South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-14
CARRIAGE FACTOR
IN LIVING COST
SeC'y RedfieId Shows Import
anCe of This Element in
Price of Foods.

The view OF Sec'y Of Commerce
Redfield that the cost of city carriage
and the local distribution of commo-
dities by retailers represents an inn
portant factor in the high cost of
living is more than borne out, it is.
believed, by the results of a prelim-
mary survey which has been made
by Director Sam l.. Rogers of the
census bureau.
Four important classes OF commo-
dities-coal and wood. milk, ice and
department store merchandise
which together represents a very
considerable proportion of the cost
of living. the expense Of delivery, or
carriage one way, according TO the
results of this preliminary survey,
constitutes, on the average. more
than eight percent of the total cost
10 the consumer. The percentages
for the individual commodities,
however. very greatly from this av-
erage. For department store mer-
chandise the delivery expense, as in
dicated by the data so far obtained,
represents less than two percent Of
products the corresponding proper
ton is II percent: for coal and wood,
10 percent; and for ice. As percent
In view of the fact that intensive
studies of the prices and general
cost OF handling Of many foodstuffs
for example. butter. wheat and
-four, and sugar-which have been
made in recent years by city, state,
and federal authorities. show the
various percentages that the several
general landings or transactions
add TO the original price received by
the producer, the officials of the
census bureau decided to confine the
scope OF their initial investigation TO
that phase Of distribution represent
ed by the final one-way delivery
that Is, delivery by the retailer TO
the consumer-of necessarieS of life
and TO the cost Of carriage in other
forms; and since in the case of many
articles OF food the amount received
by the producer is only one-half or
one-uuarter Cor less) of the price
paid by the consumer il was the be-
lief Of Sec'y Redfeld-a belief borne
out by the results of the preliminary
inquiry-that the item of city cart
age alone would be great enough to
justify calling attention 10 the very
large sums that the community is
called upon TO pay in maintaining
the wasteful and highly complex
systems OF individual delivery which
characterize retail distribution at
this time.
When il is considered that in the
city OF Washington alone there are
no fewer than 5000 retailers Of all
classes who make deliveries OF their
various goods. and that the delivery
service Of these dealers ranges from
the well-organized and highly eff
cient system of the large department
store, at a relatively low cost, 10 the
comparatively expensive-because
small and poorly equipped-service
OF the corner grocer, which he is
compelled by competition TO main
tain il is apparent that this one form
OF the cost Of city carriage represents
an annual expenditure Of millions OF
dollars. much OF which could be
saved by better organization. At
any rate. the results OF the prelim-
mary survey are considered by Sec'y
Redheld 10 be sufficiently striking
TO Justify him in directing the cen
sus bureau 10 make a further and
more exhaustive study Of the sub
iect- This study will cover not only
the cost OF the final delivery from
the retailer 10 the consumer but also
the cost Of transferring goods from
the railroad station 70 the store or
delivery station Csuch as a milk de-
pot). and also carriage costs as they
appear in other connections This
expense is an item Of Importance,
but II was not feasible 10 make any
investigation Of IL in the course Of
the preliminary survey.