party:

"The 12,000,000 farmers of the United States add, each year, to the national wealth $8,400,000,000. They are doing this on a borrowed capital of $6,040,000,000. On this sum they pay annually interest charges of $510,000,000. Counting commissions and renewal charges, the interest rates paid by the farmers of this country is averaged at 8 1/2 per cent, as compared to a rate of 4 2/3 to 3 1/2 per cent paid by the farmers, for instance of France and Germany.

"Again, the interest rate paid by the American farmer is considerably higher than that paid by industrial corporations, railroads or municipalities. Yet, I think it will be admitted that the security offered by the farmer, in his farm lands, is quite as good as that offered by industrial corporations. Why then will not the investor furnish the farmer with money at as advantageous rates as he is willing to supply it to the industrial corporations? Obviously, the advantage enjoyed by the industrial corporation is in the financial machinery at its command, which permits it to place its offer before the investor in a more attractive and more readily negotiable form. The farmer lacks this, and lacking it he suffers."

This, from so good an authority as Mr. Taft, ought to be convincing to all who are fair minded and intelligent. It ought to silence for all time the cry of the partisan that this bill has no value except as a political weapon.

The recent happenings in relation to increased freight rates, the arbitrary fixing of prices of his products by the distributors, and the high price of labor have set the farmer to thinking. He now knows that while farm products are higher to the consumer than ever before, his profits are not increasing, in fact, that they are actually decreasing in many instances, and that one great reason for this is the lack of ready capital to take advantage of conditions, and to finance him through the season and enable him to act with his fellows in any co-operative plan that shall tend to lift a portion of his burdens.

Then again, the college of Agriculture which was represented at the hearing, is all the while turning out graduates who ought to be well fitted to take up the business of farming and carry it to a successful standing.

But to do this they have got to have capital and ready means of credit, but very few of them are fortunate enough to have a farm awaiting them on graduation. This higher agricultural education calls for more expensive methods, better animals, more farm machinery, all of which call for money.

And because of the lack of ready capital, many of these young men will drift into other occupations, their services will be lost to the farm, and the college will suffer because more of its graduates are not found on farms.

It would naturally have been supposed that these college representatives would have hastened to put themselves on record as favoring the establishing of one of these land banks where it would have been available for their graduates, instead of remaining silent or actually repelling it.

But the time is coming when the farmers will speak for themselves, when they will no longer be bound by the time-serving policies of their leaders, and self-appointed spokesmen. When that time does come, as it surely will, the farmer shall get his full due, the business will again be prosperous, every man's hand shall not then be against him, and there shall come a lasting prosperity to State and Nation that shall arise from a happy, a contented, a prosperous agriculture. Let us all try to hasten the glad time coming.

B. Walker McKeen.
Fryeburg, September 1, 1916.

—The Fryeburg Post, Fryeburg, Maine, Sept. 12, 1916, p. 2.

New Hampshire Farmers May Retail Milk in Boston

1916

Manchester, N. H., Sept. 23. — Officers of the New England Milk Producers' association went into conference here tonight with regard to price and the distribution of milk in Boston, and it is apparent that the deliberations will continue past midnight.

The present situation was brought about by the association recommending to the farmers of New England that they insist upon 50 cents a can of 8 1-2 quarts, this price giving the producer one-half a cent per quart more than the price he is now receiving.

Thus far only one large firm distributing milk at retail has consented to pay the price asked, although another big company, which handles milk by wholesale only, has been paying the price now asked for several weeks. A spirit of extreme optimism prevails the gathering here tonight and no doubt was expressed but that all of the distributors will accede to the demand which is being insisted upon by the farmers.

"Our object in meeting tonight is to encourage the farmers to stick for the price which has been demanded, but in the event of all of the distributors refusing to comply with the advance in price, to arrange ways and means for distributing the milk in Boston," said Pres. Richard H. Pattee. "We don't want to pour milk on the ground," he continued, "and we want Boston people to have it, and believe that ways will be found for getting it to the consumers. The farmers are holding together almost as a unit in asking for the new price, and we can find only an isolated instance here and there where a farmer has signed to deliver milk to a contractor at the old price."

