Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-14
JUMPS IN COST
OF LIVING ARE
.SHOWN BY BODY
Committee On Public Utility InfOr-
nation Makes Report On
Price Advances.

The course which living and
production costs have taken since
1896 is graphically shown by an
investigation made by the Illinois
committee on public utility infor-
nation.
The figures show that in that
period food prices have increased
215 per cent; clothing prices 230
per cent; the price of anthracite
coal IS per cent and taxes 100 per
cent
Practically the only prices which
did not double and triple were
those of the public utility industry
electric, transportation, gas and
telephone rates-and this despite
the tremendously increased i'm
provements and service. Electric
ity rates show an actual decrease
during the period of 10 per cent,
this being possible through tho
fact that development in the indus
&ry was at its height and increased
operating costs were being met
through economies affected
through new inventions, centrali-
cation Of power plants and use OF
water power. the rapid growth in
and efficient manageme emit
The downward trend of electric
rates, however" says the commit
tee, has been sharply halted by
the great increases in the cost of
production due to the war, which
show no abatement In many in
stances rates were showed down 80
low that it has been necessary to
adjust them in order to render
safe and efficient service and avoid
financial disaster Over the long
period street car fares and gas and
telephone rates showed no upward
turn, the public being the constant
beneficiary of any changes. 1t was
only within the last year when ma
and labor costs became ex-
ceqtionally oppressive that these
companies asked for additional
rates. Public utility rates hold the
war record of being the last of all
prices of necessities to rise, they
following far in the rear of cloth
ing, food. fuel, newspapers and
rents and the proportion of adj
vance is far below that of the
others"
Year 1896 As Par.
Taking the year 1896 as par,
the course upward of the prices of
the products. enumerated has been,
according to the committees fig
ures:
Food-1S9S, increase 5 per cent;
1904, increase 25 per cent; 1910,
increase so per cent; 1914, increase
20 per cent; 1916, increase 120 per
cent; 1918, increase 215 per cent.
CIothing-1S98, increase 20 per
cent; 1904, increase 80 per cent;
1910, increase so per cent; 1914,
increase 20 per cent; 1916, increase
100 per cent; 1918. increase 230 per
cent.
Anthracite coal-1S9S, decrease
10 per cent; 1904, increase 35 per
cent; 1910, increase 35 per cent;
1914, increase 40 per cent; 1915,
increase so per cent; 1918, increase
IS per cent.
Taxes-1S9S, no change; 1904, in
crease 4 per cent; 1910, increase
rs per cent; 1914, increase 35 per
cent; 1916, increase So per cent;
1919, increase 100 per cent.
Electricity prices-1S9S. decrease
rs per cent; 1904, decrease % per
cent; 1910, decrease so per cent;
1914, decrease 81 per cent; 1915,
decrease 70 per cent.
The results of an inquiry made
by the committee into the in
creased costs Of bituminous coal,
metals, chemical, lumber and labor,
covering the period since 1909, all
of which figure heavily in produc-
ton costs Of the public utility in
dustry are summarized as follows:
Bituminous coal prices increased
3S per cent to 1912; dropped to %
per cent increase in 1913; by 1916
showed an increase of As per cent;
increased to 95 per cent over 1908
prices in 1917 and were $50 per
cent greater at the end Of 1918.
The prices of metals varied from
10 per cent above to 5 per cent be-
low 1909 prices until 1915 when an
upward turn came which by 1916
showed an increase of 60 per cent;
in 1917 of 125 per cent, but drop
ped slightly to SO per cent by the
end of 1918.
Chemical prices displayed but
little variation until 1914 at the
outbreak of the war. By 1915 they
had increased 10 per cent; by 1915,
N22 per cent; by 1917, 80 per cent,
and at the end of 1918 stood at 105
per cent above 1909 prices.
Lumber prices also varied but
little until the middle of 1915 when
they started an upturn, which at
the end of 1916 stood at 6 per cent;
of 1918 at So per cent.
end of 1917 at % per cent and end
Labor increased per cent by
1912; 10 per cent by 1914; chowed
an increase Of II per cent in 1916:
of 20 per cent at the end of 1917
and of 40 per cent at the close of
1918.
The figures for bituminous coal,
metals, chemical, lumber and labor
were taken from federal govern
ment records and are based on the
wholesale and retail prices pre-
vailing throughout the country
The figures on food and clothing
cover the average wholesale prices
- Isf4Aa