The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1913-09-15
Federal Inquiry Shows Start
ling Advances From
1890 to 1918.
SUGAR ONLY DECLINES
High Cost Of Living Complaint
Sustained by Records From
Forty Cities.

States Bureau Of Labor Statistics has is-
sued a bulletin showing retail prices Of
the principal articles Of food in each Of
out the United States. 1t shows actual
prices for May md June. 1919. ana May
and June. 1912, and also summarize
retail prices for the period from 1900 to
June. 1918.
Advances are shown throughout the
, thirteen year period. Some Of the ad-
! vances are striking. and the bulletin
bears out the complaint against the high
cost Of living.
Comparing retail prices on June l5.
1919. with the prices on the same date
In 1919. eleven Of the fifteen articles for
which quotations are given advanced and
four declined In price.
Bacon advanced 1G2 per cent smoked
ham. 1+.i per cent. pori; chops. 1874 per
cent. hens. l1.8 per cent; eggs. III per
cent. round steak. 10.1 per Gen. sir
loin steak, 9.S per cent. lard. ~ per
cent rib roast, 6.s per cent. butter. o.s
per cent. and milk. 4.l per cent Potatoes
declined al.s per cent sugar 1b.2 per
cent. wheat flour. ~ per cent. and corn
meal. 39 per cent.
Nearly Every Article Advanced.
Comparing retail prices on June 16
1913 with average prices for the period
1880 to 1900 every article for which
prices are carried advanced except
sugar.
bacon advanced 1855 per cent. pork
chops, III per cent. round steak. 1875
per cent smoked hams. 81 per cent !;
hens. 76s per cent. sirloin stesAt. 75.e
Der cent rib roast. IS per cent lard
6s.5 per cent. corn meal. 57.3 per cent ;
potatoes, 4l.A per cent butter. H.3 per
cent. eggs. 40.S per cent. milk. SS.4
per cent. and -four. 2s.s per cent. sugar
declined 8 per cent.
When the price OF each Of the fifteen
articles Of food 10 weighed according to
the average consumption In workingmen's
families retail prices were at higher
level on June Is. 1913. than at any other
time during the last twenty-three and
one-half years excepting November 10.
1912. when the level was slightly above II.
Retail prices OF food on June 10. 1913
were 59.2 per cent. above the average
price for the ten year period 1880 to
1893: 33 per cent. above the price on
June 1t, 1912. and l4A per cent. above
the price ON June 16, 1871.
Comparisoa Of Prices.
Comparisons are submitted with the
prices on June 10. 1918. ON leading food
articles as they appeared ON that day IN
six leading cities. New York. Philadel-
phia, Boston. Baltimore. Cleveland ana
Washington. The agents of the Depart
mept took prices at from four to six
stores in each Of tine cities named and
frequently the price in one city varied
AZ much AZ was the variance between the
different cities The figures quoted are
given In cents and show the highest and
loves, price on each article named In
each Of the cities:
Sirloin Steak-Baltimore. 20 to 2%;
Boston. SO To 40: Cleveland. .? to 2s:
New York. "a to Is; Philadelphia, 20 to
80 Washington, 2S to Is.
Round Steak--BaltimOrr 20 to "a; Bos-
ton. 20 to IS Cleveland. 20 10 %; New
York. 20 to rs; Philadelphia, 2, to rs I;
Washington. 20 to 25.
Rib Roast--Baltimore l6 to 22 Boston,
22 to 25; Cleveland. 15 to 20; New York.
20 to 26: Philadelphia. 20 to % Wash
ington, Is to IS.
Chuck Roast Baltimore. IA to IL . hos
ton. Is to is: Cleveland. 10 to is. New
York "A to 20: Philadelphia. IL TO 20:
Washington. Is to &c.
Pork Chops-Baltimore. IS to go Bos-
ton. 90 to %; Cleveland. 20 to -; New
York, 90 to "a: Philadelphia. Is to 22
Washington. 20 to 90.
Bacon Baltimore, % to ?S; Boston.
% to 80; ; Cleveland. 26 to 32; New York,
~ to IS: Philadelphia. :5 to 80; WASH
ington. &c TO IS.
Lard--Baltmore. IAN to l6; Boston.
Is to II; Cleveland. 10 to IS; New YORK.
Is TO II; Philadelphia, Is to IS: WASH
ington. ~ to 15.
Baltimore. "a to 2s; Boston. 81
to 81; Cleveland. &c to 90; New York. 80
to <2; Philadelphia. 26 to 80; Washing
ton, "a to 25
Flour-B Baltimore. "a to so; Boston,
So to 100; Cleveland, 65 to 80; New York.
10 to so: Philadelphia, so; Washington.
so to 100.
Butter-Baltimore, "a to AZ; Boston.
81 to 81 : Cleveland, 81 to as New York.
SO to 81; Philadelphia, 36 to 40: WASH
IN