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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND LABOR BUREAU OF LABOR CHAS. P. NEILL, Commissioner RETAIL PRICES 1890 TO 1911 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF LABOR WHOLE NUMBER 105: PART I RETAIL PRICES AND COST OF LIVING SERIES No. 1: PART I AUGUST 23, 1912 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1912 CONTENTS. Betail Prices, 1890 to 1911—Part I: Page. Introduction................................................................................................................ 5, 6 Food.............................................................................................................................. 6-24 Bread weights............................................................................................................. 25, 26 Coal..................................................................................................................................27,28 Gas................................................................................................................................... 28-30 Cost of livin g............................................................................................................... 30-36 Explanation of scope and method............................................................................ 36-48 Food.........................................................................................................................36-45 Coal....................................................................................................................... 46 Gas........................................................................................................................... 47,48 Betail Prices, 1890 to 1911—Part II: T a b l e I.— Retail prices of the principal articles of food every second month, 1907 to 1910, and every month during 1911, b y cities and b y firms. T a b l e I I .— Relative retail prices of the principal articles of food, 1890 to 1911, b y geographical divisions. T a b l e I I I .— Retail prices of coal, for household use, on the 15th of January, April, July, and October, 1907 to 1911, b y cities and b y firms. T a b l e IV .— Relative retail prices of coal, for household use, 1907 to 1911, b y cities. T a b l e Y .— Net price per thousand cubic feet of gas, for household use, on the 15th of April, 1907 to 1911, b y cities and b y companies. 3 The field work in connection with this report was done by Edith M. Miller, C. Jessica J. Donnelly, Ida M. Peck, Mary Louise Mark, and Kobert S. Billups. The report was prepared and the field work directed by Fred C. Croxton. 4 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES BUREAU OF LABOR. WASHINGTON, D. C. NO. 105: PART I. AUGUST 23, 1912. RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. PART I. IN TRODUCTION. This report presents for each of 39 of the most important industrial cities in the various sections of the United States the retail prices of the principal articles of food, the retail prices of anthracite and bituminous coal for household use, and the net price of gas for house hold use. The prices of food are quoted for the 15th of every second month for 1907 to 1910, inclusive, and for the 15th of every month during 1911. The price of coal is quoted on the 15th of January, April, July, and October, 1907 to 1911, inclusive. The price of gas is quoted on the 15th of April, 1907 to 1911, inclusive. This report also summarizes data published by the Bureau of Labor in the Eighteenth Annual Report and in Bulletins 59, 65, 71, and 77, and thus presents a comparison of retail prices of food during the 22 years, 1890 to 1911, inclusive. Data for this report were secured from more than 650 retail mer chants, from 168 coal dealers, and from 61 gas companies. Those from whom information was requested have spared no pains to assist the Bureau in every way, and in planning for issuing current reports on retail prices the readiness with which retail merchants, bakery officials, and others have responded to the Bureau’s request for prompt reports on the 15th of each month or quarter has far sur passed all expectations. This report will be followed within a very short time by a report covering prices during the first six months of 1912, and then it is the purpose of the Bureau to publish a current price report every two months. The Bureau at the present time is in receipt of monthly reports of prices of the principal articles of food from approximately 675 retail merchants; of monthly reports of bread weights from 140 bakeries; 5 6 B U LLETIN OF THE BUEEAU OF LABOE. of quarterly reports of coal prices from 165 coal dealers; and of gas prices as requested from 60 gas companies in the 39 cities included in the study. The cities included in this report are important industrial cities representing 32 States. In a general way the cities selected were those having the largest population in each section of the country, but in addition two smaller cities were included, Fall River, which is a textile center in Massachusetts, and Scranton, which is situated in the anthracite coal section of Pennsylvania. Within the 39 cities live, one-fifth of the total number of people, two-fifths of the urban population, and approximately one-third of the total number engaged in gainful occupations (not including those in agricultural pursuits) in continental United States. The grade of articles of food quoted is that sold in each city in stores patronized largely by families of American, English, Irish, German, and Scandinavian wage earners. The Bureau has not attempted to quote prices for an article of identical grade throughout the 39 cities. For almost