Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-16
ANCIENT ACCOUNT.
WHICH SHOWS THE COST OF LIVING
EIGHTY YEARS AGO.
Il Bears the Date Of 1911. and II Rem.
dercd In EngIish Currency-Of Luxu-
ries, whisky Was Cheapest.



Is rendered in English currency up to
1873 The bill Is made of on unglazed
paper, having a corded surface. and
covers thirteen pages OF closely written
foolscap. including two pages OF credit"
The parties to this ancient bill have long
since been dust and ashes. and II there
were any mistakes IN the calculation 1t
Is too late to rectify them now.
The total amount foots up to si,39I9i-
large account for those early days,
when money was much scarcer than at
present. and prices were proportionately
high. The figures remind one OF war
times and the prices in the South paid for
articles In household demand.
The frugal housekeeper Of to-day who
reckons every penny disbursed, the head
| OF the family who scrutinizes anxiously
the half-yearly accounts, would stand
| aghast II by chance their eyes should
| glance down the columns OF this precious
| document with It's abnormal prices, redo
| lent OF a protective tariff.
| With the exception of such commodi-
| ties as -four, bacon, beef, and lard, and
butter goods are extravagantly high.
| Let US glance at housekeeping articles
| first:
| One half Of the account Ia made off in
| English currency. the other half in United
| States money; but for the comprehension
| of the modern reader, l will reduce the
separate items TO the decimal system.
| THE PRICES.
! Brown sugar sold at . cents pound.
| Ioaf-sugar ran from forty-two TO forty
| 1--WE. and as high as fifty cents pound.
Coffee sold at 81 and ~ cents. Tea C'lm-
perial tea'D cost 81 a pound! Spices ran
high-probably they were classed as
| 'luxurles" Ginger, allspice, and black
pepper were 70 cents each. Nutmegi COM
manded a fancy price one sniihnS pelnS
the price Of single nutmeg! This
fragrant seed was dear to the palates OF
our great-grandmothers. and entered
largely into their fiavorings. The dear
old danes bought them sparingly, one
| nj n time. as desired. 1t seemed TO their
short-sighted vision to make this eXtraYa-
pance less palpable than II ordered by the
dozen! Copperas, for dyeing, was % cents
a pound; indigo AZ cents. Tallow, iard, ana
butter were IL 1-2 cents -four was low
only 2 IL cents. Beef and bacon averaged
nine-pence. Venison sold at six-pehce.
shad- fish NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Query. Did II come from the lakes!
And, If SO, was II salted!
THE MARKETS.
The nearest markets were Baltimore
ard Philadelphia, hundreds OF mics
distant from the frontier settlements ana
ali goods had to be brought by wagons
from these PARKWAY marts, over rough
mountain passes and rude country ROADS,
10 THE back parts Of Virginia: VIVA.
wonder that our forefathers had TO pay
dearly for manufactured goods, Mace
across seas, and thus laboriously carried
on pack-mules or wagoned hundredS Oh
mi,es across the country. The first settlers
in West Augusta did without luxurie@
HAD EVERYTHING.
A certain Mrs. Royal, writing In lS2i
twelve years later than the date OF our
authentic accounts), says satlIlcaiiE'
nassed through this country thirty years
since Q79D when the people hardy knew
what tea or coffee was, ana now theIe ~
no family but what uses coffee ana tea
and en- no country under heaven have
they more delicious milk or more aDuh-
dant. 1890, t.
If their wives can succeed III
converting their butter. cheese, feathers
their EXCLUSIVES .perquisltes, INTO as muCH
coffee. tea. sugar, and other frippery as
well serve them the year, the farmer Is
content.
1.-THE perniciOuS erect Oh ti4'S biS"'- -
foreign Injuries already begins 10 snow
itself. Twenty, perhaps thirty. die now 70
what was known when they lived on
their own wholesome viands and dfessSu
in their own coarse but warm, supstel>
tial cloths, which are still made lndeed,
but brought TO the store ana eHchahseu
for frippery which is not suiiiclent 10 ue
fend them against the cold Of this region,
Now. salt was not a Foreign luxury,
hIGhp1 IA.
ner barrel! Powder is set down at 20 |
cents a mound. Only one item occurs Tor |
tobacco. which is entered, pound 10,
bacco (for a workhand), / shiiling, b
hence. Whiskey IS mere reasonable. III Is
furnished at 80 cents gallon or E'2 |
cents per pint. .u
amounts Of ardent spirits. 1t being the |
custom In those early days to give the |
feld-hands a dram daily.
A MINISTER'S CLOTHES.
Nv erandfather's avocation as clergy |
man required that he be decently attired, |
and n good many pounds sterling are laid |
out for cloth suited to his clerical vest |
ments Here is n partial list for the min
ister's personal use; ~
Three quarter yards Toilanet, lin
ings, molds, check, etc. Ohis ior vast
coaD; 3l-2 yards gray cloth at 49, S5l.Jo' |
padding, sleeve-lining, silk-twlst. etc. !
bringing the bill up 10 $35; his Canton |
hat cost the reverend gentleman $3.50; |
one pair stockings 0amb's wool, los; one |
razor strop, 80. Cd. one two-bladed knife, |
75c; one quire paper, 42c.; one vial dura-
bic ink, 7Sc.
These last Items were Indispensable IN |
the pastors study. The ink did not belly |
it's quality Of durable" for II Is as |
legible to-day as when his sermons were
first written.
THE FRIPPERY.
To return TO the "frippery so disdaln-
fully alluded to by Mrs. Royal. his ]
LADY las all entries TO her name are |
so styled clothed her person In Bingham |
or calico at AZ and e. cents yard.
She is extravaFant enough 10 purchase
material for a velvet cloak at y shilngs |
and sxpence per yard! But she is more
economical in fashioning her Sunday bon
net out Of catgut Ga kind OF coarse cam
vas). wire. and ribbon.
The most touching entries in this old |
account are the following items:
One pair small shoes for Elizabeth, IS.
3D. one pair small shoes for James, Is.
Cd. These were the baby-shoes worn by
my mother. now in her SD year. Blessed |
shoes, Worn before the dust and toll
OF fourscore years had gathered on the
aged pilgrims way. James was a little
older brother.
IN STOCK
Everything in household use was kept
in stock by the merchants of these days, !
from n box OF waters to a keg Of hand
wrought nails and from a strawknife
to a pair of Prunella shoes. Dry-goods,
70 mr.