Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-12
bODSTuFFS IN TULSA 10 PER
CENT CHEAPER THAN IN
OTHER OKLA. TOWNS.
rents ARE HIGHER NOW
DRY Goods, CIothing and Food All
Cheaper Than They Were one
Year Ago.

N exist, the statement is made without
HI fear Of plausible contradiction that
y the cost Of living in Tulsa is today
much cheaper than it was year
ago. Further than this the prices Of
staple foodstuffs in Tulsa are now
from to 10 per cent lower In
Tulsa than IN any other point in
Oklahoma.
Tulsa's peculiar location with refer
once to the big manufaC turing plants
and export centers Of the country, is
partially responsible for this extremely
gratifying state of affairs. The rail-
road advantages here are conceded to
be highly advantageous to local whole
callers as well as retailers. Then the
different lines of goods, has much to
do with the comparatively low living
cost here.
In other words the ratio Of people
In Tulsa and adjacent territory to
the number of firms they patronize
is very much lower than in other
cities. Tulsa has enough people to
create patronage Of all grocery stores
In the city sufficiently large to enable
each firm to obtain a fair portion of
the business.
Tulsa People Satisfied.
While the predominant subject with
householders the country over at pres
ent is in the high cost of living, there
is very little of this kind Of talk here.
The best argument to advance In reply
to adverse opinion on local prices Of
: staple eatables is to cite a comparison
of prices elsewhere, either in the
state or outside.
There is no denying the fact Of
course, that the Prevailing average
prices of foodstuffs about the country
are very much higher than they were
ten or five years ago. Various rea-
sons, political and otherwise, have
been responsible for this condition.
But that is neither here nor there.
The point is that the prices in Tulsa
are lower by safe amount than al
most any other city in the southwest.
Rents Are Higher.
And in the face of this gratifying
circumstance comes the announcement
by local merchants that business rents
are higher here than they have been in
some time. This, however, Is but an
Inevitable result of the growth of a
prosperous, substantial city. When
1t is pointed out that the business dis
trict Of the city has almost doubled
during the past twelve months, it Is
obvious that the rentals on business
rooms are very much higher than they |
were a year ago.
The merchants are not remonstrat- |
Ing about this condition. Instead they |
are complimenting themselves on the |
fact that their business has increased |
TO such an extent that larger ex
penditure for floor space does not |
draw unnecessarily heavy on their |
evchequers. 1t is a well known fact |
that there have been less business
failures in Tulsa during the past five
yehrs than In any city OF similar size
in the west. The rapid growth of the
city during this period, making room
as a matter of course for more retail
firms and creating more extensive
business for the ones here, has made
this stability possible. Not only the
banks, but the institutions dealing in
uStu III every -udy illt,
are at present in a flourishing con-
dition and on a sound financial basis
right now, Notwithstanding the many
extensive improvements and additions
made by many of them during the
past few months.
Dry Goods Cheaper.
In the dry goods and women's fur
nishing line the dealers report en-
phatlcally that prices are beyond
doubt much lower than they were a
year ago: that is. retail prices. al
though the wholesale quotations,
dealers say, have fluctuated consider
Ahle.
Il While there is no general decrease
Of prices on groceries. this most i'm
portant of all lines of foodstuffs has
pot been increased during the past
Year. The high grade goods, of
course. change very little and are not
Usually affected by the market con-
dition of the staple products. How
ever, luxuries are not to be considered
d estimating the comparative cost of
Ewing, so the fact that staple groceries
lave lessened in retail values over a
Tear ago is an item that Tulsa pur-
0hasers can well afford to compliment Q
themselves on.
Butter and Eggs High.
q OF all the farm products, but two
nc higher now than they were year
30. These are butter and eggs which
q about 10 per cent higher How 6
Ter, these two generally used products t
BOW every indication of a reduction
retail price by the first of the year. I
Beef, mutton. pork veal and other c
eats at least 10 per cent cheap (
j now than they were twelve months [
hck. 9
Clothing Cheaper.
4 In the mems clothing line. which Is I
llways an important item to be cor
pderea, lie iursi merchants are prac-
0cally unanimous that both mems
bd boys clothing has reduced from 7
to 25 per cent In the past year, {
hile furnishings are from to is 7
cent lower. C
Some merchants advance the opinion ''
pt the prices on canned goods. dried $
pitts. etc. are now lower than they
ere the latter part Of fa1e, nut they
Mtslff hof r1 l.