Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-12-20
WAR PRICES Then AND NOW
Problem of Living Not a New
One in Vermont.
People Of This Part of the country
Were More seif-supr-vx!inG Fifty
Years AGO Than They Are ut
the Present Time.

War prices always prove pretty unpopu
lar TO the man who has TO foot the bill.
but this is not the first time that the prob
lem of living comfortably was wrestie6
with in Vermont. for 80 years ago the
same inflated prices were in vogue and
the parents and grandparents of the pres
ent generation were forced to come down
TO plain diets and frugal habits.
AT the close OF the Civil War prices in
some commodities were many times as
bad as now. while other things were q
great deal cheaper than at the present.
Where the generations ahead Of us had
the advantage is that the necessities were
not as high as at present bu, many things
which we now consider necessities were at
an almost prohibitive price. 4 half CEN
fury ago people in this section knew how
TO raise enough to get along and bare
living couud be obtained without going
outside the State. For that reason there
was plenty TO eat of a kind at a low price
f. +. Perkins. who has dealt out as
many groceries as anyone in Burlington
| remembers the prices which were obtained
| at his fathers store. situated where
Howes' meat market now stands at the
close of the Civil War. He hasn't much
- offer by way NJ consolation to the peo-
ent prices. for things were great deal
worse then than now and the unconfort-
able part of il is that they remained in
| that condition for a number of years fol-
lowing the granting of peace.
At that time the people of this section
were more self-supporting than now and
without the progress which has been made
! along agricultural lines. the crops seemed
! t. grow ANA ~ time was there scar.
plentiful but beyond that money didn't
go far and the coin was nowhere near as
easy to get as II is now.
Potatoes sold for 80 and 90 cents per
bushel, while garden truck during the
season was practically given away. Near
ly every family had its own garden.
but there were no canned goods on the
market. The best families also had their
own pork which they raised themselves,
and most of them their own COWS. The
'nly vegetables which were used during
he winter We're onions beans, squash.
beets, turnips. etc. In the line of delica-
cies there We're dried apples which were
procured ard dried for almost nothing.
There were also prunes and some other
things which are nearly in the discard
now.
Where the hard work came in. however
was on such things as four For years 1t
sold around s2O per barrel. Burning fluid
which was later improved into kerosene
sold for s1.10 per gallon. Eggs were about
as now, selling for 50 and 60 cents per
dozen, and pound of butter cost the con-
sumner about the same. Sugar was worse
than it is to-day b. about twice. Six
pounds of sugar took dollar. 1t came
in cones and the families which afforded
the luxury had a little mallet and chisel
1 xIif xvh hav ga
were wrapped in several thicknesses Of in
digo paper, and the frugal housewives OF
that time used the PAPER for dying when
a sufficient amount had been collected
The cones weighed seven pounds each.
Ordinary tea sold for 81 per pound and
gunpowder Oolong and the fancy brands
drew g. Corn meal was cheap and 1t Is
doubtful if it ever got over three cents Pei
pound. 1t took good money to chew to-
bacco. and plug tobacco sold for 81 per
pound. Lard was cheaper than now and
the general price was six pounds for a
dollar. Cheese wasn't so bad and the local
farmers delivered the homemade variety
for II 1-2 cents per pound Soap was high
er than now and Rabbits and Dobbins
electric soaps, about the only brands
handled up here. were sold for 10 cents
per bar Coffee held around so cents per
pound for several years. Beans and
pease really had not Joined the aris-
tocracy then and beans went three
pounds for a quarter and peas half that
price. There was not much Of a demand
for the latter The sugar situation was
relieved by the use Of maple sugar which
then sold for as low as three cents per
pound. and the ordinary family depended
mainly on brown sugar. This came IN
large tierces from the West Indies and
after being run through a small sugar
mill, which stood in most grocery stores
sold for prices ranging down from little
less than the graduated to four or FIVE
cents per pound.
When it came to dry goods the situa
, ton was somewhat similar to that Of gro
ceries. Some things were out OF sight anc
other articles Of excellent quality. such a.
cannot be procured for any price now
sold cheap. Edward Barlow. who con
Quoted a dry goods store on Church street
during the war, got % cents for a spool Of
cotton thread. Unbleached cotton sold fol
10 cents per yard toward the latter
end Of the war. and bleached cotton wa!
not much higher for the housekeeper.
really preferred the unbleached cotton
They could bleach it themselves and car
ried the idea that its wearing qualities
were better. Needles cost dime apiece
Cotton hose sold for IS to 30 cents. an,
extra nice merino hose. the wool Of which
came from Vermont hills. sold for 81 ant
sl.25. Wool was rather plentiful, in spit,
of the large war orders. for there was
supply from the many small wooden mills
of the State which got their raw materia
from Vermont farmers. OF course Their,
were no ready-made dresses.
Footwear which was then boots. sole
3 for about the same prices as shoes do nov
r with the exception that good. homes
leather. tanned in Vermont was used II
4 their manufacture and they are said to b,
!, capable Of taking three times the number
of steps which it takes to put the presen
shoes out Of business.