Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-12-20
Cost of LIVING and Freight Rates
A BASIS FOR COMPARISON.

In the present financial stringency, the
high cost of living is brought forcibly to
the attention of the head of every family.
Statistics show that more than 1-2 of the
income of the majority of families has to
be expended, practically as soon as it is
received, for the necessities of life. 1t Is
easily understood, then, why the present
conditions are viewed with much con-
Germ in every household.
Based on recent report of the Govern
ment on this subject, some figures have
been compiled, showing the situation as
it confronts the citizens of Rutland and
vicinity, which should he of interest to
our readers. In this connection, the cost
of transporting the necessities of life
from their originating point to Rutland
has also been analysed, to show the effect
of freight rates on the prices of these
commodities to the consumer.
The Bureau of Labor, in a bulletin
issued under date of March 7th, last. re-
ports that the average price of articles of
daily consumption in 1906, was SO per
cent. higher than in the year 1905. The
prices in 1906, moreover represent an in
crease over the year 1897 of 1865 per cent.
while, considering the average of ten
years from 1890 to 1899 as basis, the in
crease was *. a per cent.
Everyone, of course, can testify from
experience TO this increase in prices with
out reference to government report,
but it is interesting to find that during
the same period the cost of transporting
these articles to Rutland has steadily de-
clined.
The Interstate Commerce Commission
reports decrease in the revenue earned
nf
handled of 2.35 per cent. in 1906 over the
preceding year, and 6.26 per cent. COM
pared with 1897, while a comparison
with the average from 1890 to 1899 shows
a decrease of 1884 per cent.
This contrast of an increase in prices
in the face of decreasing freight charges
is so striking that few concrete exam.
pies are given of the advance in whole
sale prices during the seventeen years
since 1890, together with the cost of
bringing these articles to Rutland.
The change in the cost of mems cloth
ing is exemplified by indigo blue suit
ing, which sold as low rs 81 SO per yard
during the last seventeen years, but
averaged SEAL per yard in 1906. While
the cost of blue serge suit will range
fromlSl5 TO $50, it is of interest learn that
the freight rate to bring an entire suit
of clothes from Rochester to Rutland,
distance of 80 miles, is only % cents.
While the freight rate to bring a pair
of shoes from Boston does not exceed one
cent, the wholesale price of mems bro
gans has advanced from 80 cents to $l.25
per pair; and calico and ginghams have
advanced from At and Al cents to 81
and cents yard, although the freight
rate from New York is at the rate of l.
20 cent per yard.
Our readers may grow skeptical, but it
is fact nevertheless that it makes no
difference in the amount paid to the rail-
road company for transportation whether
a woman pays $500 or $1,000 for hat,
because it costs only lilo of cent TO
bring either hat from New York, while
on mans hat the charge is only l-5 of a
cent.
Practically all of the furniture sold in
Rutland comes from Grand Rapids,
Michigan. and, in the period we are con-