Evening star., 1921-01-16
LIVING COSTDROPS
ERCENT DURING
4-MONTHPER|0D
Food and Clothing Declines
Offset Concurrent Increases
in Other Items.
By the Associated Pre- 50.

By the Associated Press.
= NEW YORK, January 10. u The cost
living decreased SO per cent in the
four months from l;yst July to Novem
Der, and the decline was brought about
by drops in the average prices of
number of important food and clothing
articles SO great as to offset concurrent
increases in mSny other items, the ma
tional industrial conference board re-
ported today.
This four months decrease. however,
left the COST of living higher than in
July. 1914, Immediately before the war,
by the following percentages: Clothing,
12S; fuel and light 100 food, 90; sun
dries, 80. and shelter, Sc.
In its eighth report on living costs,
the board let a ray of hope shine Oh its
assertions by stating that merchandise
dealers seemed to expect a further drop
lin prices early in 1921.
The decline of Sc per cent in living
expenses from last July. said by the
board to be the peak of high prices"
to November, followed a steady rise
which began in 1914, it was explained.
except for per cent drop in the four
month period in 191S-1919 Immediately
after the armistice.
Food Dropped II Per Cent.
1.-The average price of food dropped
nearly IL per cent between last July
and November" the report said. but
the average price of potatoes dropped
So per cent, and that Of sugar. 81 per
cent. The average price of eggs rose 81
per cent. The drop in clothing prices
from last July to November was over
Il per cent. but average prices OF many
items fell more than this. Cotton yard
goods dropped 26 to AZ per cent. Hosiery.
mems shirts. women's blouses. muslin
underwear and men, coats fell 20 to 20
per cent Shoes, mems and women's
suits and womens coats knit underwear
and hats decreased less than 20 per
cent Gloves scarcely changed at all.
"Other items increased. but not
enough to offset the decline in food
and clothing. According to figures
furnished by ISL coal dealers in fifty
cities the average price of coal con-
tinued to advance between July and
November in every city. except Law
renee, Lowell and Springfield. Mass; !;
Newark and Trenton. n. j., and New
York city. where bituminous coal
dropped somewhat. In those same
places the average cost of anthracite
rose 10 per cent or more within the
same period. and in number of cities
the advance was 20 per cent or over.
Gas Increase Less Than Coal.
increases in the cost Of gas were
considerably less than the rise in the
cost of COAL although a number of
important rate increases were noted.
In Boston, the increase between July
and November was 22.7 per cent: in
Jersey City, Newark. Camden. Pater-
son, Trenton. Bayonne. Elizabeth and
Hoboken. N. j.. 21.7 per cent; in Ro-
chester and Albany. N. Y. 30.4 per
cent; in Dallas and Fort Worth. Tex.
so per cent; no change within this
period was reported from many OF
the largest cities.
THE average cost of electricity for
domestic use decreased in Boston,
Milwaukee and Racine. Wis. Louis
vile. and Somerville. Mass.
"Rent increases continued to appear,
but were less sensational than in
preceding periods. and for the first
time in many months decreases were
reported. The industrial cities of
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