Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-19
THE COST OF LIVING,

The situation" from business stand
point, is just now receiving good deal Of
attention in the daily press. A few papers,
presumably for political considerations,
labor hard to make believe that business is
steadily improving and that when the new
administration is settled down to business
the commercial and industrial business OF
the nation will be altogether satisfactory. A
large majority Of the leading journals, how
evur, take gloomy view of the situation.
Putting the best face possible on the present
state of things, the fact that the times are
dropping as winter tightens its icy grasp
upon us sticks out too plain to be ignored.
Not a day passes that the wires do not herald
the failure Of some prominent firm, or the
closing down of some large manufacturing
concern. Kansas, being neither mining
nor a manufacturing state, is not affected,
to any great extent, by the depression in
these industries.
1t is nonsense to affect, however, that ev-
erything is lovely here, or that no one has
reason to complain. 1t cannot be denied
that even in this city, which travelling men
and visitors say is he liveliest in the coun-
try, business is tightening down. Our mer-
chants and business men generally appear
to be settling down TO the conviction that
the winter now upon us will be one of the
dullest in our history. In 1873 the crops Of
Europe were a failure, therefore the agricul-
tural districts of this country were relieved
by good prices for their products. This
year the yield ofalmost every product of the
soil, both in this country and Europe, is
abundant, and prices are consequently below
any previous experience.
In this city, although the hard times will
affect lis all more or less, the clerk, the me-
chanic and the laborer will be the chief suf-
ferers; even now many poor families find it
hard to keep the wolf from the door. The
altogether out of proportion to that of live
stock and wheat.
The cost of living. is, therefore, out
of proportion to wages.
During the past week or two, perhaps fifty
men most Of whom are not affected at all by
this state ofthings, have directed the attention
of the writer TO this matter, and said it was
the duty of the press to direct attention
to it.
In conversation with number of gentle
men yesterday, the same question was urged
upon the writer, and they figured the thing
for him ms it stands below. Among them
was a prominent hotel man, who said that he
had to pay SO per one hundred pounds for
the best flour and that all his best meats av-
eraged him 124 cents per pound. He said
that it did not affect him in the least, because
his guests had to pay the bills.
According to our market report, wheat in
this market ranges from 25 tc As cents; we
will call the average 40 cents. Flour ranges
from 81 to SO per cwt., the average being
$3.50. or So per barrel. 1t is GENERALLY es
timated that five bushels of wheat will make
a barrel of -four. Five bushels of
wheat at 40 cents equals $500.
therefore the profit on a barrel Of flour ex-
elusive of insurance, labor and interest on
capital invested, is SO. The bran at so
cents and shorts at 60 will surely pay for
grinding. From the foregoing statement
it is plain that the best -four in this market
at the present price of wheat, could be sold
at 81 per 100 and yield larger profit than
cinnati, where No. winter wheat sells for
IS cents bushel, winter family -four sells at
$3.50 per barrel.
At present, beef cattle in this market
brings cents per pound on foot.
Now it is estimated that a good fat steer
will dress two-thirds of his live weight. Take
a steer whose gross weight is 1900 pounds,
at the above rate he would dress 200
we'll, we will cut it down to 1000. The
price of beef here will average 10 cents all
round. Now, steer 1,5O0 pounds gross at
3 cents amounts to S45 and, according 10 the
figuring the meat will bring 800 which any
one must admit is an enormous profit. In
he east butchers say if the meat pays for
he entire animal, thus leaving them the hide |
md tallow clear, they are satisfied. The best |
cuts of beef could be sold at 10 cents per |
pound and very profitable business be
lone. In pork it is the same.
Rents, too, are unreasonably high in this |
,ity-little bits of houses that could be |
built for 500 bring Sl2 per month rent, |
md clerk cannot hire furnished room |
or less than $40 per month.
Clerks wages average about SO per week
md laborers' wages SIPS per day. Board !
rom 81 to Sc per. week. Men working on
he railroad get Sl.10 per day and pay 81 |
yer week for board. 1t cannot but be clear
hat in the present state of things the poor
must suffer. In the east where wheat and |
attle are much higher than here, flour and
neat and board and rent are incomparably
over.