every article this would be absolutely impossible, as the grade varies not only from city to city but also from firm to firm within the same city, and the grade even varies to some extent from month to month within the same store. Stores which vary in a marked degree from day to day or month to month the grade of articles handled have not been included, but in every store there is necessarily some variation in grade. This report is published in two parts. Part I contains a summary of the whole report, and Part II contains all general tables showing actual price quotations for the years 1907 to 1911, inclusive, city by city, for the principal articles of food, for coal, and for gas. FOOD. Retail prices of food were higher in 1910 than in any other year of the 22-year period, 1890 to 1911, inclusive. Prices in 1911 were only about 1 per cent lower than in 1910, but were higher than in any year from 1890 to 1909, inclusive. Fifteen articles of food enter into the relative prices in this report and these 15 articles represent approximately two-thirds of the expenditure for food by the average workingman's family. All of these 15 articles advanced in price during the period from 1907 to 1911, and the per cent of advance varied from 3.1 per cent for butter to 28.5 per cent for Irish potatoes. RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911, 7 Three of the 15 articles advanced in price more than 20 per cent and 11 of the 15 advanced more than 10 per cent. The taBle which follows compares for each article the average price in 1911 with the average price in 1907. PE R CENT OF INCREASE IN THE R E TA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD: AVERAG E PRICE IN 1911 COMPARED W ITH AVERAGE PRICE IN 1907, B Y ARTICLES. Article. Butter, creamery.......................... Wheat flour................................... Eggs, strictly fresh........................ Lard, pure..................................... Corn meal...................................... Milk, fresh..................................... Sugar, granulated......................... Ribroast....................................... Hens.............................................. Sirloin steak.................................. Round steak.................................. Ham, smoked................................ Pork chops.................................... Bacon, smoked.............................. Potatoes, Irish............................... Per cent of increase in price. 3.1 8.2 8.7 8.8 10.3 11.6 12.6 12.7 15.5 15.6 18.8 19.0 20.9 25.0 28.5 8 BU LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR. The next table compares for each of the 15 articles the average price in 1911 with the average price for the 10-year period, 1890 to 1899. Sugar made the least change with an advance of 11.1 per cent, and bacon made the greatest change, with an advance of 97.2 per cent. Seven of the 15 articles advanced in price more than 50 per cent, and 14 of the 15 advanced more than 25 per cent. PER CENT OF INCREASE IN THE R E TA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD: AVERAG E PRICE IN 1911 COMPARED W ITH AVERAG E PRICE FOR THE 10-Y E A R PERIOD, 1890 TO 1899, B Y ARTICLES. Article. Sugar, granulated......................... Wheat flour................................... Butter, creamery.......................... Milk, fresh..................................... Sirloin steak.................................. Ribroast........................................ Lard, pure. . .................................. Corn meal...................................... Eggs, strictly fresh........................ Hens............................................... Round steak.................................. Ham, smoked................................ Potatoes, Irish............................... Pork chops.................................... Bacon, smoked.............................. Per cent of increase in price. 11.1 27.9 31.3 32.7 34.9 38.6 45.3 47.2 50.2 51.6 52.6 55.9 57.0 70.3 97.2 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 9 The next table compares for each of the 15 articles the price in December, 1911, with the average price for the 10-year period, 1890 to 1899. Sugar, with an advance of 18.2 per cent, showed the least change and fresh eggs, with an advance of 107.3 per cent the greatest change. PER CENT OF INCREASE IN THE R E TA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD: PRICE IN DECEMBER, 1911, COMPARED W ITH AVERAG E PRICE FOR THE 10-Y E A R PERIO D, 1890 TO 1899, B Y ARTICLES. Article. Sugar, granulated......................... Wheat flour................................... Sirloin steak.................................. Milk, fresh..................................... Ribroast........................................ Lard, pure..................................... Hens.............................................. Round steak.................................. Ham, smoked................................ Corn meal....................................... Pork chops..................................... Potatoes, Irish............................... Butter, creamery........................... Bacon, smoked.............................. Eggs, strictly fresh................. . Per cent of increase in price. 18.2 29.5 32.8 35.0 37.4 41.3 42.9 49.6 50.9 51.9 55.4 59.0 59.5 .87. 