The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-09-17

Ready-Made Clothing.

6re4alis 1sis cashmere suit. AZ SSsi' 90
The style of make is better the mate
rial is better, and the workmanship Is far
ahead of anything dreamed about In
1856 You can buy n better pair OF pants
for $6 to-day han could be bought for
the same money at that time and a man
can dress himself nearer the custom style.
On ready made clothing tables are as ex
cellent material as can be found in any
custom establishment The tailors get
higher wages also. and where an overcoat
cost s. to make in 1855 it cannot he made
now for less than SIG because Of this stub
born fact.
Carpets.
j. X. Hodges, of the A. G. Barstow
Company. said: Competition and Inn
proved machinery have effected decided
reduction In the price OF carpets. All OF
the grades that can remember are much
cheaper now than they were in 1856
Carpets that sold at $1,000 per yard. now
sell at 6611 cents per yard. Oil cloth
quoted at "a cents per yard can be bought
now for 81 cents per yard.
Mill Supplies.
The accompanying letter is self-explana-
tory. The hrm of Brown Bros. 81 Co.
was not la operation in 1856, but as far as
its members are able to trace the prices OF
leading articles named steady decline
'N@ scNo osN'A W. sAAS y~s's @~~~ ~
preached;
PROVIDENCE, August 1.
To the Editors OF the NeWs
Referring TO conversation In regard to difference
In prize on some Of as leading art ees % s - m eas
per cent more than a, n present en- Inns; Ice ieataer
va Psr pa .e. Pss S;s
rers tape 25 per cent more roller cloth 20 psr cent
son ta Oilers IS per cent more; wire goods so per
cent more We are very truly yours; ~
Railroad and Steamboat Fare.
Railroad and steamboat fares have also
been reduced. The cost per measured
mile of travel by rail in 1856, as furnished
by o. III. Briggs, Was 81 cents. The cost
In 1892 is 21S cents. Inc fare between
PROVIDENCE and New York by steamer
was then IS each way; it is now only $3.
Builders Hardware.
The comparative cost of builders hard
ware to the consumer was furnished by
gentleman connected with the we'll
known firm of Barker, Chadsey q Co.
He said that locks, latches o IS, hinges,
screws, knobs, sinks, pumps. pipe lead.
sheet lead, nails, carpenters tools aud
tools of every kind sold by this firm, cost
about so per cent less in 1872 than they
did In 1866. The general tendency Of
prices has been downward.
BootS ana Snoess
In 1856 the Arcade was the centre of
trade and Thomas +. Pierce, with his
father, were among the merchants who
held forth there. Mr.. Pierce said that in
mems lines of boots and shoes decided
improvements have been made. Styles
aud qualities have changed and In some
cases prices have risen correspondingly.
He traced the perfecting OF mems dress
shoe from the ordinary pegged, hand
sewed and machine -sewed to the Good
year welted OF to-day. The two styles OF
ladies' shoe, most popular in 1856 were
paiters with spring heels anu laced on
the sides. These are not on the market
now. They have been succeeded by more
modern shoes which sell for less money
The buskin that sold for 81. % at that
time. would not be bought to-day at any
price. Extensive improvements have
been made in staple and fine goods.
Ladies button shoes are cut higher, bet
ter made and sold cheaper than they were
in 1856. Even within the last ten years
prices nave been cheapened appreciablv
Furniture, Crockery and Household Uten-
sils.
DIR. Harvey S. Flint, of the Flint Com
many, said that everything is different
to-day prices and goods are cheaper.
sleep ON bed which cost me about 800.
made to order in 1856. could not give it
sell Tor $500 this wear goods that would
have brought $1,000 In 1855.
ION identically the same goods we do
not get two thirds of what we used to get.
There is a very little difference in the cost
OF stoves, but ranges and parlor furnaces
have driven out the old style of stove,
which has consequently been deprecated
in value.
eve used to make good profits but
have to content ourselves now with very
small margins. Crockery and all house
hold utensils are much cheaper now than
they were in 1886.
Pianos and Organs.
1.-The chief luxuries OF 1856 were pianos,
melodeons and organs" 50 said Messrs.
h. Steinert and Ira n. Goff. "Thcy are
nearly 60 per cent cheaper now. A good
piano could not be bought then tor less
than 81 900. The same Instrument would
be considered very high to-day at S40O."
MISCELLANEOUS.
Here are few articles that enter largely
into domestic consumption, with com
parative prices:
Corn, Der bushel. ...........e 90 ~
Oats per bushel. ............. 80 10 .5o ~
Wheat, per bushel. .......,... 1.Vs to e.i0 .S2t
Coal (anthractte) per ton. sol 10 vvg go
Salt, per barrel. ........... 25o good tabe) 1.oo
Prices kindly given by ;. ;. Spragu,