The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-07
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.
sixty Years Arn.

To the Editor of the indianapolis journal:
An account book of 1926, or sixty years ago.
shows up some of the prices of our ancestors
ana gives as food for thought in comparing with
the prices OF to-day. The location was Roches-
ter, N. y, and the accounts were OF general
business character. AS ladies should always
come first, L will begin on Their goods Calico
81 cents per yard; Ginehams, 40 cents; fanneIs
so cents; dress silks were from 81 to SO per
yard: ladies' shoes, 81 80 per pair; mems boots,
from So to So per pair; ladies' bonnets,
were then seldom changed in style or fashion and
prices ranged from 81 to So each Elias Howe,
the inventor of sewing machines, was then I'M
heard of, and tailors received for making coats
from IS cents to So each. Pants and vests were
each got up in the then prevailing style for from
% to so cents each. The hero of these accounts
was then a bachelor some thirty years of age,
and several entries show where 30 cents per doz-
was the price paid for laundry work Old folks
will remember 'dickies." sort of false shirt
front. which are in several places charged at 40
cents each. OF building material brick are
quoted at Sc per NJ, clear pine lumber at $40 per
VI. nails IL cents per pound, glass 8xl0 light,
10 cents; lime per bushel, Is cents. Hauling with
team per day, $l.75. Laborers' wages were
90 to 70 cents per day. Stone masons, brick
layers and carpenters are in several places in
the book credited with work at $3.50 per day.
Board was for workingmen cents per meal, or
ST.. per week Smoked hams were
cents per pound, fresh beef cents, fresh
pork, 81 cents; mutton, by the quarter, %
CENTS butter 10 cents; eggs, l2a cents per dozen;
potatoes. % cents per bushel; coffee, 20 cents;
tea. Young Hyson, 81. 40 per To-: rice, cents;
sugar, cents; molasses, 40 cents per gallon;
maple molasses and sugar were quoted at about
same prices; salt, 20 cents per bushel; 'loco-
For ~ SnnHA g.
many as are now sold for cents and very few
appeared to be sold, as finder and steel
were relied on for fire. Why the matches
were called 'locofoco" have never understood;
but presume some of our old grandsires
could tell. Coal for fuel was not then used, and
four-foot cord wood is in several places charged
for at ST. per cord. Cooking-stoves were then
just coming in use of the Horseback" pattern
and cost $l8 each. Corn was 65 cents per bush
ell. Flour fiuctuated from 81 to $40 per barrel
but the average nearest the former price.
Tobacco sold at 40 cents per pound, and cigars
appear to have been unknown, at least none are
charged. Whisky-not our modern tanglefoot
but good-was 35 cents per gallon. Santa
Cruz. Jamaica, Porto Rico, and various kinds of
rum was from so cents to ST. per
gallon "Black -strap" favorite old-time
leverage. commanded ST. per gallon
and was the favorite tippie for general tram
ing day." as the day for general muster of the
State militia was called, ard which in those
days was roaring farce. Amongst the items of
the spring of 1927 is one as follows: REV VIM.
Patterson, Cr.: By service at wedding, So" and
about the same time Mr.. p is charged Zone
hat, So" from which it is presumed these we're
the ruling prices for those necessaries of life.
Money was of gold. silver and paper. as to-day,
but was very scarce and barter trade" was
mostly used in traffic. Only the larger cities
and towns had their own newspapers, and news
was stale Postage on letters l21, 49,, or %
cents per letter. according to the distance carried,
and stamps were unknown for near twenty years
after. At the option OF the sender postage on
letters could be prepaid or not. and right here
one of the most highly esteemed old ladies of
this county one day received notice of a letter
with '25 cents due" that was held in the post
Office for her. Not having the money she her
self killed and skinned calf, selling the hide TO
a tanner for % cents TO redeem the letter.
There were very few canals, but stages were
plenty for travellers. and all these carried the
United States mail Hotels were then called
inns or taverns. and with the stores were the
favorite lounging places of the village gossps.
MoNTEzUMA, Ind A.