8 107.3 The next table compares for each of the 15 articles the average price in 1911 with the average price in each of the preceding 21 years, 1890 to 1910, inclusive. By way of explanation, the column of this table which relates to sirloin steak, for example, shows that the aver age price of sirloin steak in 1911 was 35.9 per cent higher than in 1890, 35.3 per cent higher than in 1891, 35.4 per cent higher than in 1892, etc. The column which relates to strictly fresh eggs shows that the average price of this article in 1911 was 49.8 per cent higher than in 1890, 66.3 per cent higher than in 1896, 5.1 per cent lower than in 1910, etc. 10 BU LLETIN OF THE B yR EAU OF LABOR, PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE IN R E TA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL OF THE 21 PRECEDING SirloiL steak. Round steak. Ribroast. Pork chops. Bacon, smoked. Per cent. 35.9 Per cent. 56.4 Per cent. 40.4 Per cent. 76.5 Per cent. 104.4 Higher than in 1891..................................... Lower than in 1891....................................... 35.3 55.7 39.2 72.4 102.9 Higher than in 1892..................................... Lower than in 1892....................................... 35.4 55.7 39.2 68.4 97.4 Higher than in 1893..................................... Lower than in 1893....................................... 35.7 54.9 40.9 62.2 81.1 Higher than in 1894..................................... Lower than in 1894....................................... 37.5 56.7 41.6 68.8 92.4 Higher than in 1895..................................... Lower than in 1895....................................... 36.7 55.4 41.6 70.8 99.8 Higher than in 1896..................................... Lower than in 1896....................................... 36.5 51.8 39.4 74.1 104.8 Higher than in 1897............ ........................ Lower than in 1897....................................... 35.4 49.9 38.5 74.7 103.3 Higher than in 1898..................................... Lower than in 1898....................................... 32.1 48.4 35.6 70.8 96.8 Higher than in 1899..................................... Lower than in 1899....................................... 29.2 42.6 30.6 65.0 91.6 Higher than in 1900..................................... Lower than in 1900....................................... 26.0 39.0 26.8 56.4 78.8 Higher than in 1901............ ........................ Lower than in 1901....................................... 23.3 33.9 23.0 43.1 62.6 Higher than in 1902..................................... Lower than in 1902....................................... 17.7 24.8 16.9 33.3 45.1 Higher than in 1903..................................... Lower than in 1903....................................... 22.0 30.7 18.5 35.1 40.5 Higher than in-1904..................................... Lower than in 1904....................................... 21.5 26.3 18.5 38.3 42.2 Higher than in 1905..................................... Lower than in 1905......................... .*........... 22.0 27.2 19.3 36.2 41.6 Higher than in 1906..................................... Lower than in 1906....................................... 18.1 22.7 15.0 25.3 31.0 Higher than in 1907...................... .............. Lower than in 1907....................................... 15.6 18.8 12.7 20.9 25.0 Higher than in 1908..................................... Lower than in 1908....................................... 12.5 12.6 9.4 17.8 20.8 Higher than in 1909...................................... Lower than in 1909....................................... 7.0 8.5 4.8 7.3 11.8 Higher than in 1910...................................... Lower than in 1910....................................... .7 1.8 .7 Price in 1911— Higher than in 1890..................................... Lower than in 1890...................................... 4.5 3.5 The next table compares for the each of principal articles of food, the retail price in 1911 with the price in 1910 within each of the 39 cities and also within each geographical division. The table shows, for example, that in Boston, Mass., sirloin steak was 0.5 per cent higher in 1911 than in 1910, round steak was 6.2 per cent higher in 1911 than in 1910, ribroast was 4.2 per cent higher in 1911 11 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911, ARTICLES OF FOOD: AVERAGE FOR 1911 COMPARED W ITH THE AVERAGE FOR EACH Y EA R S, B Y ARTICLES. Ham, smoked. Per cent. 58.6 Lard, pure. Hens. Wheat flour. Corn meal. Eggs, strictly fresh. Butter, cream ery. Potatoes, Irish. Sugar, granu lated. Milk, fresh. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 32.4 49.8 44.0 32.2 47.5 16.1 45.3 47.5 8.0 56.7 45.3 44.7 13.8 32.0 42.2 24.2 34.1 7.8 32.0 53.6 39.2 45.5 23.0 36.7 42.6 22.9 64.6 14.7 '32.0 45.6 21.9 45.3 34.5 41.5 42.4 20.9 40.4 8.3 32.0 53.3 36.6 54.4 44.8 41.0 54.2 28.7 54.2 16.7 32. 3 57.6 45.6 55.8 42.7 45.7 52.0 34.8 73.3 21.0 33.5 61.6 57.8 57.8 35.8 58.6 66.3 4i.O 99.2 15.5 32.6 58.3 63.3 64.2 22.2 61.4 59.8 40.1 69.7 17.8 32.7 60.4 55.4 56.6 19.6 53.4 53.4 37.1 51.1 11.4 33.0 55.1 49.6 46.6 34.9 58.4 47.8 34.5 58.9 11.5 34.3 45.8 38.5 52.2 35.2 54.0 51.6 29.7 69.2 6.9 32.7 40.3 21.5 44.4 34.8 36.8 39.5 27.5 37.7 8.8 30.9 29.3 7.2 33.5 33.8 18.8 25.8 19.6 34.5 19.7 27.5 . 27.7 15.3 27.1 25.3 20.6 20.1 19.1 36.9 18.6 23.6 30.6 24.9 25.7 8.1 19.8 14.6 21.5 31.9 10.7 23.6 30.6 25.5 22.7 7.8 19.2 14.4 17.9 43.6 9.1 22.8 22.0 14.1 18.4 18.1 18.2 11.9 11.0 37.0 14.3 20.6 19.0 8.8 15.5 8.2 10.3 8.7 3.1 28.5 12.6 11.6 16.5 8.2 12.4 .6 3.2 5.2 2.7 21.0 9.7 7.7 17.7 11.1 5.2 31.4 8.4 .8 4.0 9.7 7.4 3.5 2.2 16.0 2.2 5.9 1.0 .5 2.9 2.2 5.! 6.1 than in 1910, etc. The table also presents a comparison of the changes in prices of each of the articles city by city— thus, for example, sirloin steak in Boston, Mass., was 0.5 per cent higher in 1911 than in 1910; in Buffalo, N. Y., it was 0.8 per cent higher; in Fall River, Mass., it was 4.4 per cent higher; in Manchester, N. H., it was 0.7 per cent lower, etc. 12 BU LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR, PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE IN R E T A IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL A R TI CLES OF FOOD: AVE R AG E PRICE IN 1911 COMPARED W IT H AVE R AG E PRICE IN 1910, B Y CITIES AND GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS. City and geographical division. Sirloin steak: Price in 1911— R o u n d steak : Price in 1911— Higher than in 1910. