Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-05-12
THE COST or LIVING
Purchasing Power of Dollar To-day
and from 1890 to 1900.

Purchasing Power of a Dollar To-day
and from 1890 to 1900.
All important food articles except
sugar and coffee are higher at the
present time than the average for the
1O-year period from 1890 to 1900, says
writer in Pearson's. In looking back
upon the course of prices since 1890
1t is interesting to discover from fig
ures compiled by the government that
in that year 81 would buy seven and
four-ffths pounds of fresh beef, while
to-day it will purchase only six and
four-ffths pounds. That amount of
money in 1890 would buy ten pounds
of salt beef; to-day nine pounds. OF
salt pork in 1890 it would buy nine
and half pounds; to-day little over
seven pounds. One dollar in 1890
would purchase seven and quarter
pounds of chickens; to-day less than
six and quarter pounds. 1t would
buy ten pounds of fresh fish in 1890;
to-day nine and a third pounds. In
1890 it would pay for five dozen and
four eggs; to-day for only four dozen
and three. One dollar in 1890 would
buy nearly II quarts of milk; to-day
less than 16 quarts. 1t would purchase
in 1890 four and quarter pounds Of
butter; to-day only three and three
quarter pounds. One dollar in 1890
was fair equivalent for six and a
third pounds of cheese; to-day it will
purchase half pound less.
To-day 81 will buy less than eight
and half pounds of lard; in 1890 it
would pay for nearly II pounds. OF
cornmeal to-day you can purchase for
that sum 3s1a pounds; in 1890 you
could get 461a pounds. When it is con-
sidered that the average American
family whose income does not exceed
$1,000 spends nearly 45 per cent of its
entire income on food, it is easily seen
how great difference is made by a
rise in prices of 10 to 25 cents on every
dollars worth Of edible supplies, cover.
ing meats, vegetables and practically
all other eatables. AS compared with
the average prices governing during
the period from 1890 to 1900 it is reck.
oned by the United States Bureau OF
Labor that hams and salt beef have
gone up 12 per cent, salt pork and
bacon. 30 per cent, lard 80 per cent
fresh vegetables 13 per cent, cornmea
1G per cent, crackers 10 per cent, New
Orleans molasses 20 per cent, beans
81 per cent, herrings 81 per cent sail
81 per cent, pepper u per cent and
curraAts 121 per cent.
Protesting Against Fate Reduction.
Atlanta, Ga.-The recent proposition
of ]. Pope Brown, chairman of th'
Georgia Railroad commission, to re
duce the passenger rate in Georgia from
three to two cents per mile was protest
ed against by the Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers, the Order of Rail
5 way Conductors, and unions of th'
I blacksmiths, machinists and telegra
? pliers, boiler makers, railway trail
= men, carpenters and joiners, clerks ane
t car men. These organizations employ
e ed an attorney especially to represen
j them, who urged that such reduction
: would work against the prosperity o
< the state and lead to reduction in tn
4 number of railroad employees as we'll a
: of their wages. The Travellers Pro
:. tective association also protested that
i reduction as proposed would result j.
fewer trains and poorer service.