Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-12-10
CAL|FON STILL
HOLDS BELT FOR
LOWEST PRICES
Hunterdon County Hamlet Is
Shown by Statistics to Be
Best Place to Buy.
HIGH COST OF LIVING
WIPES OUT WAGE BOOSTS
Annual Report of Bureau of La
Dor and Industries Explains
Food Prices.
[special to the Newark star.l

~ ~ 1880 1880
TRENTON, Dec. 1o.-Accordlng to
the annual report of the bureau of
labor and industries, the cost of living,
so far as foodstuffs are concerned, has
increased 40 96-100 per cent. in the last
twelve years. During the same period
the average wages of factory and work.
shop employees have advanced 1922 per
cent, showing that food supplies are
1871 per cent. in excess of the advance
in the wages of the workingman. This
conclusion is reached on the basis of
selected articles of food.
The report says that as a matter of
common knowledge house rent and
practically everything in the nature of
family and individual requirements
have gone UP at a ratio equivalent to
that shown in the price of food. The
building trades employees, according to
the report, are practically the only
workmeh who have succeeded in keep
ing their earnings almost IN a par with
tn increased cost of living.
Note of encouragement.
There is a note of encouragement in
the report, however, in the statement
h q during the last year there a
been a slight falling Oft in the price Of
f~oodstuffs, as compared with 1909. Dur
ing the latter rear the average cost of
a selected bill of staples was SO. 1856.
while in 1910 IL similar bill cost SIS. 143,
or q decrease of AS per cent.
1t Is In the larger cities and their
suburbs that the trend of increase is
generally noticed, while in the smaller
communities, where there is less COM
petition, and to which all goods, with
the exception of farm goods, must be
transported from district wholesale
markets, shows the lowest prices. The
bureau accounts for this difference by
the fact that the country stores pay
low rents, expenses of delivering and
lower wage to employees. Another
reason advanced by the bureau for this
difference between the price of food
stuffs in town and country is that
country stores as a rule handle many
other lines of goods, the profits on
which help to defray fixed charges.
But what the bureau regards a still
more important factor is that the coun-
try stores usually do business on a
CASH UdSlS dllo 4 ~ OpliBCQz ~
recoup for losses through uncollectable
debts.
.GaIifon Is Cheapest Town.
AS for several years past Califon, in
Hunterdon county, maintains the dis
tinction of having the lowest prices of
any place in the State. So far as or
binary table supplies are concerned,
Califon is the most economical place
to live in in New Jersey. The price of
the selected bill of goods is 10.745. In
four other towns it ranges from 81. 2s7
to S11.S14. In twenty-nine other To-
calities the totals are reported rang
ing from $12.050 to $12. $50. Twenty-six
other localities report totals from
$13.0s4 to SIS. 945, and five others give
totals of from $14.027 to s14.6S4. The
five highest on the list report totals of
from $15.141 to $15.S10.
Second quality prunes and small loaf
bread are shown to have sold for the
same, price during 1909 and 1910. Thirty
six articles show increases which
amount to a total of SO cents. while
fourteen articles show decreases total
ing $1.251.
The Price of Meat.
Considerable comment is made in the
report in the increased cost Of meat.
Among other things, it says:
THE advance in the prices of meats
during the twelve years covered by the
comparison Is very marked. but that
recorded for pork products surpasses
all other varieties. The price of bacon
has increased 1914; that of shoulder,
91.67 per cent; salt pork, s7.37 per cent;
ham, 84.03 per cent, and fresh pork,
1896 per cent.
1.-THE increase in the price of beef,
almost much below pork, are also very
large. The cheaper cuts show the
greatest advance. as, for instance, the
1910 prices quoted for corned brisket,
corned round, round stake and chuck
roast are 1888 per cent, 40.sS per cent,
S4.21 per cent, and 31.36 per cent.
higher. respectively, than they were in
1898. Such choice cuts as sirloin steaks
and rib roast have only advanced 31.36
per cent. and 27.81 per cent, respec-
lively. Leg of mutton and breast of
mutton show respective increases of
41.38 per cent. and 40.4s per cent