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. R ibroast: Price in 1911— Higher than in 1910. P ork c h o p s: Price in 1911— Lower than in 1910. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. North Atlantic division: 0.5 6.2 Boston, Mass.................... 4.2 5.4 .8 .9 0.3 5.0 4.4 4.9 Fall River, Mass.............. .9 .5 0.7 Manchester, N. H ............ .2 3.3 5.1 .5 3.1 Newark, N. J................... New Haven, Conn........... New York, N. Y .............. Philadelphia, Pa.............. 1.1 .3 .3 Pittsburgh, Pa................. 1.4 1.3 1.4 4.9 South Atlantic division: Atlanta, Ga...................... Baltimore, Md................. Jacksonville, Fla.............. Richmond, V a................. Washington, D. C............ North Central division: Chicago, 111 ................... Cincinnati, Ohio.............. Cleveland, Ohio............... Detroit, Mich................... Indianapolis, I n d ........... Kansas City, Mo.............. Milwaukee, Wis............... Minneapolis, Minn........... Omaha, Nebr................... St. Louis, Mo................... South Central division: Birmingham, A la............ Dallas, Tex ..................... Little Rock, Ark.............. Louisville, K y ................. Memphis, Tenn............... New Orleans, La.............. .2 1.1 1.0 .8 .6 .1 2.1 4.5 2.3 5.7 2.4 3.2 5.4 1.9 1.8 2.3 1.1 .6 .5 2.0 2.3 1.4 .4 1.9 .8 4.3 0) 1.5 0) .8 .1 3.5 1.2 .4 2. 4 1.6 2.2 2.0 2.8 .2 4.6 5.5 1.7 .1 2.1 .9 1.6 4.8 United States............ .7 1.8 .5 3.0 7.5 2.2 9.8 7.8 . .2 6.2 .5 2.2 1.7 i No change. 13.4 11.5 11.6 1.6 1.5 4.5 5.9 6.8 17.8 .8 5.6 .4 1.5 3.0 .7 10.8 ■ 7.8 5.1 5.8 3.2 f .2 1.7 4.7 1.5 1.9 3.2 .7 7.5 1.4 6.4 5.2 3.8 .3 4.7 1.0 1.0 .3 1.0 13.3 3.0 i 1.4 .3 4.9 3.8 .3 9.4 3.4 2.3 1.2 3.0 4.9 North Atlantic division.. South Atlantic division... North Central division__ South Central division__ Western division............. -1.3 1.3 1.5 3.9 1.3 3.1 4.9 1.7 .3 6.5 1.4 3.6 3.4 5.4 8.5 .6 1.8 2.0 1.5 1.2 2.0 4.5 Salt Lake City, Utah....... San Francisco, C al.......... Seattle, W ash.................. .5 1.9 .1 2.3 2.6 .9 4.8 .3 3.5 2.7 6.7 Western division: Denver, Colo.................... Los Angeles, Cal.............. Portland, Oreg................. 1.4 2.2 1.0 .7 3.5 3.2 9.0 6.8 1. 7 1,4 4.5 13 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911, P E R C EN T OF IN C R E A S E O R D E C R E A S E IN R E T A I L PR IC E S O F T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T I C LES O F FO O D : A V E R A G E P R IC E IN 1911 C O M P A R E D W IT H A V E R A G E P R IC E IN 1910, B Y C ITIE S A N D G E O G R A P H IC A L D IV ISIO N S —Continued. Bacon, smoked: Ham, smoked: Price in 1911— Price in 1911— City and geographical division. North Atlantic division: Boston, Mass........... Buffalo, N. Y .......... Fall River, Mass___ Manchester, N. H ... Higher than in 1910. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. 1.4 2.9 2.8 8.3 9.0 2.7 7.0 4.0 4.7 Pittsburgh, P a ... Providence, R. I . Scranton, Pa....... 4.3 3.9 6.4 3.1 South Atlantic division: Atlanta, Ga.............. Baltimore, M d......... Charleston, S. C____ 12.5 11.3 4.2 2.9 10.4 Jacksonville, F la ... Richmond, V a ....... Washington, D. C.. 11.0 North Central division: Chicago, 111......... Cincinnati, O h io ... Cleveland, Ohio___ Detroit, Mich......... Indianapolis, Ind.. 5.0 13.2 1. 1 11.5 1.5 11.6 North Atlantic division. South Atlantic division. North Central division.. South Central division.. Western division............ United States. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. .9 3.6 1.4 .4 3.2 3.0 17.1 20.2 19.4 16.0 1.7 2.2 20.3 2.8 4.1 23.7 1.3 4.2 9.3 19.0 20.9 15.4 9.7 3.5 12.6 3.6 8.0 9.5 1.5 20. 1 6.3 14.7 17. 6 14. 5 10.0 6.0 12.2 3.2 14.7 6.1 19.6 14.3 6.5 6.1 10.5 3.4 7.4 2.6 .3 .8 3.2 .5 1.7 4.0 3.5 5.5 1.4 8.2 6.1 3.9 .6 2.5 8.0 13.4 17.4 13.3 18.0 4.5 2.3 .8 .3 Louisville, K y ___ Memphis, Tenn... New Orleans, La.. Salt Lake City, Utah. San Francisco, Cal___ Seattle, Wash.............. Lower than in 1910. 12.6 21.8 12.2 7.8 2.9 5.1 Kansas City, M o ... Milwaukee, W is___ Minneapolis, Minn. Omaha, Nebr......... St. Louis, Mo......... Western division: Denver, Colo....... Los Angeles, Cal.. Portland, Oreg__ Higher than in 1910. Hens: Price in 1911- Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 4.2 4.0 15.1 0.6 3.8 0.1 22.0 .4.7 3.4 .4 28.5 1.9 6.2 4.1 9.8 1.3 Newark, N. J ......... New Haven, Conn. New York, N. Y . . . Philadelphia, P a ... South Central division: Birmingham, A la ... Dallas, T ex.............. Little Rock, Ark___ Lard, pure: Price in 1911- .3 4.8 4.0 7.9 5.5 6.7 21.8 3.3 21. 7 2.3 9.4 4. 6 3.9 22.5 17.0 3.5 i No data. 3.8 4.8 4. 0 3.8 3.7 11.0 0) 0) 3.5 .7 .6 17.7 17.8 15.9 13.3 14. 0 3.4 4.9 1.7 .7 2.2 16.0 2.2 6.0 .6 8.6 14 BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR, P E R C EN T OF IN C R E A S E O R D E C R E A S E IN R E T A I L PR IC E S O F T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T I CLES OF F O O D : A V E R A G E P R IC E IN 1911 C O M P A R E D W IT H A V E R A G E P R IC E IN 1910, B Y C ITIE S A N D G E O G R A P H IC A L D IV ISIO N S —Continued. Wheat flour: Price in 1911City and geographical division. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Corn meal: Price in 1911- Higher than in 1910. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Butter, cream ery: Price in 1911Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Percent. 