The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-01-06
The Cost of Living.
(Springfield Republican.

Many of the men employed at the
United States Armory in this city have
record of service going back to the
paper money initiation period of the
'70s. In the current discussion of
high prices and cost of i;ing some of
| them have be"n COMPARING recnilec-
[ tons of that former time of high
iprices, with the general conclusion
that they Jared better then than now.
| One of their number, however, pro-
duces a family account book for the
years 1876 in support of his be-
lief that the situation today is an i'm
provement over that of thrtyfve
Yeais ago for the employed wage
Garner. and the evidence offered has
been referred to this office for julg-
nient
This account book is that of a
young couple just beginning house
keeping. The husband is highgrade
mechanic, employed regularly at good
wages. AS he recalls wages then were
quite as high nominally as they are
now while employment is more certain
point eviedntly to be conceded for that
was time of severe industrial reac-
ton;and depression following the pan
| ic of 1873 We are however,to compare
! the two situations for the man with
Job And in the first place it is to
| be noticed that in one important par
ticular the cost of living is much
higher now than then. That young
couple paid house rent of $12 a
month. which was later reduced to
$10-there having been, as old resi-
dents will recall, a decided slump in
real estate prices during that time.
People of the same social class now
must pay at least SIS to 500, if not
more, or be considered as having fai-
| len in the social scale. The $40 rent
ments and conveniences, a comfort
and luxury in living, unknown to the
earlier period; but they have now be-
come as necessaries of life; they have
10 be had as much as well-painted
and shingled house had to be had, as
against a bark-roofed shack, by the
average person thirty-five years ago.
And with wages no higher now than
then, how stands the relative econo-
my of the workingman from the stand
point of rent?
Next to be considered are the rela-
tive prices of food and miscellaneous
items of household expenditure. The
owner of the account book empha-
sizes the item of kerosene oil, which
was then 80 cents a gallon, while now
of that figure. But this Is of small
weight in the total expenditure of thai
household of 1875. Even though al
the lighting was by oil, it appear:
that a gallon was made to last {
month or so, and it was cheaper thai
gas is now at the minimum of house
lighting. Flour was then $40 barre
against Sc to SIS now. But we notice
that full loaves of bread We're sold a
10 cents, and other bakers products
substantially at the same price al
now. Meats, however, We're much low
er. The best of beefsteak entering
!, into into the consumption of tina
: family cost 20 cents a pound; yea
ranged from IL to 25 cents, now 1
J to 80; pork ~ to 16, now Is to 90
sliced ham then 20 cents and less, nov
80 cents; turkey then 20 cents, nov
; 2S to 80; corned beef cents, nov
! nearly double that figure; potatoe
: so to So, now 80 To 81. Butter wa
, then around 35 cents, as now; chees
t 10, now Is to % and more; oyster
were 30 cents quart, now 40 to so
tea and coffee were generally highe
g then than now; apples SIPS barre
Y then, $3.50 or more now; eggs at thi