The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-02-13
A COMPARISON.
Prices Twenty-Five and Thirty Years Ago and
Now.


Prior to the war prices were more uniform
and steady than now in Westminster, and
there was little or no competition. In those
days, too, there were no dry goods stores,
hardware stores, hat, cap and boot stores, as
now, but the few merchants here dealt in
everything dry goods, groceries, boots. shoes,
hats, caps, bacon, lard, fish, hardware,
paints, oils, patent medicines, and every
thing A farmer could drive to a store and
get everything and anything called for. The
prices were the same at all stores, and there
was no advantage in looking at other stocks.
Each store had its regular customers, who
rarely ever bought anything elsewhere. Now,
while many persons have a regular place for
certain goods, they will have to go to several
before getting their list of purchases COM
pleted, and the majority of buyers will look
around to see where the best bargains can be
obtained, and the business man offering the
best inducements, in the way of goods or
prices, secures the most trade. In these days,
too, the people read more, and the local
papers are closely scanned to see where the
best bargains are to be found. By judicious
advertising the trade is largely increased, and
purchasers come from ten to twenty miles to
Westminster. The stores are large and hand
some. and the stocks varied and inviting.
We said above that prices were more uni
form and steady prior to the war than now.
In looking over the ledger (nearly everything
was charged on the books in those days. OF
gentleman in business then, we found that
calico was from 81 to 124 cents yard all
through the years 1858, 80, go and 'G1.
During those years white sugar was from 12f
to 10 cents pound; brown sugar from ct to
9; coffee from 124 to Is and 16; molasses so
cents gallon and syrup IS; rice from 81 to
cents per pound; crackers 10 to 124 per pound;
tea so cents to 81; muslin from 81 to IA cents
per yard.
These do not differ much from present
prices, though some are lower now than then,
but the profits to the merchants are not so
great now, owing to competition.
In the item of coal oil, the prices of 1858
and 1859 would astound the younger house
keepers. Then it was $l.50 per gallon; now
it rangers from Is to 20 cents. Coal oil light
was much more expensive than gas used to be
at 81 per thousand, and neither the oil nor
the lamps were as good in those days as now.
Coal oil took a rapid tumble, however, being
S.. so in 1859, 1.2O in 1860, from Sl.20 to 60
cents in 1860, and down to 46 cents in 1862.
The item of flour showed considerable
huctuation. Taking the month of January,
we found that it was 1925 per barrel IN 1852,
So. 374 in 1858; S7.75 in 1914; SO. IS in 1855,
and as high as S10.87 in March of that year;
Cd
S.. rs in 1859; Sc. 90 in 1860; $3.50 in 1861.
Labor before the war was not as high as
now, while dollar now will purchase much
more of the necessities of life than then:
Coffee, sugar, tea, -four, muslin, calico, and
clothing is cheaper now than then, especially
the latter, yet the laboring man is perhaps not
as well off. Their wants are more now than
then, and there were no summer excursions
to lure them away, no billiard rooms; skating
Kinks, no town hall with concerts, lectures,
and other entertainments, &c. They did not
dress so extravagantly, have silver-plated
ware in their houses, as good furniture or as
fine carpets If they wanted morning
SMILE or might cap" it cost but three
cents, and it was pure; now the cost is ten
cents, and the exact contents OF glass would
puzzle chemist to find out. The laboring
man lives more extravagantly now than he
used to, but is perhaps not as prosperous as
in anita bellum DAYS.