Evening star., 1920-03-19
FOOD COST DROPS
| PER CENT IN
CAPITAL IN MONTH
Among 35 Cities to Report
Decrease, January Is to
February IS.

The average family expenditure for
food in Washington decreased 1 per
cent from January Is to February ID.
the bureau of labor statistics Of the
Department of Labor announced today
in making public relative food cost
trends in fifty of the principal cities
Of the United States.
Washington, in common with SIX
teen other cities, enjoyed decrease
Of per cent for twenty-five standard
articles of food in the period named.
Food prices decreased in thfrty-hve
cities and increased in fifteen cities.
the bureau report shows, while re-.
ports from retail dealers in fifty-one
cities throughout the United States
ture for food was six-t this of per,
cent less in February Shan in Janu-
ary.
The increase in January. as COM
pared with December. was 20 per
cent, hence the decrease of six-tenths
of / per cent in February still leaves
the cost 1.6 per cent above that in De-
cember, which until January was the
highest point reached. Relative figures
for February, 1920. show an increase
ruary. 1919. In February of last year
there was drop Of per cent as COM
pared with the previous month, and as
compared with 1919 the prices in Feb
ruary. 1920. show an increase OF los
per cent. Food prices in Washington
for February. 1920. increased 1917 per
cent over those for 1913.
Cities to Show Decrear.s.
cities in which food pri1 IS decreased
announced as follows: Half of 1 per
cent, Chicago, Fall River, Milwaukee,
Peoria, Richmond. Rochester, Salt
Lake City and Springfield: per cent.
Atlanta. Baltimore, Buffalo. Butte.
Charleston, Columbus. Detroit, In
dianapoIis, Minneapolis, Newark. New
York, Omaha. Philadelphia, Portland,
Ore.;. St. Louis, Scranton and Wash
ingtop; 2 per cent, Birmingham.
Houston, Jacksonville. Louisville,
Pittsburgh and Cleveland; 3 per cent,
Dallas, Little Rock and New Orleans,
and per cent, Cincinnati.
During the year period from Feb
ruary, 1919. to February Of this year
the greatest increase. of "a per cent,
was shown in Minneapolis. Increases
were shown in the following cities in
the period from January, 1920. to
Boston. Bridgeport. Denver, Kansas
City, Memphis. Mobile, Providence
and Los Angeles; l per cent, Man
chester, New Haven. Norfolk. st.
Paul, San Francisco and Seattle, and
8 per cent. Portland, Me.
Retail Figures ON ~ Articles.
Since January, 1919. monthly retail
prices Of food have been secured for
forty-four articles. During the month
from January Is. 1920. to February
Is. 1920. twenty-one of the forty-four
articles increased in price as follows:
Cabbage. Is per cent: potatoes. IL per
cent: lamb, per cent: hens and su-
gar. per cent leach; onions and
oranges. 4 per cent each; raisins, s.
h.
macaroni. per cent each; round
steak. pork chops. canned salmon, nut
margarine, rolled oats and rice. 1 per
cent each. Sirloin steak, rib roast.
ham and bananas increased less than
five-tenths of 1 per cent each. n
Seventeen articles which decreased
in price. were: Strictly fresh eggs, II
per cent; evaporated milk, lard and
storage eggs, 5 per cent each; Dutter
and corn meal. per cent each; chuck
roast, bacon, fresh milk. canned corn,
canned peas, canned tomatoes and tea,
per cent each. Oleomargarine.
cheese, coffee and prunes decreased
less than f1ve-tenths of / per cent.
Prices remained unchanged for plate7
beef, flour, cornf1akes, navy DeanS anu
baked beans.
increases and Decreases In year.
During the year period from Febru-
ary. 1918, 'to February. 1920, twenty
nine OF the 1Orly-IOuT di tASiSS, -
which prices were secured on both dates
increased as follows:
Onions, 119 per cent: cabbage, 116
per cent; potatoes. "a per cent; granu.
lated sugar. 76 per cent: raisins; 3, nic.5S %
fresh eggs, SO per cent: coffee, "a per
cent; rice, % per cent; butter ana
storage eggs. 27 per cent each: n0ur:
2l per cent; canned salmon and rolled
oats, 19 per cent each; bananas. II per
cent: oranges, IA per cent; hens. 13~per
cent: oleomargarine. II per cent; bread.
1O per cent; fresh milk and corn meal.
per cent each: lamb. Z per cent. cheese.
6 per ment; tea and macaroni. per
cent each; nut margarine and lard.
/ per cent each:
Articles which, decreassd in price
ner cent: navy beans, II per cent;
chuck roast and bacon. 10 per cent
toes. 9 per cent each; canned corn. 81
per cent; round steak. per cent
Rib roast and ham. per cent each
sirloin steak, pork chops. evaporated
milk, canned peas. 1 per cent each.
There was no change In the price of
corn fakes.