Wholesale Prices of Commodities Average Higher

1916

Wholesale prices of commodities in the United States averaged considerably higher in 1915 than in the preceding year, according to bulletin 200 of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U. S. Department of Labor. The downward trend which set in toward the close of 1914 did not extend beyond that year and by the end of January, 1915, prices of many commodities had advanced to a point well above those of the year before. February prices in the aggregate were above those in January, but slight decreases occurred in March and April. In May prices again advanced and, except for small declines in June and September, continued at high levels throughout the remainder of the year. The bureau's weighted index number for December stood at 105, the highest point reached in any year since the collection of data for the present series of reports on wholesale prices, dating back to 1890, was begun.

"Thus Far and No Farther"

1916

These soaring prices every time any one can take advantage of a situation are among the things driving the nation forward to a time when all prices will have to be regulated and fixed as those of public service corporations now are, or to something much more radical. Such is the greed for money that very many men will take such advantage at every opportunity.

No well-informed, far-sighted person can for an instant think that our industrial system can go on many decades more without very material changes.

There isn't in reality any competition in business any more. Practically every line of business is a monopoly — a business of course that is open to others; but no matter how many go in the exclusive control continues. Prices are always fixed by those in the business, and the chances are that the more that go in the higher prices will be, for all have to live.

Of course something different will be worked out. No one can predict what it will be, whether it will be regulation by commissions, whether an industrial democracy, whether Socialism.

Standpat people can no more readily stop the trend than King Canute could the incoming tide when he said to the waves: "Thus far and no farther." — The Pacific.

U.S. Government Short of Paper

1916

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The high-price-of-paper situation, which has already forced many newspapers and periodicals to raise their subscription rates and to reduce the number of pages printed, has also hit the United States Government.

One of the last acts of the Senate before adjourning was the adoption of a resolution directing the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the soaring increase in the price of print paper. It was found that the supply of paper for the Government printing office was only sufficient to last sixty days instead of six months, as is usually the case.

The Federal Trade Commission started an investigation some time ago, but nothing had come of it other than a statement issued early last week in which it was urged that steps be taken to prevent publishers from being charged unreasonable prices for their paper.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Sept. 16, 1916, p. 3.

Like Jesse James, All But The Horse

1920

Tippler Hurls a Parting Shot at the Booze Bandit.

One of those present at the funeral of John Barleycorn was a negro who entered a saloon in St. Louis, Mo., and called for a drink of whisky. He laid down a dollar bill. The bartender rang up 50 cents and handed back the change. After glancing at the change and then at the register, the negro called for "another drink of the same."

He drank it and pushed over the half dollar. The bartender rang up the 50 cents, smiled and stood at attention.

"Are you the boss?" inquired the negro.

"Sure."

"Have you got a horse?"

"No, why?"

"Well, Jesse James had a horse," said the negro, turning on his heel and departing.



Found It So

Molly — "Our doctor told me today that hammocks are not good for one."
Cholly — "He's right, dear; they're not good for one, but they're all right for two."

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Jan. 3, 1920, p. 13.

London's Donkey Famine of 1898

1901

The donkey famine in 1898 was one of the strangest scarcities that ever befell Britain. One cannot eat donkeys, but the dearth of them caused a terrible lot of inconvenience and sent the price of Neddy up to a prohibitive sum.

There was an epidemic of disease among the donkeys of the towns, especially those animals belonging to poor people. This so thinned out the donkey roll call that these useful beasts became scarcer than they were ever known to be. It used to be said that no one has ever seen a dead donkey, but the proverb was broken that year — there were and quantity. The price of a good donkey jumped from £6 or £7 to £12 within three weeks, and soon donkeys were scarcely to be had at all.