2.4 1.5 10.9 3.9 5.0 2.8 5.1 9.3 5.2 3.4 2.8 12.6 1.3 4.1 4.6 0) C1) North Atlantic division: Boston, Mass............. Buffalo, N. Y .......... . Fall River, Mass___ Manchester, N. H — Newark, N. J ......... New Haven, Conn. New York, N. Y ... Philadelphia, P a... 2.4 6.1 2.7 5.7 Pittsburgh, P a ... Providence, R. I. Scranton, Pa....... 4.1 3.6 2.3 South Atlantic division: Atlanta, Ga............... Baltimore, Md.......... Charleston, S. C......... 6.2 5.2 5.4 Jacksonville, F la... Richmond, V a....... Washington, D . C.. 10.7 4.7 3.2 North Central division: Chicago, HI............. Cincinnati, O hio... Cleveland, Ohio---Detroit, Mich......... Indianapolis, Ind. . .7 2.8 3.9 2.2 4.7 3.4 4.2 9.6 7.4 Kansas City, M o ... Milwaukee, W is.... Minneapolis, Minn. Omaha, Nebr......... St. Louis, Mo......... South Central division: Birmingham, A la .. Dallas, T ex............ Little Rock, A rk... 2.7 1.6 2.6 0) 0) 4.6 1.3 2.3 0) 'i.*5 6.3 7.9 7.5 2.5 3.0 Western division: Denver, Colo....... Los Angeles, Cal.. Portland, Oreg— 6.1 7.8 13.2 Salt Lake City, Utah.. San Francisco, Cal___ Seattle, Wash.............. 18.4 10.1 North Atlantic division. South Atlantic division. North Central division.. South Central division.. Western division............ 3.7 5.4 4.8 6.6 11.2 1 N o change. 10.4 4.3 2.3 2.8 9.4 1.8 5.8 (2) 7 1) " 10.9 8.7 7.1 .9 ( 2) 11.1 9.6 9.1 ” '7.T 1.2 6.9 6.2 0) 5.9 2.3 1.1 7.0 3.1 6.9 2.6 9.4 3.2 5.5 4.0 10.7 7.2 1.0 .4 7.3 3.3 7.0 9.9 12.3 4.7 2.0 .3 2.4 9.9 8.3 2.7 2.7 1.5 .1 3.1 5.9 United States. 6.5 11.4 11.7 1.3 6.3 2.6 6.1 9.3 9.1 9.8 3.9 2.7 7.5 12.0 10.2 3.9 10.1 10.7 9.3 5.2 5.6 Louisville, K y ---Memphis, Tenn... New Orleans, L a.. 2.4 .9 6.1 4.2 6.4 4.8 1.5 3.0 8.1 7.4 9.7 5.1 10.8 5.5 (1L 1.7 8.9 9.1 0) 2.5 6.3 .5 9.6 3.2 5.4 Lowfer than in 1910. Eggs, strictly fresh: Price in 1911- 3.4 7.1 5.4 6.3 3.5 7.3 6.1 2 N o data. 15 BETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911, P E R C EN T OF IN C R E A S E O R D E C R E A S E IN R E T A I L PR IC E S OF T H E P R IN C IP A L A R T I CLES OF F O O D : A V E R A G E P R IC E IN 1911 C O M P A R E D W IT H A V E R A G E P R IC E IN 1910, B Y C ITIE S A N D G E O G R A P H IC A L D IV ISIO N S—Concluded. Potatoes, Irish: Price in 1911- Sugar, granulated: Price in 1911- Milk, fresh: Price in 1911- City and geographical divisions. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Higher than in 1910. Lower than in 1910. Higher than in 1910. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. North Atlantic division: Boston, Mass........... Buffalo, N. Y .......... Fall River, Mass___ Manchester, N. H ... 6.0 8.8 12.8 44.4 24.3 21.4 Newark, N. J ....... New Haven, Conn New York, N. Y .. Philadelphia, P a.. (2) 19.8 .5 6.2 9.3 0) 8.8 (2) Lower than in 1910. Per cent. 0) 1.2 C1) 5.5 2.6 25.5 10.5 10.3 8.4 Pittsburgh, Pa.., Providence, R. I, Scranton, Pa___ 16.1 28.3 39.8 11.4 13.2 10.4 South Atlantic division: Atlanta, Ga............ . Baltimore, M d .____ Charleston, S. C....... 32.3 31.5 31.5 8.5 ............... 6.5 ................ 7.7 ................................. .4 28.1 39.3 35.6 9.5 9.6 7.1 36.5 35.9 34.7 42.5 36.7 13.9 7.7 35.2 32.3 30.4 5.0 ( 2) Jacksonville, Fla.. Richmond, V a___ W ashington, D . C . North Central division: Chicago, 111........ Cincinnati, O h io... Cleveland, Ohio___ Detroit, Mich......... Indianapolis, I n d .. Kansas City, M o .. Milwaukee, W is... Minneapolis, Minn, Omaha, Nebr....... St. Louis, Mo....... Louisville, K y . . . Memphis, Tenn.. New Orleans, La. Western division: Denver, Colo___ Los Angeles, Cal Portland, Oreg.. (x) .5 2.2 .5 8.2 ........................................ 4.0 0) 1.7 2.3 8.0 W .4 .8 0) C) 1.6 11.0 12.5 ( x) ( l) 8.2 47.8 3.9 8.4 9.9 23.0 34.2 32.9 7.0 9.3 13.0 27.9 39.3 29.8 11.8 28.7 21.6 South Central division: Birmingham, A la .. Dallas, T ex............ Little Rock, A rk... 3.7 ( l) 10.9 1.7 1.6 0) 8.2 43.5 ............... 9.5 ............... 33.8 ................................. 3.0 16.0 ................................. 1.0 .2 (l) 1.3 4.2 4.4 Salt Lake City, U tah... San Francisco, Cal....... Seattle, Wash............... 29.9 18.3 47.2 2.6 ............................ 1,0 .1 ............................. ...... 2.0 . . . . . . . . . . North Atlantic division South Atlantic division. North Central division. South Central division.. Western division.......... 25.8 33.1 35.4 31.1 31.5 8.8 ..................................... .6 13.0 ............... .5 ............... 1.0 ............... 1.3 ................ United States......... 1 N o change. ................. 8.4 31.4 2 1.4 1.5 1.3 9.3 O. . ......................... N o data. 4* A ................. 16 B U LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR. In order that the course of prices of each of the various articles through a series of years may be studied, relative prices have been computed for each of the 15 articles included in this investigation. These relative prices have also been combined so that the course of prices as a whole may be seen. A relative price, or index number, as it is technically called, o f any article is the per cent which the price of that article at any certain date is of the price of the same article at a date or period which has been selected as the base or standard. The value of the relative price is that it enables the reader to follow more readily the course of prices of a single article and when these relative prices, or index numbers, are combined, also to follow the course of prices of groups of articles. The base selected for the compilation of retail prices of food is the average price for the 10-year period, 1890 to 1899. This base period is the same as was used by the Bureau in