Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-02-11
MERCHANTS RESENT
FAKE PRICE REPORT
Springfield Demonstration Agents
Figures Arouse Criticism

In real earnest are local merch-
ants wrathful over the publicity that
has been given a report read in Spring
field, w., before the Good Citizenship
League by Miss M, r, Tilden, Home
Demonstration Agent of Windsor
County, in which the cost of living in
Middlebury was falsely represented as
the highest in the state. The Register
has interviewed several of the leading
business men of the village regarding
the article, who were unanimous in
their denuncation of the wrong light
in which the report had placed them,
Miss Tilden is said to have sent ques-
tionnaires to ten of the largest towns
in Vermont and New Hampshire to
determine the relative costs of certain
staple articles of food. The grocers
here disclaimed any knowledge of such
canvass and said that the prices
quoted for these articles were relics of
war imitation and not at all representa-
tive of conditions today.
The figures compiled by the Register
show that living costs here compare
favorably with the same in the other
towns included in the report. Miss
Tilden herself has not answered an in
quiry addressed to her regarding the
authority for her description of Mid
dlebury conditions.
Following is the report amended ac-
cording to the information given by
the merchants.
Rutland, SIC; Rochester,
lOc; Chester 1Oc; Montpelier, 10c;
Laconia, &c; White River Junction, &C.
St. Tohnsbury, 8 l-2c; Springfield, lie;
Middlebury 10c; report correct.
Rice Rutland, l0c to l2c; Roches-
ter, l4c; Chester 10 l-2c; Montpelier,
l2c; Laconia, &c; White River juno
tion, lOc; St. Tohnsbury, 12c Clare
mont, lOc; Keene, l0c; Springfield, l4c
Middlebury, l5c; corrected to l0-l3c.
Flour by the bag Rutland, Sl50;
Rochester. SLIGO; Chester, $170; Mont
pelier, S165; Laconia, Sl.55; White
River Junction, $170; St. Johnsbury,
Sl50; Claremont, $l75; Keene, $3.50;
Springfield, S176; Middlebury $500;
corrected to $l50-$l75.
Flour by the barrel Rutland, Sl2 to
Sl4 Rochester, $3.50 and $l3; Laco-
MIA, $3.50; White River Junction, $l4;
St. Johnsbury, S12 to SIS; Springfield,
Sl4 to Sl7 Middlebury, SIG; correct
ed to $l2
Potatoes by the peck-Rutland, 40c;
Rochester, 4Oc; Chester, SOC; Mont
pelier 45c; Laconia, SOC; White River
Junction, 35c; St. Johnsbury, 40c;
Claremont SOC; Keene, 60c; Spring
field. SOC to soc; Middlebury, Soc cor
rected to 40c to 45c
Potatoes by the bushel-Rochester,
$l50; Chester $500; Montpelier, Sl.75;
White River Junction, S1.25; St.
Johnsbury, $3.50; Springfield, Sl25 to
$500; Middlebury $500; corrected to
Sl35 to Sl75.
Beef-Rutland, 35c Rochester, 40c;
Chester, lac to 30c; Montpelier, l5c;
White River Junction, 35c; St. Johns
bury, lie to 60c; Springfield Cround),
35c; rump and sirloin, 35c to 45c; Mid
dlebuty, 40c; report correct if best
cuts are meant.
Salt Rutland, 25c Rochester,
DC; Chester, 2Sc; Montpelier, 2jc; La
COMA, 23c; White River Junction, 27c;
St. Tohnsbury, 25c; Claremont, 25c;
Keene, PC; Springfield, pc; Middle
bury, 25c report correct for best
chunks
Rochester, 24c; Chester 3Oc;
Montpelier, 25c Laconia 22c; White
River Junction, 24c; St. Johnsbury,
2Oc; Claremont, 24c; Keene, 25c;
Springfield, 22c; Middlebury, 2Oc; cor
rected to lSc to 20c.
Butter-R Rutland SOC to zoe; Roch-
ester, &c. Chester, SOC to zoe; Mont
peler, 65c; Laconia, SOC to 65c;
White River Junction, 65c; St. Johns
bury, zoe; Keene, 60c; Springfield, 65c;
Middlebury, Zoe; corrected to- 6Oc to
6jc
Rutland, l2c; Rochester, 12c;
Chester, l2c; Montpelier, lac; Laco-
MIA, l5c; White River Junction, l7c;
St. Tohnsbury, 12c Claremont lac;
Keene, l4c; Springfield, l3c; Middle
bury, 1jc; corrected to l2c to l5c.
Eggs-Rutland, 7jc; Rochester, SOC;
Chester, 6Oc; Montpelier, Csc; Laco-
MIA 75c; White River Junction 75c;
st. Tohnsbury, Zoe Claremont, zoe;
Keene, 75c; Springfield, zoe; Middle
bury Soc; corrected to 60c to zoe.
In the other items that enter into
the living conditions the same discrep-
ancies do not exist and it will be found
that Middlebury does not suffer by the
comparisons.
Room rent-Rutland, 81 to S.;
Rochester. 81 with board; Middlebury,
81 to S4; Chester, 81; Montpelier, So
to S5; Laconia, SO; White River juno
ton, SO; St. Tohnsbury, 50; Clare
mont, S4 Keene, 81; Springfield. 81
to s..
House rent-Rutland, $40 to S3j a
month; Rochester, SIS to SIS; Middle
bury, S32; Chester, $40 to SIS; Mont
pelier, $40 to $50; Laconia, S25; White
River Junction, $50; St. Johnsbury,
SIS to $50; Claremont, SIS; Keene,
S32; Springfield, $40 to $50.
(Middlebury's rate is too high by at
least Sl2 if the average is meant.
Cleaning by the hour-Rutland. 4Oc;
Rochester, 25c; Middlebury, 9Oc to
doc; Chester, 3Oc; Montpelier, 4Oc;
Laconia, 35c; St. Johnsbury, 4Oc;
Claremont. 25c; Keene, 4Oc; Spring
field. SOC.
Laundry-Rutland. small family, 81;