The Washington herald., 1907-11-06
FOOD PRICES SOAR
Cost of Living Serious Prob
lem i'll Washington.
WHAT MEAT AND FRUIT COST
Inquiry at Center Market Reveals
Some Startling Facts Relative to
the Drain on the POcISetbOOk-Cus-
toners Buy More CIOsely-Prices
Have Increased Gradually.

These are the days In which the
thrifty housewife mourns over the cost
of living. Prices were high yesterday in
life, and il was only sinai basket full
OF provision that most OF the peope visit
ing the market carried home. The stalls
were surrounded with buyers, but many
of them wore a panied look as though
dollar went but a little way toward
satisfying the hungry mouths at home.
4 deaer in pork supplies yesterday said
his customers We're buying much more
closely than they did a year ago. He
said it had been necessary to cut up pieces
OF the carcass which a few years ago
were regarded as waste. and these are
sold sometimes as low as cents a pound
and are readily taken by people who
would not have looked twice at that kind
of meat two years ago.
Prices in Center Market.
Following are the prices quoted yester-
day by dealers in Center market:
BEEF-sirloin steak. ls cents pound; round. IS;
rib roast prime. Is; do. average. Is; chuck. IN
PORK-Prime rib roast, Is; fresh ham, Il break
fast bacon, 20; sliced cured ham, . sausage. coun
try. Is: smoked. TO-
MUTTON-Chops. prime. q; breast. . leg roast
&; common. D.
GAME Rabbits. IS each quail. 5o ducks, 75aLOO
FISH-Trout l25s: rock. p7sa9o; bass, l5a2o.
BUTTER-COuntry per H., .; Pennsylvania
creamery IS fancy prints. 20.
CHEESE-New York staple. per h., 3
POTATOES-White. per peck. 80; sweets 90
ONIONs-Ohio and nearby, prime, peck. 81;
Egyptian. each. s.
TTruN-Tnu
APPLEs-Best grades peck. 60 average. 30.
GRAPES-CCpcord hve-lb. basket l2a2o; Niagara
22a25: Delaware 25a30.
CRANBERRIEs-Cap Cod. quart. IS
From this list it Is seen that the family
who now enjoys square meal must pay
a good price for il Steaks are all the
way from Is cents a pound for the choice
cuts TO II and y cents as the cut ap-
proaches the horns OF the beef Roasts
are worth their weight In silver, almost
ana dried meats are dancing along the
line OF prchibitive prices. Game is out
OF sight, as regards price. and fish. once
so cheap in Washington, is now a luxury
for those with weli-filied purses Poultry
sells well in the market. as IL Is capable
Of being put 70 so many uses that IL IS
really one Of the most economical kinds
OF food TO buy.
Fruit Goes Skyward.
Fruit has gone skyward with other
supplies, and though the supply is ample
for the needs of the city. IL IS held at
high figures.
Prices are not now so much higher than
they have been through the year IN
fact. yesterday dealers said they were
lower than they had been at times dur
ing the fall months. II is only when one
begins TO compare the present prices OF
provisions with those which prevailed
from three to five years ago that the cost
Of living appears so much increased. The
high prices have come on so gradually
that they do not startle one so much as
would have been the case had they
jumped twenty-five or thirty per cent in
a single year.
In discussing the prevailing prices yes
terday. one stall-keeper said. as he re-
called the plenty and cheapness Of food
years ago on the Virginia farm OF his
boyhOod. that II looked now as If the
good people Of Washington would be
most thankful this year. on the last
Thursday OF November, II they had the
price 70 pay for a respectable dinner TO
set before their guests.