Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-02
BY BERTRAM BENEDICT.

When the washington housewife goes
to market she spends less for many
items Of food than housewives buying
the same items in most other large cities
Of the United States.
If the Washington housewife receives
the same amount of household money
every week as the average housewife
in the other cities of the country, she
should set better table than the aver
age If she buys wisely Conversely, she
should be able to set table equal to
the average on less than the average
allowance for food, but again only II
she selects her food judiciously.
These are some of the deductions
from figures recently published by the
Federal Government on average food
costs in the different cities of the United
States. The figures are as of the early
Winter OF 1929-30 and apply to identi-
cal cuts OF meat, canned goods, dairy
grades, etc, so that they are strictly
comparable.
Sirloin Steak Costs More Here.
The average price for sirloin steak
in the United States was found to be
40 cents. In Washington it was So
cents, which was cents more than in
Richmond, and z cents more than in
Baltimore. In New York it was also So
cents; In Chicago, SIS cents, and in
Pittsburgh, 53l2 cents.
Butter in Washington was found to
cost 4 per cent more than in the coun-
try as whole, 2 per cent more than
in Baltimore, per cent more than in
New York, but the same as in Phila-
delphia.
The growing child in Washington is
given milk to drink about as cheaply
as the average city child who lives else
where. Milk here averaged 1434 cents
quart, when the average cost for the
whole country was 1412 cents. In Nor
folk it cost 18 cents; in New York, 16
cents; in Baltimore, IA cents; in Phila-
delphia, IA cents.
Coffee Costs Less, Sugar Also.
The man or woman who takes sugar
In their coffee saves more here than in
most cities of the land. Sugar cost SO
cents for 10 pounds in Washington at
the same time that the average price
was 81 cents. It was II cents in Nor
folk, 66 cents in Richmond and 70 cents
in Pittsburgh.
1t is less extravagant to take second
cup of coffee with your breakfast in
Washington than in most other cities.
cents pound in Washington while the
average price in the whole United States
was 48 cents. In Norfolk it was 40
cents; in Baltimore, A cents; in Rich
mond, Al cents; in New York, A cents;
in Chicago, As cents.
Strictly fresh eggs here were selling
for cents dozen more than in the
country as whole. Egg costs in New
York were cents higher than here, in
RQltiNNnrn &c f,,Y <S1f.. a.
cent more.
When the average price of flour in
the United States was So cents pound,
IL was 5.3 cents in Washington.
Orange Prices Here Average Less.
The most widely used fruit is prob
ably oranges. In Washington you were
paying Al cents a dozen for a grade of
which the average price in the whole
country was 43 cents. It was AZ cents
/ in Baltimore, but 80 cents in Richmond.
The mother who gives her child orange
juice in New York has to pay So cents
dozen for these oranges, in Chicago
40 cents. in Los Angeles itself 40 cents
and in Pittsburgh As cents.
Pork chops cost cent pound more
mere than In most cities, but cents a
pound more than in Baltimore. Plate
beef cost 1917 cents q pound here, as
against national average of 81 cents.
Lard cost cent q pound less here
than the national average and I'VE
pounds Of potatoes cost 1872 cents here.
when the average price in the United
States was 10 cents.
In one year food costs In general, at
retail prices, increased ~ per cent in
the whole country at the same time
that they were decreasing per cent in
Washington. In Richmond they In
creased " Of per cent, in New York
they increased per cent and in Balti-