The Pensacola journal., 1920-01-28
Lower PRICES
DO NOT APPEAR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
SHOW MEAN ADVANCE or Is
PER CENT. IN STAPLE FOODS.

Reports of lower prices are not
borne OUT by statistics of retail food
prices wnich are carefully collected
and complied by the bureau of labor
statistics of the L. S. Department of
Labor. Retail prices of food are Sc
cured from retail dealers through
monthly reports Of actual selling prices
on the 18th Of each month, and are
on identical brands. grades and quail
ties Of goods. It is necessary that
prices of commodities be obtained in
this way if price quotations are to
show increases or decreases at all ac-
curately. According to the figures
thus compiled, the retail cost of %
articles of food in December was
the highest ever attained, being 2.6
per cent higher than in November. IS
per cent higher than in December,
1918, and SO per cent higher than in
December, 1913. This comparison is
based on the average retail prices of
the following articles, weighted accord
ing to the consumption of the average
family: SirIoin steak, round steak, rib
roast, chuck roast, plate beef, pork
chops, bacon, ham, lard, hens, flour,
-ornmeal, eggs, butter, milk, bread, po-
tatoes, sugar, cheese, rice, coffee and
tea.
During 1919, monthly retail prices of
food have been secured for Al food
articles. During the month from No
bember Is to December Is, % of these
A articles increased in price as fol-
lows: Cabbage, SO per cent; onions,
IL per cent; graduated sugar, 16 per
cent; strictly fresh eggs, IL per cent;
cream OF wheat and potatoes, 10 per
cent, each; raisins, 5 per cent; flour,
per cent; butter and storage eggs,
per cent, each; fresh milk and canned
salmon, 2 per cent, each; lamb, evap-
GRATED milk, oleomargarine. cheese,
macaroni, rice, canned peas, and ba-
nanas, per cent, each. Rib roast and
chuck roast increased less than five
tenths OF I per cent, each. The II
articles which decreased in price were:
Pork chops, 10 per cent; lard and
oranges, 4 per cent, each; tea and
prunes, 8 per cent each; sirloin steak,
round steak, bacon, ham, and navy
beans, 1 per cent, each; and hens and
crisco, less than five-tenths of / per
cent. Plate beef, nut margarine, bread
cornmeal, rolled oats, cornf1akes
baked beans, canned corn, canned to-
matoes, and coffee, remained the same
IN price as in November.
The average family expenditures for
% articles of food increased from
November Is to December Is in all
but four of the so cities from which
prices are secured by the bureau, of
labor sta tsitics of the u. S. Depart
ment Of Labor. The decrease shown in
Fan River, Boston, Norfolk, and Rich
mond was less than five-tenths of I
per cent. In Baltimore, Manchester
and Portland, Me, the increase was
less than five-tenths of I per cent.
In Columbus, Dallas, Louisville, Mem
phis, Mobile, New Haven, Providence
and Washington the increase was /
per cent. Birmingham, Bridgeport
Charleston, Chicago, Cincinnati, CIeve-
land, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Jack
sonvilIe. Little Rock, Newark, New
York, Philadelphia. Pittsburg, Salt
Lake City, Seattle. and Springfield,
increased 2 per cent, each. Buffalo,
Butte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Los
Angeles, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Pc
orla, Portland, Greg, Rochester, San
Francisco and St Louis increased 8
per cent, each. Atlanta and Scran-
ton increased 4 per cent, each. Min
neapolis, Omaha, and ST. Paul in
creased 5 per cent, each
During the year period from Decem-
ler 1918, to December, 1919, the three
cities showing the greatest increases
We're; minneapolis IA per cent; Oma-
Ia, II per cent, and Mobile 10 per
cent. Baltimore decreased 2 per cent.
and was the only city which showed a
decrease as compared with Decem-
ber, 1918.
As compared with the average ex-
penditure in the year 1918, the follow
ing cities showed an increase of 100
per cent and over: Richmond and
Providence, 100 per cent, each; Buff
talo, 1o1 per cent, Atlanta, 102 per
cent Milwaukee and Washington, 103
per cent each; St. Louis. 1O4 per cent;
CnarIestoa, Memphis, and Minneapolis,
los per cent, each; Detroit. los ner
cent; Omaha, los per cent; and Rir-
mingham, 100 per cent.