previous reports on retail prices of food (Eighteenth Annual Report and Bulletins 59, 65, 71, and 77); in reports on wholesale prices (Bulletins 39, 45, 51, 57, 63, 69, 75, 81, 87, 93, and 99); and in reports on wages and hours of labor (Nineteenth Annual Report and Bulletins 59, 65, 71, and 77). The average for the 10-year period is used as the base for the reason that because of unusual conditions which may prevail in any one year an average price for a number of years more nearly represents normal conditions than does the price for a single year, The next table shows for each of the five geographical divisions and for the United States as a whole the relative retail prices of food for each year from 1890 to 1911 and also for each month of 1911. In the first section of the table is shown for each of the five geographical divisions and for the United States as a whole the simple average of the relative prices of the 15 articles. In computing the relative prices shown in the second section of the table for each of the five geographical divisions and for the United States, the relative price for each of the 15 articles was weighted according to average consump tion in workingmen’s families in the particular division or in the United States as a whole. The 15 articles represent approximately two-thirds of the expenditure for food in the average workingman’s family according to the Eighteenth Annual Report of the Commis sioner of Labor. The proportion of total expenditures represented by the 15 articles in each geographical division and in the United States as a whole, as shown by the Eighteenth Annual Report, was as follows: Per cent. North Atlantic division.............................................................................64.11 South Atlantic division............................................................................. 66.43 North Central division.............................................................................. 63.10 South Central division.............................................................................. 67.95 Western division ........................................................................................ 57.79 United States.................................................................................. 63.97 17 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911, The table of simple and weighted relatives follows: R E LA T IV E R E TA IL PRICES OF FOOD, SIMPLE AND W EIGH TED GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS, 1890 TO 1911. AVERAG ES, B Y [Average price for 1890-1899=100.0. The relative prices shown in this report for 1890 to 1907 do not exactly agree with those shown in Bulletin 77 for the reason that a smaller number of cities and a smaller number of articles are included.] Simple average of the relative prices of 15 principal articles, shown in detail on pages 21 and 22. Relative prices weighted according to the average consumption of the various arti cles of food in workingmen’ s families, shown in detail for each geographical divi sion on page 33. Year or month. North South North South WestNorth South North South West Cen Cen At At Cen Cen At At ern- United ern United lantic lantic lantic tral lantic tral tral tral States. vi States. divi divi divi di divi divi divi divi sion. divi divi sion. sion. sion. sion. sion. sion. sion. sion. sion. 101.7 102.7 101.7 104.8 99.4 100.4 101.8 101.2 102.5 99.5 102.0 104.5 101.8 106.4 100.0 100.6 103.2 99.9 104.2 100.3 106.0 107.6 104.0 103.0 98.1 102.0 103.6 101.7 104.6 99.5 101.9 102.1 101.8 104.4 99.2 100.6 101.6 101.2 102.7 99.6 101.7 104.4 101.9 106.2 99.6 100.9 102.8 100.1 104.2 100.4 105.2 106.9 103.4 102.1 98.0 101.9 103.4 101.6 104.1 99.2 1895................... 97.2 1896................... 95.7 1897................... 97.3 1898................... 100.3 1899................... 99.7 98.2 97.1 97.3 99.7 102.3 97.0 93.9 95.8 99.3 99.4 97.8 95.4 96.6 100.4 101.8 96.0 94.1 94.6 96.7 100.3 97.2 94.9 96.4 99.4 100.6 97.2 95.9 97.4 100.2 100.0 97.8 97.3 97.4 99.7 102.0 97.1 94.0 96.1 99.5 99.6 97.9 95.7 96.9 99.9 101.3 95.6 94.2 94.9 98.0 101.8 97.1 95.2 96.7 99.7 100.8 1900................... 1901................... 1902................... 1903............ . 1904................... 103.0 108.9 116.2 116.3 117.6 104.7 110.3 116.7 115.6 115.8 102.5 110.6 117.4 117.3 118.1 102.2 110.5 119.3 121.4 122.2 100.7 104.6 111.9 112.4 114.8 102.9 109.5 116.8 116.9 118.3 103.0 108.0 114.0 113.7 115.5 104.4 109.7 115.6 114.6 114.9 102.5 109.5 115.4 115.5 116.2 103.1 109.7 118.7 120.3 121.1 102.2 104.9 110.1 109.9 111.1 103.0 108.5 114.6 114.7 116.2 1905................... 1906................... 1907................... 1908................... 1909................... 116.8 121.4 126.4 129.2 134.7 116.3 120.8 126.4 131.0 139.2 118.1 122.3 127.3 133.1 141.4 122.4 125.8 131.7 138.8 148.3 115.4 118.9 125.5 128.4 137.4 118.3 122.4 128.0 132.5 140.3 115.0 119.1 123.9 126.5 131.2 115.7 120.0 125.9 129.8 137.8 116.3 120.6 126.0 131.5 139.1 121.3 125.0 130.9 137.5 147.1 111.8 115.0 121.8 123.9 131.3 116.4 1203 125.9 130.1 137.2 1910................... 140.3 1911................... 139.3 149.8 145.2 149.7 146.9 157.8 158.6 146.3 145.9 148.5 146.9 135.2 134.9 148.4 142.9 147.0 144.4 156.7 157.0 138.8 139.1 144.1 143.0 January............ 139.8 February......... 136.2 134.1 March........... 148.2 143.4 140.9 148.7 144.3 141.9 160.7 157.1 153.8 148.1 144.4 143.6 148.2 144.5 142.1 135.8 131.3 128.8 147.7 142.0 139.1 147.0 141.4 138.8 159.5 155.6 152.3 142.6 139.3 137.1 145.0 140.4 137.6 April................ 131. 8 May.................. 132.3 June................. 136.4 138.8 138.8 141.8 140.7 141.0 145.9 153.5 152.8 156.7 142.3 143.4 145.4 140.6 140.9 144.8 125.8 126.1 130.3 136.2 135.9 138.0 136.5 136.7 141.5 151.5 150.6 154.1 134.0 134.8 136.3 135.3 135.4 139.2 July.................. 141.7 August............. 