Costers and other donkey owners held meetings to discuss the situation, but the price rose to £15, and many a poor man was forced to pay it. It was the worst year on record for costermongers. Nobody knows to what price the donkeys would have risen, but an enterprising firm of shippers imported some big freights of donkeys from Spain. These sold like wildfire, and in a fortnight the donkey trade was at its old level. Meanwhile the country districts had been emptied of donkeys to supply the town. — London Answers.

New York Land Comes High

1910

Space on Manhattan Island Quoted at Some Hundred Dollars a Square Foot

Space on Manhattan island which is a sure-enough tight little island if ever there was one, is distinctly at a premium. The record price for real estate in New York, according to Alcolm, was $583 a square foot, obtained four years ago for the southeast corner of Broadway and Wall street.

On March 13 last the Fourth National bank acquired the building adjoining its own home at the southeast corner of Cedar and Nassau street, a plot measuring 73.1 feet on the latter street and 73.2 on the former.

The average price a square foot was close on $307, which figure has been beaten by only three other sales of real estate in the city — the corner already mentioned, and two small plots the southwest corner and the southeast corner of Broad and Wall streets, which sold over 30 years ago for $330 and $348 a square foot, respectively.

A 30-foot lot on Fifth avenue at Sixty-ninth street, is reported as being sold to E. H. Harriman for a million dollars — and such price is by no means rare in that section. Fifth avenue values, indeed, have been bounding upward, and will soon be rivaling those of the financial section. — New York Sun.

Saying He Never Felt Better, Died

1905

The death of W. H. Rockhill, ex-clerk of the courts of this county, here verifies in a way the thesis of Goethe that no man can survive a happy moment.

He had been feeling ill and went to the office of his physician to tell the doctor that he was improving in health and that he never felt better for many days.

The words had no more than escaped his lips than he keeled over and died of heart disease. — Lebanon correspondence, Cincinnati Enquirer.


Effects of Prosperity

In the six years of the country's greatest prosperity, from 1897 to 1903, average prices of breadstuffs advanced 65 per cent, meats 23.1 per cent, dairy and garden products 50.1 per cent, and clothing 24.1. All these were products of the farmer and stockman who profited more than any other class of the community by these advances. The miner benefited 42.1 per cent by that advance in the average price of metals. The only decrease in the average prices of commodities in that period was in railway freight rates which decreased from .798 per ton-mile in 1897 to .763 in 1903, a loss of 4.4 per cent. The report of the Interstate Commerce Commission shows that the average increase in the pay of railroad employees in the period was trifle above 8.5 per cent.

Price of Bread Now Two Loaves a Quarter

1921

Price of Bread Drops One and Two Cents Here

The retail price of bread dropped in Madison Wednesday. Pound loaves are now selling at 9 cents and pound and a half loaves at 13 cents a piece or two for a quarter. The small loaves formerly cost 10 cents, the large ones 15c.

—The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, May 13, 1921, page 8.


Vagrant Gets Ten Days At Solitary

Ten days of solitary confinement in jail was the sentence given Fred Hannigan Wednesday by Judge Hoppmann in superior court. Hannigan pleaded guilty to a charge of vagrancy. He was arrested after the police had received complaints from several women residing on the east aide. They allege he called them names and annoyed them.

—The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, May 4, 1921, page 4.


ENGINEERS DISCARD CORDUROY TO DANCE

Engineers will lay aside texts, corduroys, T-squares, and slide rules on Friday, May 6, to dance. Lathrop hall gym will be used for the occasion.

The only reminder of the day's routine will be a small blue print program tied with chalk-line string and decorated with sketches showing engineering activities. Punch is to be served, and Thompson's orchestra will play. Prof. and Mrs. Richard McCaffery and Dean and Mrs. James D. Phillips are to chaperone the dance.

—The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, May 4, 1921, page 6.


Oil Stove Explodes; Burns Hole in Floor

A small hole was burned in the living room floor of the Michael Erber home, 118 N. Frances St., Tuesday afternoon, when a small oil stove exploded. No. 2 fire company answered the call. The damage was slight.

—The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, May 5, 1921, page 7.


100th Anniversary of Napoleon Death Observed

PARIS — Mass was celebrated in Notre Dame cathedral in observance of the 100th anniversary of the death of Napoleon.

