Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-07-13
Wholesale Prices
Higher Than Ever.
Government Report Shows Prices
Shooting skyward With Per-
sistent Regularity.
(Majority Specially

4
of Labor, Department of Commerce
and Labor, in Bulletin No. SO, shows
4 that wholesale prices in 1910, as mea-
sured by the 257 commodities includ-
ed in its recent Investigation, advanc-
ed per cent over the wholesale
prices in 1909, and with this advance
they were 1.6 per cent above the high
aVrage of 1907, the year of highest
prices within the period 1890 to 1910.
Wholesale prices in 1910 were 1911
per cent higher than in 1900; 46.7 per
cent higher than in 1897, the year of
the lowest prices from 1890 to 1910;
lo.6 per cent higher than in 1890; and
BIG per cent higher than the average
price for the 10 years, 1890 to 1899.
The highest point reached in 1907
was in October, from which month
there was a general decline until
August, 1908. Beginning with Septem-
Der, 1908, there was monthly increase
without a break up to March. 1910.
Wholesale prices in March, 1910, were
higher than at any time in the proceed
! ing 20 years, being rs per cent higher
/ than in March, 1899, 1912 per cent
higher than in August, 1908, 21.1 per
cent higher than the average yearly
price of 1900, 49.2 per cent higher than
the average yearly price of 1897, and
1913 per cent higher than the average
price for the 10 years 1890 to 1SSs.ea
Following the high average of
March, 1910, prices declined slightly
in April, May and June, but from June
to December, 1910, they remained at
very nearly the same level. December
1910, prices were IA per cent lower
than those of December, 1909, and 2.5
per cent lower than in March, 1910,
but they were still SO.4 per cent higher
tnan the average for the 10 years
1890 to 1899, and asa per cent higher
than the prices of 1897.
Of the 257 articles for which whole
sale prices were obtained, 148 showed
an increase in the average price for
1910 as compared with 1909, 26 show
ed no change, and S3 showed de-
crease.
4 OF the nine groups under which the
commodities are classified, seven show
ed an increase in price in 1910 as
compared with 1909, the largest per-
centage Of increase being in lumber
and building materials, namely, 1877
per cent. Farm products increased
rs per cent; drugs and chemicals, Al
per cent; food, etc., S.2 per cent;
cloths and clothing, 81 per cent; while
the miscellaneous group increased 81
per cent. The two groups in which
the wholesale prices decreased were
house furnishing goods, OIL per cent,
and fuel and lighting, per cent.
: The average wholesale prices of raw
commodities for 1910 were 81 per cent
higher than in 1909, while the average
wholesale prices of manufactured
commodities for 1910 were 4.6 per cent
, higher than for 1909.
, OF the increases in prices within
the year 1910 the most noticeable are
as follows: FIaxseed advanced 28.9
per. cent from January to November;
potatoes, 1924 per cent from June to
August; eggs, 9O.2 per cent from May
| to December; coffee, GIL per cent from
June to December; mess beef, 35.2
per cent from January to October;
rosin, 52.4 per cent from January to
october; turpentine, 1861 per cent
from January to November; linseed
5 oil. rs per cent from January to No
/ vember.
q A few of the articles showing the
= most marked variation in price with
S in the year 1910 are here noted. Plain
d to choice wethers declined from an
i average Of $8.2750 in March to $S,6S1S
+ in November, this being decline OF
e I55.5 per cent. Heavy hogs declined
2S.7 per cent from March to Novem-
r Der; corn, 26.4 per cent from January
E to December; dressed mutton, 500 per
E cent from April to November; corn
plmeal, S1.9 per cent from February to
: December; mess pork, 27.7 per cent
4 from March to November; shortrrih
r bacon, 26.4 per cent from March to
r December; smoked hams, 25.1 pei
d cent from July to December; lard. 25-4
: per cent from March to December;
E dressed poultry, 242 per cent from
All - naoanhar. EIfiin creamerl