The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1912-09-27
FOOD PRICES GROW
BUREAU OF LABOR DEclAr s
ADVANCE HAS BEEN so PER
CENT IN LAST 10 YEARS.
CONSIDERS 16 ARTICLES.
Investigation Took In Coal and Most
important Necessities-Bacon
Only Commodity that
Decreased.

Washington. u. G.. The most
marked upward trend of the cost of
living is disclosed In the federal bur
eau officials labor report Of an inves-
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 a workingman's needs, were inves-
tigated.
On June IS. 1912. the report shows.
IA Of the Is articles of food were
higher than a 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.
1S90-1S99.
During the last decade prices Of 20
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 a decline In price.
while nine of the Is advanced more
than IA 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 II prices continue much
longer we will be obliged to close up
business. Have lost about 5000 since
advance in prices.
Chicago-Jobbing price on -four has
advanced so 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
I per cent
Increase in price: Fresh milk "a;
smoked ham. 81; hens. 3.S; granu
lated sugar. G; Irish potatoes. 7.6;
wheat, -four. LOT: pork chops. ILL.,;
pure lard. ll.3: strictly fresh eggs
Ills Is: cornmeal. 1877: creamery
butter. 1853; sirloin steak. II: rit
roast. IT'S: round steak. 1876.
The advance during the period. com
pairing the price June Is last with tn,
average for the ten years, was al
follows:
GRADUATED sugar. SIS per cent
strictly fresh eggs. eel: fresh mill,
329; creamery butter. 1913: wheat
-four. 1913; pure lard. a53; hens. 5S.1
sirloin steak. 59.5: smoked hams
61.3; cornmeal. 63.7: rib roast. CAS-
round steak. 81: pork chops. sc
smoked bacon. 96.7; Irish potatoes
lll.9.
The price of coal on April Is. a
compared with n year before wa
higher for Pennsylvania anthracite
stove size. in 25 out Of 20 cities. Dul
ing the same period. Pennsylvani
anthracite, chestnut size. advanced 1
IS out Of 81 cities; and bituminou
advanced In II out Of 20 cities. tn
price remained unchanged In II elite
and declined In 3 cities.
The net price OF gas for househol
use on April Is. compared with tn
previous year. showed that reduction
fD~
featured gas among "a companies
sc cities and practically unchange
among the natural gas plants.