—The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, May 5, 1921, page 7.


Oklahoma, 1954

Tonkawa Music Pupils Set Vesper Service

TONKAWA, Dec. 6 — Members of the instrumental and vocal music departments of Tonkawa high school will hold a Christmas vesper service at 4 p.m. December 19, in the high school auditorium, Supt. A. J. Evans announced.

The program will be under direction of Miss June Skeels, vocal music instructor, and Bob Stephens, band director.

—The Daily Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, December 7, 1954, page 13.

Talk About the High Cost of Clothing; Fig Leaves Up in Price

1920

Talk About the H. C. of Clothing!
Even Fig Leaves Up 300 Per Cent

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The St. Paul housewives and business men bemoaning the high cost of living and the concomitant depreciation in the purchasing power of money, are, if they only knew it, much more fortunately situated financially than the jungle dweller, as is shown by the letters of a Baptist foreign missionary received here recently.

Whereas, the monetary experts of our Nation will tell us that the buying power of a dollar has only descended to 40 cents, the modest inhabitant of the jungle's fastness must pay four monkey tails for a palm leaf to cover his nakedness, where formerly one simian appendage sufficed.

And this proportion holds true for everything the human denizens of the tropical forests might want to buy. In the good old days, any father would sell his most lovely daughter into marriage for a tiger's tooth, and now he is profiteering and wants three tigers' teeth and an American plug hat.

The ways of the flat hunter in St. Paul are hard, but the ways of the head hunter in Borneo are even harder, for the unfortunate savage can no longer establish his rank in society by purchasing a head at a moderate price, but is forced to go out and look for one, unless he has the wealth of a Croesus.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 1.

Professor in Rags Talks to Workers

1920--

Tells Clothing Shop Hands Perils of 40-hour Week

BOSTON, Mass., May 20. -- Exhibiting the tattered lining of his coat, Professor William D. Ripley of Harvard told the Amalgamated Clothing Workers' convention here that the public could not afford to buy clothing at present high prices. The workers had just pledged themselves to cut their working hours to forty a week at present wages.

"If you will look at the clothing of more than one-half of the people of the country today you will see that it is well worn, old, or made-over clothing," Professor Ripley said. "You have the problem to work out. Remember that if you ask large profits to divide up between you and forget us, the public will not buy, and there will be nothing to divide."

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, May 22, 1920, page 4.

AN ABSOLUTE FALSEHOOD

-- To the Public: --

There seems to be a story going around that we, the undersigned stole some gas from the gas pump in front of the store of Graham Bros. at Webber, Kan., the night of November 5th. This is an absolute falsehood and anyone telling or repeating such a story, is telling an untrue and malicious tale.

(Signed) BEN YOUNG,
PERCY TAYLOR.

--probably from Superior, Nebraska newspaper

...and speaking of Graham Brothers of Webber, Kansas...

HIGH GRADE FOOD STORES - HGF STORES

SPECIALS
for
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
19 September 20

H.G.F. SOUP (Vegetable or Tomato) 2 cans 19¢
2# ITEN'S FAIRY SODA CRACKERS 29¢
H.G.F. LARGE MILK 3 cans 25¢
2# package RAISINS 19¢
H.G.F. BROOMS 69¢
#2½ H.G.F. FANCY YELLOW CLING PEACH HALVES in syrup 3 cans 69¢, per dozen 2.74
LEE OATS 9¢
SENSATION COFFEE 42¢
HERSHEY ¼# COCOA 2 for 19¢
H.G.F. APPLE BUTTER 23¢
LEE 4# GRIDDLE CAKE FLOUR 29¢
H.G.F. #5 WHITE CORN SYRUP 39¢
SUMMER GIRL MARSHMALLOWS 19¢
H.G.F. TOILET PAPER 2 rolls 19¢
#1 EMERALD ENGLISH WALNUTS 27¢

GRAHAM BROTHERS
Webber - Kansas

--unused postcard, 1¢ green Jefferson printed postage