River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-09-26
FOOD PRICES GROW
BUREAU OF LABOR DECLARES
ADVANCE HAS BEEN so PER
CENT IN LAST 10 YEARS.
CONSIDERS Is ARTICLES.
Investigation Took in Coal and Most
Important Necessities-Bacon
Only Commodity that
Decreased.

washington, IL. y. Inc nOsC
marked upward trend of the cost of
living is disclosed in the federal bur-
eau officials labor report of an irVes-
tigation of prices for the past 10
years conducted in the important
industrial centers of 80 states. Fiji
teen most important articles of food,
as well as coal, comprising two-thirds
of Workingman's needs, were inves-
tigated.
On June Is, 1912, the report shows,
IA of the Is articles of food were
higher than year before, and 10 had
advanced in the past 10 years more
than so per cent over the average re-
tail price for the 10 years period,
1890-1899.
During the last decade prices of po-
tatoes changed most and sugar the
least. Their advances were 111.9 and
8.5 per cent respectively. During the
last year. bacon, which decreased just
one-tenth of one per cent, was the
only one Of the Is principle articles
of food that showed decline in price,
while nine of the Is advanced more
than 10 per cent, varying from "a
per cent for milk to 1876 for round
steak. OF the Is, only eggs, butter,
milk and sugar were lowered.
Reports from Cities.
Specimens of the statements Of
merchants in various cities, publish
ed in the report follow:
New York Meats in general are
SO high that if prices continue much
longer we will be obliged to close up
business. Have lost about 5000 since
advance in prices.
Chicago-Jobbing price on flour has
advanced 80 cents per barrel, and I'M
less there is a decline in the near flu
ture retail prices will advance.
Salt Lake City-Everything seems
to be at the top, but nothing shows
any decline.
Showing in Last Year.
This was the showing made for the
food prices in the last year, accord
ing to the report, on the foods inves-
tigated:
Decrease in price: Smoked bacon.
/ per cent.
Increase in price: Fresh milk "a;
smoked ham, 2.7; hens, 3.S; granu-
lated sugar, 6; Irish potatoes, 7.6;
wheat, flour, 1917; pork chops, 11.2;
pure lard, lib; strictly fresh eggs,
11.8 1-8; cornmeal, 1877; creamery
butter, 15.9 sirloin steak, IL; rib
roast, 17.5; round steak, 1876.
The advance during the period, COM
pairing the price June Is last with the
average for the ten years. was as
follows:
Granulated sugar, S.5 per cent;
strictly fresh eggs, Eel; fresh milk,
32.9; creamery butter, 1873; wheat,
flour, 1913; pure lard, 55.3; hens, 58.1;
sirloin steak, 59z; smoked hams,
GLIB; cornmeal, 63.7; rib roast, 63.8;
round steak, "a; pork chops, SO;
smoked bacon, 96.7; Irish potatoes,
111.9.
The price of coal on April Is, as
compared with a year before was
higher for Pennsylvania anthracite,
stove size, in 25 out of 20 cities. Dur
ing the same period, Pennsylvania
anthracite, chestnut size, advanced in
25 out of 81 cities; and bituminous
advanced in IL out of 80 cities, the
price remained unchanged in IL cities
and declined in 3 cities.
The net price of gas for household
use on April Is, compared with the
previous year, showed that reductions
ranged from to Is cents for manu-
featured gas among "a companies in
SO cities and practically unchanged
among the natural gas plants.