The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1900-08-23
AN OLD IPSWICH LAW
1T WAS FRAMED TO PREVENT MO-
NOPOLY AND OPPRESSION.

Early Attempt of a Massachusetts
Town to Regulate Prices-What 1t
Cost to Have a Grave Dug and to
Procure a Coffin.
The Essex institute of Salem, Mass,
has a quantity printed poster in it's col
lection of objects illustrating the early
history of this country. This poster en-
bodies a law of 1777 that was an at
tempt of the municipal authorities Of
the town of Ipswich, in Massachusetts,,
to fix prices in that town.
The enactment of this law is proba-
bly, the first instance, in this country
hand the regulation of prices to be
paid for labor and commodities.
The headlines of this curious colo
NAL bill read as follows:
The
PRICE ACT
OR, THE
List of the Prices
NOW IN FORCE r.
IN THE TOWN OF
IPSWICH,
for the Prevention Of
Monopoly and Oppression.
At meeting of Seectmen and
Committees of Correspondence, Inspection and
Safety, in
Ipswich, February 10, 1777.
Here are the rates at which cloth
ing was to be sold:
"Stockings.-Men'sB Best Yarn Stock
ings at IS. pair and in that proper
ton for an inferior quality.
mems Shoes.-Men's Best Shoes,
made in this Town, of the common
sort, at IS. a pair, and for other shoes
in proportion to their size and quality.
"Calamanco Shoes.-Women's best
G. Ditto, at IS. pair.
Leather Shoes. - Women's shoes
made of good Leather, at 5s. I'D. q
pair, and other shoes in proportion to
their size and quality, and for making
shoes in the same proportion"
Ye ancient tavern keeper of Ipswich
was by this law obliged to charge his
guest for a breakfast or a supper
one shilling, and for a dinner ''of boiled
and roasted meats, with other articles
equivalent, exclusive of wine,' one
shilling six pence. For lodging the
charge was to be four pence.
The rate for hack hire was fixed at
eight pence mile and for the hire of a
''single horse" five pence a mile.
A BARRIERS pay for shaving by the
year, emitting a person to one shave a
week, was to be six shillings eight
pence. transient customers were to
pay the barber -four coppers time"
The prices Of alcoholic drinks were
given in greatest detail:
"West-India Flip.-Flip made Of
West-India rum, at 1Od. a mug or
bowl.
'New-England Flip.-Flip made of
New-England rum, at Sd. a mug or
bowl.
"West-India Toddy.-Toddy made of
West-India rum, 1Od. mug or bowl.
"New-England Toddy.-Sd.
"Distillers.-For distilling Rum from
Molasses, I'D. gallon"
To dig grave for grown person. %
tolling one bell and attendance upon
the funeral, a sections charge ,7as to
be five shillings, land for children in
proportion" And Furthermore to do
away with extortion in funeral charges
the price Of coffin was legally deter
mined by the good fathers of this old
town-"a Plain Pine Coffin, blac,1ened,
for a grown person, 9s. and lesser ones
in proportion" was their decree on this
subject.
The rate to be paid to laborers and
to craftsmen was fixed and quantity
worded thus:
Laborers.-Laborers at Is. Sd. q
day, from the tenth day of April to the
first day of July; and for moving. 3s.
I'D. day; and for other Labor from
the first day of July to the last day of
September, that is equivalent for
hardness at 3s. I'D. day and found as
usual; and Labor at other seasons of
the year in proportion according to an
cient custom.
blouse Carpenters.-House Carpen-
tiers, at 3s. Cd. day, and found as
usual. Joiners, at 3s. I'D. a day, and
found as usual.
"Curriers.-For currying Dickera-
BILE Hide, 4s., and other Hides in pro-
portion.