Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-24
COST OF LIVING UP
104 P. {. IN s YEARS
Survey Shows Food Prices In
creased ll9, and Clothing loo
Per Cent in That Period.

A survey of the cost of living, Just
completed by the National Industrial
Conference Board Of New York contrasted
with living costs of pre-war times, SHOWS
that the increase in the SIX year period
has been 1915 per cent, according
u n summary of the survey made pubIlc
YESTERDAY. The summary shows an IN
crease of 10 per cent in the last year and
5rcr cent from March, 1920, oJuly, when
when the survey was completed.
The outstanding figures OF the survey
are that food increased ll9 per cent IN
price i'm the six year period; shelter, 5S
Der cent: clothing. l66 per cent; fuel,
heat and light, 66 per cent and sundries,
IS per cent These percentages were de-
rived from figures obtained from retaii
dealers in the commodities of life In
cities of large population throughout
the country and accordingly represent
the price the consumer had TO pay rather
than the wholesale cost of the products.
Food prices were still going up In
.ulv. Figures of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics turned over to the board show
that prices then were the highest ever
recorded by the bureau. Between July,
1919. and July 1920. the increase was
Is per cent and last April when ordi-
narily there is somewhat of a decline
because of the advent of early spring
garden truck, prices began to mount at
surprising rate.
The largest increases in food in the
six year period were In sugar, which
climbed SS2 per cent; potatoes, 36S per
cent; -four, l64 per cent; cornmeal, l33
PER cent; rice, / Ii per cent; bread, ll3
per cent; ham, ll2 per cent; lamb, l09
per cent; hens, l07 per cent, and pork
chops, l0l per cent. Figures collected
monthly since 1913 show that In thirty
five Of thirty-nine cities the average re-
tail cost increased 100 per cent. Detroit,
one Of the country's great industrial
centres, showed an increase of 13S per
cent; which was the highest, and Los
Angeles was lowest with % per cent.
Figures supplied by 36l real estate
boards and brokers. chambers of COM
merce and civic organizations IN prac-
tically all cities having population ex-
cceding $4,000 gave a rent increase per-
ccntaCe Of So. Eighty-six cities, among
which were New York, Chicago, Phila-
delphia, Detroit, Los Angeles, Pittsburg,
Baltimore and Cleveland, showed In
crrases of more than so per cent. Bos-
ton. st. Louis, San Francisco and q
number of other smaller cities showed
less than so per cent, and IN some the
increase ran as low as 10 per cent.
The only encouraging news for the
wsgc Garner evolved by the boards sur
vey was that clothing prices decreased
per cent, between March, 1920, and
July, but, despite this, the well known
increase over pre-war prices still was
l66 per cent.
Between July, 1919, and last July the
increase was 80 per cent The prices
of cotton yarn goods, especially the cheap
er and heavier grades, were still ris-
ing when the survey ended. Hosiery knit
underwear, mems shirts and overalls, AS
well as gloves and hats for men, women
and boys, also were increasing IN price
on July /. The decreases noted were
IN woollen goods. shoes, women's blouses
and muslin underwear, which dropped
of slightly between March and July.
The board obtained retail prices OF
anthracite and bituminous coal from 1l5
dealers IN forty-three cities. In the SIX
wear period the stove variety of anthracite
coal jumped SIS per cent; chestnut
anthracite, sl.4 per cent, and bitumln-
Gus, 1851 per cent. Gas and electricity
combing all of the essentials of fuel,
heat and light, the board arrived at Go
per cent, as the general increase over
pre-war prices.
Under the heading of sundries the
hoard classified carfares, which increased
N 40 cities and have remained I'M
changed In 33 3;physicians fees, cost of news
papers and periodicals., candy, tobacco and
household furnishings, life insurance and
contributions 30 charitable organizations
These figures were obtained In 153 cities
and showed an average increase OF IS
per cent--New York Sun.