Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1920-05-15
COST LIVING SCARS
Report Figures Show How Cost of Living
Soars-Food and Clothing Indi-
cate Highest Gains

Ihere is no sign In the reduction OF
the cost of living in the report by the
national industrial conference board
Towering up to the beginning of April,
says the National Republican;
1t shows that the fresh toll for the
last ~ months was q per cent, that il
mounted 7 per cent from NcYember to
March, making the total average increase
80 per cent throughout the country since
July, 1914.
Increases in the FIVE major items for
the entire period of advances were 100
per cent for food, 40 per cent for shell
ter, III per cent for clothing, 49 per cent
for fuel, light and heat and SO per cent
for sundres
Food prices in March were 100 per
cent higher than average prices before
the war, according to the retail food
| price index numbers ofthe United States
Bureau of Labor statistics. Quotations
on which this estimate is based were
furnished by over 1000 dealers in fifty
one cities Average food prices in March
were no higher than in February, and
were six.tenths Of per cent lower than
in January. Since November, 1919, they
had, however, increased per cent, and
since March, 1919, the increase was II
per cent.
In January, 1920, sugar cost 234 PEI
cent more than the average price in
| 1913, which has been accepted as repre-
sentative of pre-war prices, and potatoes
were 2lS per cent higher. These were
the most sensational advances up to thai
time.
Rents averaged 40 per cent higher il
March, 1920, than they had been in
July, 1914, according to figures furnish
ed by 352 agencies in l5S cities. This
marks an average increase of per cent
since November, 1919, and of % per cent
since March, 1919. These increases re.
fer to changes in rents for low and me
dium priced houses. Steam heated
apartments and other expensive dwell
ings showed greater advances.
ANNhAo iieh SOhC UP III dll SCCliOuS VI
the country and in cities of every size
In New York, Detroit, Cleveland, Pitts.
burgh and Los Angeles the increase was
apparently over 90 per cent; in Phila.
delphia, Boston aGd Baltimore, Oh the
other hand, it was not more than 40 PEI
cent. Everywhere there was still
great shortage of houses and building
costs were rising. Still higher rents
were therefore predicted.
Clothing is the budget item for which
greater price increases were recorded
The advance of III per cent between
July, 1914, and March, 1920, represents
rise Of Is per cent since November,
1919, and of SO per cent since March,
1919. These estimates are based on
209 dry goods dealers in seventy-two
cities.
The largest advances since 1914 con.
tinued TO be for cotton yarn goods.
Percale formerly selling for 73 cents a
yard in March, 1920, brought an aver
age of 39 cents; this is an increase of 422
per cent Muslin underwear and wom-
ems blouses, on the other hand, had ad-
vanced in price only 1925 per cent, and
1892 per cent respectively. Other i'm
portant increases noted were 2302 per
cent for mems overcoats, 204.4 per cent
for women's coats, go per cent for
women's knit vests, 2ll.6 per cent for
mems union suits, 247.2 per cent for
overalls, 228.5 per cent for mems work
shirts, 209.4 per cent for women's shoes
and PHI per cent for women's cape kid
gloves.
Since November, 1919, average ad-
vances of 25 per cent or more were re-
ported for percale, gingham, ongcloth,
knit underwear, women's stock ngs,
coats, gloves and hats.
The combined cost of fuel, heat and
light advanced less than | per cent be-
tween November, 1919, and March,
1920, although the total average cost was
40 per cent higher than in July, 1914,
and per cent higher than in March,
1919.
Coal prices were secured from l2l
dealers in fortyfour cities representing
all sections of the country. The largest
increases for anthracite were in the
cities Of the East, where advances in the
neighborhood of per cent since Noyem.
ber, 1919, were reported.
In sundries, carfare increased in l06
cities, varying from an extra charge for
transfers in New York to a fat rate 10.
crease of lao per cent in Fall River,
Mass, the most frequent increases being
from 20 to 40 per cent. Furniture,
household furnishings, church support,
insurance, medical care, recreation,
candy, tobacco and soft drinks we're
among the items that made up the aver
age of So per cent.