New Britain herald., 1925-06-09

 a basis, family expenditures for food in 1928 had increased ts per cent, while at the latest tabulation, they were shown to be ~ per cent higher than in 1913, The peak In family food expenditures came in 1920, when they were ioi per cent above 1918.
 Interesting data on what 1t takes 10 feod the average New Britain family for a year were disclosed at the bureau. It was found that the average family consumes ss dozen eggs a year, 4l2 quarts of milk, 6f9 pounds of bread. 27 pounds Of sir loin steak, 746 pounds of potatoes, no pounds of sugar and SS pounds of coffee.
 A comparison of the average prices of several important food ar- ticcs for 1918, 1928, and for the latest tahulation in 1925, showed that the trend of food prices in the last year has been slightly down ward, The average price of bread in 1928 was 6 cents per pound loaf, In 1923, 1t had gone up to s cents, and in 1925, 1t was Sls cents. Sir lcin steak went up from S2 cents per pound in average price in 1913 to 90 cents in 1923. The latest fig ures show the average price to he about one cent below the 1923 level. Ham went mp from S2 cents a pound in 1913 to 53 cents in 1923, and has r.snn further to S7 cents in 1925, Milk sold for cents quart in 1913, in 1928, 1t was 5 cents, and in 1925 1t was about tho same. In 1913 inc average price of butter was 36 cents a pound. h 1928. 1t had gone up tc 55 cents, and in 1925, it was reduced slightly to 54 cents. Eggs. averaged 42 cents a dozen in 1918. and 6. cents in 1928. Last month they soll for 49 cents on the average.
 Clothing prices have dropped sen sationally since 1920, according tc the labor department. In 1920, the average clothing prices stood about 196 per cent above the 1914 level 1 By 1923, they had declined 10 ei per cent above 1914, and clothing i' now reported to be selling at only 9S per cent above what it was in 1914.
 Housing costs, on the other hand have continued 10 increase. In 1920 they averaged 33 per cent higher than they were in 1914, In 1923, they had gone ID 10 S5 per cent above the 1914 average. and the latest re- ports showed them 10 be about SO per cent higher than they were in 1914. The increase in housing costs however, has been slight in the last two years. as compared with the preceding ten years.
 Fuel and light costs reached a peak in 1923. With the year 1914 as a basis, they jumped Up s5 per cent by 1923. Current fuel and light prices have gone down to 93 per cent above the average for 1914. IT 1920, they were about 92 per cent higher than in 1914,
 Since 1920 house furnishing goods including furniture, hardware crockery, etc. have decreased con siderably in price. The 1920 aver age for this class of goods repre- sented an increase of some 200 pel i cent over 1914. In 1923. the average l had dropped to about 40 per cent
 and at the first of this year, it wal only short about 12S per cent above 1914.
 Local coal prices are practical! double what they were in 1913 bu l they have shown reduction in th' i last two years. In western Ne0 : York, Pennsylvania anthra cite solt { for S7.5o a ton in January, 1913 and S6.25 in July of that year. IT ! 1923, the January price was s15.75 and the July price. s16,00. Las months price was given as s15.25.
 Throughout the United States the present cost of living, based or the average prices of all principa commodities, IS declared to be 6l per cent above the year 1913,
 Food prices and prices of turhi. ture show the least amount of in crease from the pre-war level, be- ring 59 per cent and 5o per cen' above 1913 prices. respectively, A compared with average prices l. years ago, house furnishings have gone up 155 per cent, building ma terials, 79 per cent; soft coal, 96 pei