The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-06-01
HIGH LIVING EXPENSES
Prices Increasing Very Rapidly
on All Goods.
HIGHEST COST SINCE 1890
Statistics OF the Government Show
That Despite Great Prosperity the
Privilege of Living Has Become
More Expensive.-Facts Given But
No Remedy Suggested.


A bulletin Of the Agricultural Depart
ment just issued throws light on the
question Of the increased cost of living
in 1903 over the preceding thirteen
years.
The first table shows that the av-
erage relative prices Of all commo-
dties were higher in 1903 than at any
time since and including 1890. Farm
products reached the lowest average
in 1896 and the highest in 1902.
Cloths and clothing were lowest in
1897. to highest in 1890. Fuel and
lights were lowest In 1894 and highest
in 1903. Metals and implements were
lowest in 1898 and highest in 1900.
Lumber and building materials were
lowest in 1897 and highest in 1898.
Raw commodities and manufactured
commodities have been separated for
further examination. In the group
designated as raw" are included all
farm products, beans. coffee, eggs,
milk, rice, nutmegs, pepper, tea, vege-
tables, raw silk, wool, coal, crude pet.
roleum, copper ingots, pig lead. p.g
irons, bar silver. spelter, pig tin, brim.
stone and rubber--a total of fifty artl.
cles.
The average price of all these com.
modities during January and Febru.
arr, 1903, was 33 per cent. above the
average price for the preceding ten
years. and the average price for the
year was 22.7 per cent. higher than
for the same period.
Manufactured commodities advanced
to level only exceeded in the year
1890. They were higher by 2l.5 per
cent than in 1897, by II per cent.
than in 1899, and about / per cent.
higher than in 1892.
The statistics show a decrease in
the price of beef from 1902, but the
relative price, compared with the per.
iod since 1890, shows an increase in
cattle OF Al per cent.
Under the head Of farm products,
consisting OF sixteen articles, it 10
shown that wheat increased 81 per
cent; steers, good to choice, 60 per
cent; timothy hay 1902, corn oil per
cent, barley 21.3 per cent, hides 24S
per cent, oats 31.7 per cent, hogs 81
per cent, cotton 44.7 per cent, New
York hops. 59.5 per cent There was
a decrease of 1.3 per cent in sheep,
rs in rice and SO per cent in flax.
seed.
Fifty-three articles of food are given
and on thirty-five Of these there is
an increase over the average for the
preceding thirteen years, ranging from
5 per cent on bread to 72 per cent on
pepper from Singapore. per cent
Increase occurred on dried Goldfish and
potatoes, 6 per cent on butter and 10
per cent on canned salmon.
New Orleans molasses increased
1875 per cent, Western hams II per
cent, eggs 1872 per cent cornmeal
23 and 25 per cent. smoked hams "a
per cent, lard "a per cent, beans 35
per cent, bacon and salt pork AZ and
43 per cent. and herring 81 per cent.
There was decrease In sugar Of from
1.2 to per cent, in -four ga per cent,
In evaporated fruits about 2S per cent.
OF seventy articles OF clothing, the
prices Of fifty-six for 1903 were higher
than the average price for the pre-.
cedlng period since 1890. The in
creases ranged from 3 per cent for
ginghams to 20.8 per cent for sheet
ings. Woman's dress goods were 14.3
per cent higher, overcoatlngs 17.3 per
cent higher and blankets 179 per
cent higher.
The table Of fuel and lighting shows
an astonishing increase in the cost to
the consumer. The increase during
1903 over the average price, refined
$50 degrees fire test, was 531 per
cent, petroleum for exports 1926 per
cent, anthracite coal 26.2 per cent,
anthracite stove coal 271 per cent.
anthracite chestnut coal 34.2 per cent,
anthracite egg coal 34,4 per cent. The
only item in this class showing a de-
cline is parlor matches. which fell
off 14.4 per cent. The average in
crease for 1903 over the period since
1890 was 49.3 per cent.
or the twenty.siX articles considered
in the lumber and building group,
twenty were above and six below the
average price for 1890 to 1899. White
pine boards, uppers, were Ills per
cent above the average; spirits of tur-
pentine, n per cent above; poplar,
5S3 per cent above; pine doors, 5S,2
per cent above, Plate glass, area
three to fiye square feet was 27.7
per cent below the average price for
1890 to 1899; plate glass, area five to
ten square feet, 1863 per cent below;
putty, 1913 per cent below
The lowest price for sugar was In
1894 and the highest price in 1890
Sugar was about 8 and 10 per cent
lower in 1903 than during the pre-.
ce"'ng thirteen years.
Took What He Could Get.
In the province of Baden motorist