The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-01

small-in all parts OF the country, a
schedule was prepared TO record the
actual experiences Of retailers In buying
and selling a carcass or half carcass OF
beef, and among the facts ascertained
We're the weight and wholesale cost OF
certain piece OF beef usually half car
cGss. Then followed the weight and re-
tall price of every cut for which uni1
form price was charged by the retail
dealer. Thus it became possible not only
to compare high priced and w-priced
cuts, but also 70 compute accurately the
total retail price per pound and consum-
ers' cost OF the beef piece for which the
wholesale price per pound and cost OF the
entire piece had been reported.
Cost to Consumer.
For the fifty cities the total retail cost
charged TO consumers above the Wholesale
cost paid by the retailers IS 3S per cent
In five cities the rate of increase is 20
per cent; in twelve cities. 81 TO 40 per
cent: In twelve cities. IL to 90 per cent;
and In eleven cities. over so per cent.
The average retail price sIGoGded n ctn' the
in the North Atlantic states; by SO per
cent In the South Atlantic; by 3S per
cent IN the North Central; 1914 per cent
in the Westen and the highest Increase
was found in the South Central states, 81
per cent.
\ gross profit of 20 per cent was found
IS per cent In Buffalo, n. Y, SO per cent
in Boston, Mass, II per cent In Balti-
more; Md. AZ per cent In Washington, d:
in Cincinnati, o. O. 2$ per cent t in in Omaha,
Neb.. 2S per cent in Kansas City. Mo.
~ and 30 per cent in Minneapolis and
to @ fR W %n anG Depo iG ReF M a % Sar MTS%
in st Louis, Mo, 81 per cent In Mobile,
Ala. 80 per cent In san Francisco. "a
per cent in Seattle, and 81 per cent In
Denver. Colo.
The lower the grade of beef the great
er the percentage of gross profit. In
Boston, for illustration, the rate OF gross
profit Is nearly twice as great for beef
costing cents at wholesale as for beef
costing IL and III cents. Low-prlced
beef is marked UP nearly twice as much
words perhaps 1t Is safe Inference that
the poor people pay nearly twice as much
profit as the wel-to-do people pay.
Retail Business.
The retailers delivery service is costly,
however, and the retail business is over
done. The multiplication OF small shops
is burden to consumers and no source
OF riches TO the small shopkeepers. When
twenty or more small shops divide the
retail business within an area that could
be served by one large shop. the expenses
Of the many shops for labor, horses rent,
and other things. that are In excess OF
what would he sufficient for the one shop.
must go into the retail prices of the
meat sold.
Furthermore, customers choose the
higher priced cuts of meats. Steaks and
ToaSts are the preferences. and these must
| have names that are regarded as re-
spectacle. Consequently, one-nfth OF the
carcass Is bought at the highest price
porterhouse steaks at prices as high as
| 20 and 80 cents a pound. slrlon at 20 TO
20 cents. and rib roasts at 20 cents.
| The ascending prices of meat suggest
| inquiry as To whether the prices of the
| farmers beef cattle and hogs have in
creased at the farm In the same degree
| that meat has to the consumer, For the
purpose OF making comparisons. the mean
| price level OF lS96-1900, period Of COM
paratively low prices Is adopted as a
| base line. represented by 100. and for
| each animal and commodity the price
| level Is computed.