The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-10-03
The Cost of Living.
Results OF an Investigation Of Prices for
the Past Ten Years.

these are published in the report.
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 more than the average retail price
for the 1O-year period 189O-1899.
During the last decade prices of pota-
toes 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
l percent, was the only one of the Is
principal articles of food that showed
decline in price, while nine Of the Is ad
vanced more than 10 per cent, varying
from "a per cent for milk, to 1876 for
round steak. Of the Is only eggs, but
ter, milk and sugar were lower, but the
price of three of these four is normally
lower during summers than during win
tiers.
IN THE DIFFERENT CITIES.
chants in various cities published in the
report follow:
New York. "Meats in general are so
will be obliged to close up business.
vance in prices"
Chicago. "Jobbing price on flour has
advanced 80 cents per barrel and unless
there is decline in the near future re-
tail prices will advance"
Baltimore eff the present high prices
prevail much longer in the wholesale
market do not know what will become
of the retail Dealers"
Boston. "Cheap sirloins are so high
and poor that l am not cutting any at
present. Both grades of cattle have
gone up and the above prices just about
let me out without profit" GA second)
BEEF, especially on cheaper cuts, 10 to
20 percent higher" "a third). '"The
high price of meats is causing us to close
our place of business on or about July
4th."
New Haven. beginning this week
we will advance two cents pound on all
meats, as we are paying the highest
price for beef and lambs in my time.
cannot say the reason; the jobber blames
the farmer; the farmer blames the high
price Of corn"
Philadelphia. "No money in meats at
the above prices" "a second) "We
paid June 18th Is IL cents a pound for
rumps and rounds and II IL cents a
pound for chucks of beef, the highest
price in the history of our business"
SOME RETAILERS QUIT.
Salt Lake City. Everything seems
to be at the top, but nothing shows any
decline"
Remarks of merchants accompanying
the price reports for May Is told the
same story. These are examples:
Boston. Probably this is the last
month we will be in the provision bust
ness. The high prices of meats are driv-
ing US out. We have been in business Is
years, but must get out before we are
put out.
Fall River. "The high prices of meats
have cut our meat business almost in
two. The cheaper cuts, which we ordi-
narily sell for to 10 cents pound, now
we have to get 10 to IA cents.
Atlanta. 1.-THE wholesale cost Of fresh
but we still are holding at old prices"
price of feed the milk supply this month
is the lowest for May on record" "a
secondly "Meat prices have made
the medium grades of meat, and we
priced meats.
Milwaukee. eve were compelled to
raise our price OF beef because of the
raise in the wholesale price,
| Los Angeles The decline of price
on potatoes is due to spectators losing
their grip on the market. Shipments
have arrived from other States, and as
new potatoes will come in freely in d
few weeks they had to let 60
FIGURES IN DETAIL.
This was the showing made for the
food prices in the last year, according to
the report, on the foods investigated:
Decrease in price: Smoked bacon, l
per cent.
Increase in price: Fresh milk, "a;
smoked ham, 81; hens, 38; granulated
sugar, 6; Irish potatoes, 7.6; wheat flour.
1O.7; pork chops, 11.2; pure lard, IL. 3;
strictly fresh eggs, Ills; corn meal, 12.7;
creamery butter, Is. 3; sirloin steak, Ill;
rib roast, 17.5; round steak, 1876.
The advance during the decade, COM
pairing the price June Is last with the
average for the 10 years, was as follows:
Granulated sugar, s.5 per cent; strictly
fresh eggs, 26.1 fresh milk. 1923; cream
cry butter, 1873; wheat flour, 1913; pure
lard, 55.3; hens, S. sirloin steak, rib
roast, 63.S; round steak, 81; pork So 5;
smoked hams, 61.3; corn meal, 63.7;
chops, Sc; smoked bacon, 96.7; Irish po-
tatoes, lilo.
HEAVY COAL INCREASES IN EAST.
Coal also advanced considerably in
some cities. The price on April 18th, as
compared with year before, was higher
for Pennsylvania anthracite, stove size,
in rs out of 20 cities from which reports
were secured. and there was no change
of price in the remaining four cities.
During the same period, Pennsylvania
anthracite, chestnut size, advanced in Is
out of q cities, and bituminous advanced
in II out of 80 cities; the price remained
unchanged in IL cities and declined in
three cities.
In the North Atlantic States Pennsvl-
vania white ash coal, stove size, was II 3
per cent higher on April Is, 1912. than
year before; Pennsylvania anthracite
white ash, chestnut size, II. 9 higher, and
bitumnous II per cent higher.
These were the largest increases,
while in the Western States the prices
were unchanged or there was no data for
anthracite, and bituminous coal was IL
per cent less than April Is, 1911.
The net prices of gas for household use
on April 18th, compared with the previ-
GUS year, showed that reductions ranged
from five TO Is cents for manufactured
gas among 81 companies in Sc cities and