142.7 September....... 143.4 148.0 148.9 150.2 150.4 149.6 150.2 160.5 161.4 160.9 147.5 145.4 145.1 149.4 149.4 149.8 135.7 137.3 138.7 142.9 145.0 147.2 146.2 146.5 148.0 157.8 159.1 159.3 138.5 138.1 138.7 143.7 144.5 145.7 October............ 143.7 November........ 144.3 December......... 144.6 148.7 148.1 148.4 148.0 149.4 151.4 159.6 160.4 163.1 147.0 149.2 147.5 149.1 149.8 150.6 140.2 142.8 144.2 147.1 147.6 148.5 147.1 149.4 152.2 158.5 159.7 162.9 141.6 144.8 144.0 146.2 148.3 150.0 1890................... 18 91............... 1892................... 1893................... 1894................... 1911. 57987°— 12----- 2 18 BULLETIN OF TH E BUKEAU OF LABOB. The last column of the above table shows that the relative price— computed by giving to each of the articles its weight according to average consumption in workingmen’s families— in 1890 was 101.9 per cent of the average price for the 10-year period 1890 to 1899. In 1891 prices advanced to 103.4; in 1892 there was a slight decline to 101.6; in 1893 an advance to 104.1. After this there was a gradual decline until the lowest price (95.2) in the 22 years covered by this report was reached in 1896. From that time each year showed an advance until the highest yearly price (144.1) in the 22 years was reached in 1910. The price (143.0) in 1911 showed a slight decline from 1910, but was higher than in any year from 1890 to 1909. The column of the above table which gives for the United States the relative price computed as a simple average of the 15 principal articles of food shows that the course of the simple average is exactly the same as the course of the weighted, but the simple relative goes lower during the period of low prices and higher during the period of high prices. The lowest relative price (both simple and weighted averages) was reached in each of the geographical divisions in the United States as a whole in 1896. The highest price (both simple and weighted averages) was reached in the South Central division in 1911; for the Western division the simple average of the relative price was highest in 1910 and the weighted average was highest in 1911. In the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and North Central divisions, and in the United States as a whole the relative price (both simple and weighted averages) was highest in 1910. The next table compares for each of the geographical divisions and for the United States as a whole the average price in 1911 with the average price in each of the preceding 21 years, 1890 to 1910, inclu sive. Comparisons are made both of the simple averages and of the relatives weighted according to average consumption in working men’s families. The last column shows that food prices (when the prices for the various articles are weighted according to average consumption in workingmen’s families) in 1911 were 40.3 per cent higher than in 1890, 38.3 per cent higher than in 1891, 50.2 per cent higher than in 1896, and 0.8 per cent lower than in 1910. 19 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 191L PER CENT OF INCREASE OR DECREASE IN RETA IL PRICES OF ALL ARTICLES OF FOOD FOR WHICH D ATA ARE SHOWN IN THIS R E PO RT: AVERAGE FOR 1911 COMPARED W ITH THE AVERAGE FOR EACH OF THE 21 PRECEDING YEA R S, B Y GEOGRAPH ICAL DIVISIONS. Simple average of the relative prices of 15 principal articles, shown in detail on pages 21 and 22. Price in 1911— North Atlantic division. South Atlantic division. North Central division. South Central division. Western division. United States. Higher than in 1899.................. Lower than in 1890................... 37.0 44.6 44.0 57.7 37.6 44.0 Higher than in 1891................. 35.6 42.6 40.6 53. T 35.6 41.8 Higher than in 1892................. Lower than in 1892................... 37.0 43.5 44.3 58.8 40.3 44.4 Higher than in 1893................. 32.9 41.7 38.1 52.2 41.7 40.4 Higher than in 1894................. Lower than in 1894.................. 40.1 45.9 46.9 58.1 48.7 47.6 Higher than in 1895......... ....... Lower than in 1895................... 43.3 47.9 51.4 62.2 52.0 51.1 Higher than in 1896................. Lower than in 1896................... 45.6 49.5 56.4 66.2 55.0 54.8 Higher than in 1897................. Lower than in 1897 ................. 43.2 49.2 53.3 64.2 54.2 52.4 Higher than in 1898................. Lower than in 1898................... 38.9 45.6 47.9 58.0 50.9 47.8 Higher than in 1899................. Lower than in 1899................... 39.7 41.9 47.8 55.8 45.5 46.0 Higher than in 1900................. Lower than in 1900................... 35.2 38.7 43.3 55.2 44.9 42.8 Higher than in 1901................. Lower than in 1901................... 27.9 31.6 32.8 43.5 39.5 34.2 Higher than in 1902................. Lower than in 1902................... 19.9 24.4 25.1 32.9 30.4 25.8 Higher than in 1903.................. Lower than in 1903.................. 19.8 25.6 25.2 30.6 29.8 25.7 Higher than in 1904.................. Lower than in 1904.................. 18.5 25.4 24.4 29.8 27.1 24.2 Higher than in 1905................. Lower than in 1905.................. 19.3 24.8 24.4 29.6 26.4 24.2 Higher than in 1906................. Lower than in 1906................... 14.7 20.2 20.1 26.1 22.7 20.1 Higher than in 1907................. Lower than in 1907................... 10.2 ♦ 14.9 15.4 20.4 16.3 14.8 Higher than in 1908................. Lower than in 1908................... 7.8 10.8 10.4 14.3 13.6 10.9 Higher than in 1909................. Lower than in 1909.................. 3.4 4.3 3.9 6.9 6.2 4.7 Higher than in 1910................. Lower than in 1910.................. 