Daily Kennebec journal., 1921-12-17
1921 DOLLAR
Increases
IN Value
Purchases Much More
In Augusta This Year
Than Last
Reductions in Prices Of Goods All the
Way from Ten Per Cent. to go Per
Cent. Wearing Apparel Shows
/. Most Marked Decrease. Quality Of
Goods Higher

Bigger values for less money arc
provided Christmas shoppers for this
year. 1921.
In other words, the value of the
dollar has increased while the aua.ey
of the goods has also improved-a
rather unusual situation, but nDne the
! less true one IS has been shown by
an investigation into the local situa-
tion. Just how much the purchasing
power of the dollar has grown over
what it was last year was convincing
ly shown a kennebec Journal reporter
during a trip to the various local
stores.
Mems furnishings are always a pop
ular gift for Christmas and it is GER
tainly good news to know that they
can be bought at much less figure
this year than in 1920 while at the
same time, higher quality OF goods
is secured. Last year, neckt,es sold
from 50 cents to three dollars, but
this year the prices are from so cents
to $3.50, with the s1.00 necktie
the favorite while in 1920 the $3.50
was the most popular. Bath robes
have dropped from a range cf from
$40 to SIS, to $500 to S13.
Mems Mutfiers are a third cheaper
than year ago; collars that were 50
cents each in 1920 are now two for S5
cents. Percale shirts have dropped
from $3.50 to s1.50 and silk cloth
shirts show a full third drop. Silk
shirts that were $3.50 to SIS a year
ago are now down to 50 or $40. Hats
are from 25 per cent. to 40 per cent.
cheaper: sweaters 33 1-3 per cent. less
and suits and overcoats about 40 per
cent. Luggage of all kinds is down 25
per cent. and much better than it has
been. :.
Christmas slippers. always ropular
gifts, are from 25 to SO 1-3 per cent
less while general footwear shows a
similar reduction because shoes that
were $3.50 year ago are now down
to sS95.
Women's goods show drop in price
similar to that of the mems and in
some cases greater. All ready-to-wear r
clothes are from 20 to S5 per cent. less
as is instanced by the fact that suits
last year selling for $3.50 arc as low
as from $50 to s110 while coats that
were 1925 are now around $50 and
those that were $50 and $50 are now
sS5.
Shirt waists have droppe> from $40
to S69S to $3.50; skirts about so per
cent; women's stockings from 25 per
cent. to 40 per cent. and yard goods
from 90 to 35 per cent
Muslin underwear that was IS is
now s2.9S; the 81 grade is s1.25 to
$3.50; f1annelette from s2.95 to s1.e9;
silk umbrellas from $3.50 to $40: cot
ton umbrellas from $3.50 to s2.ss. Rfp-
bons are 25 per cent. less and ladies'
handbags are so PER cent. cheaper
Handkerchiefs show a drop of about 40
per cent. and women's gloves from a5
to 35 per cent Yard goods of all kinds
is from 20 to 35 per cent. cheaper.
Furniture has shown drop Of % to
35 per cent. and rugs from 35 to 40
per cent. China and earthenwsre are
Is to 20 per cent less. kitchenwarc
over 25 per cent. cheaper and alumni
mum ware. is. away. down compared
with last year. All kinds of cutlery
have shown an appreciable drop.
Christnas cards are actually at pre-
war prices while stationery has
dropped from 10 to 40 per cent. accord
Ing to the grades. Some publishers