The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-02-07
THE HIGHER COST a
LIVING
Comparisons From a
Housekeepers
Accounts.
N. Y. SUM-

sensitive to the increase or the decrease
of their household expenses. The pecn-
liarity OF the present moment is thst
people OF comfortable incomes arr yIese-
ing with apprehension the increa SEX
cost of living.
This is, in this city, SO housekeeptE
declare, at least one-third greater thso-
two years ago, the manner of ing
remaining the same. For those N1fsl
| fixed incomes. and for those who hsy=s
a perennial struggle to make both ep2D
meet, the situation causes anXiety-
A woman who carries her housekpeg--
ing to the point of a profession has 1hs
records of her household expenses IN.
a period of ten years. A comparSsaan
of these records affords proof that E1ss
cost of living has greatly Increased. E
is within the last five years than tSEH
greatest change is observed.
In 1899, for example, in a househoRl
conducted on most economical prinG-
pies the weekly bill for food alotvs
ranged from $19 to S22. In the sanns
household the weekly bills now zral
from $45 to $50 weekly.
So far as the family is responsible T.
can only be pleaded that the 1h1Nse
children are four years older, and prE
sumably eat more
Lamb that in 1899 cost ~ cents a.
pound now costs Is cents. There is X
record of forequarter of lamb and eiEnt
kidneys costing $1.29 in 1899 and an
other dated Jan. IA, 1908, of the sa ma
weight and without the kidneys, cos
ing $1.52.
Turkeys that four years ago could pt
bought for Is cents pound are now =
Tvza-. 80. aH
chicken is proportionately greater IL
fact, turkey proves to be the cheapesS
of all meats, since every atom can ha
utilized, even to the cracking of th1
bones for soup.
The prices of beef have not material
ly changed since the rise after the Bee
Trust was formed. Beef roasts at ~
cents, round at IS, sirloin 20, and porter
house steak at % cents have ruled fes
some time.
Pork has gone kiting. -Four years ayD
pork tenderloin could be bought for ~
cents a pound. Today it costs % cents
Sausages have almost kept step WAh
the tenderloin, while spareribs. tlrs
darkies' delight are now expeDziTa4
enough for white folks. Veal cutters
are now rs cents as against 16 cenn
in 1899.
To glance once more at the record. b
appears that in 1899 three broilers " ere
for 81 cents. Last week thrts.
broilers cost $3.50. These prices all t.
fer to January.
There are not such differences III the
prices of game. But as game is tEa i
sense a luxury. the prices are not u
SO much consequence.
Canned goods show the same iY-
hot
in 1899 was 10 and ~ cents. Today thS
best corn is IS cents, and succotash y
cents.
Speculative grocers are now storing
canned corn for a further rise. One
who last year bought several boxes Of.
,orn for 70 cents resold it to the snaE
he bought it from for $1.15. He hHk
now a number of boxes held fer e
greater rise.
Peas. asparagus and string beans
nave increased correspondingly. w.
natoes, once a drug at cents, are nov
2 and Is cents.
of course these prices are for the bel
err sorts of canned goods. The increases
n these prices are perhaps trining
ums, but in the aggregate they nave
heir own tale to tell in swelling the
weekly bills.
Against butter at 2f cents in 1899 ~
,utter at 90 cents today. The onfy
practicable eggs for cooking purposes
oday cost AZ cents dozen, while eggr
for eating cost 80 and 60 cents.
Tor most people the price is prohibitory
There is not so great a differences In
he prices of fruits. with the exception
f apples. Eating apples have beconH
mong the most expensive fruits in thp
market.
In 1883 q barrel of Spitzenbergs co5E
rom So to $50. In 1899 the price Wax
rom "a TO IS. Today the price is fro.
5 to IS. Bought at retail, table apples
re and cents apiece.
Oranges and lemons have both EGrss
10 in price. but neither soar like thH
pples. In vegetables apples are rival
I'd by the onion, which has come 49,
distinguish itself, and is one of the besa
aging crops the farmer or marSe3
ardener can raise. All green veget2-
les have gone up in price, even such
umble vegetables as turnips ana CAP
OTIS.
A barrel of flour in 1888 cost from -
D $3.50. In 1899 it cost from $3.50 ID
1. Today the same brands cost from
) to $500. The price of bread does no5-
hange accordingly, but the weigh
oes.
The only things that console fhe
are the prices of sugar
"A and coffee, none of which costs sE
luch as in 1893. Kerosene, however,
at least cents a gallon higher. Thin
lcrease has come with particular
sverity on the poor. who cannot affore
as and use kerosene for both cooking
nd lighting.
The greatest increase is in rents. Buz
g to rents there is an option. If ORE
4nnot afford a high priced neighbor-
God, one can move to a lower priceS
rea. Such sacrifices may be disagree
BILE, but they can be made, IL reduE-
on of expenses is imperative.
Such liberty cannot be taken WIKI
1e's food. If Little Mary would only
1ntract when high prices prevail IL
-ould show a nice and praiseworthB
,f "a n lGHrtfiUg