0.7 3.! 0.5 1.9 0.3 1.1 B U LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR, 20 P E R CENT OF IN CREASE OR DECREASE IN R E T A IL PRICES OF A L L ARTICLES OF FOOD FOR WHICH D A T A A R E SHOWN IN THIS R E P O R T : A V E R A G E FO R 1911 COM PARED W ITH THE A V E R A G E FOR EACH OF TH E 21 PRECEDING Y E A R S , B Y G E O GRAPH ICAL DIVISIONS—Concluded. Relative prices weighted according to the average consumption of the various articles of food in workingmen’s families, shown in detail for each geographical division on page 33. jrnoe in xyxi— North Atlantic division. . South Atlantic division. North Central division. South Central division. Western division. United States. Higher than in 1S90.................. Lower than in 1890................... 32.4 42.0 42.0 55.6 32.2 40.3 Higher than in 1891.................. Lower than in 1891................... 32.1 40.6 38.3 52.7 36.1 38.3 Higher than in 1892................. Lower than in 1892.................. 32.5 41.2 41.7 66.8 34.5 40.7 Higher than in 1893................. Lower than in 1893.................. 29.2 39.1 36.0 50.7 38.2 37.4 Higher than in 1894.................. Lower than in 1894.................. 36.0 43.5 45.0 56.4 41.9 44.2 Higher than in 1895................. Lower than in 1895.................. 38.8 46.1 48.7 60.4 45.5 47.3 Higher than in 1896................. Lower than in 1896.................. 40.7 46.9 53.6 64.1 47.7 50.2 Higher than in 1897................. Lower than in 1897.................. 38.5 46.7 50.3 62.0 46.6 47.9 Higher than in 1898................. Lower than in 1898........ ......... 34.6 43.3 45.1 67.2 41.9 43.4 Higher than in 1899................. Lower than in 1899 ............... 34.6 40.1 45.6 55.0 36.6 41.9 Higher than in 1900................. Lower than in 1900................... 31.0 36.9 40.9 52.3 36.1 38.8 Higher than in 1901.................. Lower than in 1901................... 24.6 30.3 31.9 43.1 32.8 31.8 Higher than in 1902................. Lower than in 1902................... 18.3 23.6 25.1 32.3 26.3 24.8 Higher than in 1903.................. Lower than in 1903................... 18.6 24.7 25.0 30.5 26.6 24.7 Higher than in 1904................. Lower than in 1904................... 16.8 24.4 24.3 29.6 25.2 23.1 Higher than in 1905.................. Lower than in 1905................... 17.3 23.5 24.2 29.4 24.4 22.9 Higher than in 1906................ Lower than in 1906. ............... 13.3 19.1 19.7 25.6 21.0 18.9 Higher than in 1907................. Lower than in 1907.................. 8.9 13.5 14.6 19.9 14.2 13.6 Higher than in 1908.................. Lower than in 1908................... 6.6 10.1 9.8 14.2 12.3 9.9 Higher than in 1909................. Lower than in 1909................. 2.8 3.7 3.8 6.7 5.9 4.2 0.2 0.2 Higher than in 1910................. Lower than in 1910.................. 0.2 3.7 1.8 0.8 21 RET A ll, PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. The relative retail prices in the United States, considered as a whole, of each of the 15 principal articles of food for the 22 years, 1890 to 1911, are presented in the table which follows. General Table II, in Fart II of this Bulletin, shows similar data for each of the five geographical divisions. This table shows yearly prices for 1890 to 1911 and also prices each month during 1911. R E LA T IV E R E TA IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES, 1890 TO 1911, B Y ARTICLES. (Average price for 1890-1899=100.0.J Year or month. Sirloin steak. Round steak. Ribroast. Pork chops. Bacon, smoked. Ham, smoked. Lard, pure. Hens. 1890............................. 1891............................. 1892............................. 1893............................. 1894...................... . 99.3 99. 7 99.6 99.4 98.1 97.6 98.0 98.0 98.5 97.4 98.7 99.6 99.6 98.4 97.9 96.5 98.8 101.1 105.0 100.9 96.5 97.2 .99.9 108.9 102.5 98.3 99.5 101.5 107.1 101.7 98.5 100.0 104.4 119.2 106.4 102.8 104.8 104.2 104.3 98.2 1895 ........................... 1896............................. 1897 ........................... 1898............................. 1899............................. 98.7 98.8 99.6 102.1 104.4 98.2 100.5 101.8 102.8 107.0 97.9 99.4 100.1 102.2 106.1 99.7 97.8 97.5 99.7 103.2 98.7 96.3 97.0 100.2 102.9 98.9 96,5 98.5 97.2 100.5 99.8 92.1 89.0 93.5 97.1 97.3 96.1 92.3 96.8 103.4 1900............................. 1901............................. 1902........................... . 1903............................. 1904............................. 107.1 109.4 114.6 110.6 111.0 109.8 114.0 122.3 116.8 120.8 109.3 112.7 118.6 117.0 117.0 108.9 119.0 127.8 126.1 123.1 110.3 121.3 135.9 140.4 138.5 106.9 111.1 120.6 122.1 119.4 104.9 119.6 135.6 126.0 116.3 99.0 105.0 113.6 119. 3 120.6 1905............................. 1906............................. 1907............................. 1908............................. 1909............................. 110.6 114.2 116.7 119.9 126.1 120.0 124.4 128.4 135.5 140.6 116.2 120.5 123.0 126.7 132.2 125.0 135.9 140.9 144.6 158.7 139.3 150.5 157.7 163.2 176 4 119.4 127.8 131.0 133.8 142.1 115.8 127.3 133.5 134.3 150.5 123.6 128.0 131.3 134, 9 145. 7 1910............................. 1911............................. 134.0 134.9 149.9 152.6 137.7 138.6 178.3 170. 3 204.4 197.2 159.4 155.9 172.9 145.3 155.0 15 L 6 1911. January..................... February................... March........................ 134.0 133.7 134.3 150.9 151.1 132. 5 137.8 138.0 138.7 170.5 168.4 167.6 203.5 201.1 198.6 155.4 154.8 153.8 161.1 158.5 151.4 154.7 155. 5 156.9 A p ril......................... May............................ June........................... 134.3 135.8 136.2 153.0 154.2 155.1 139.8 140.0 139.4 167.4 166.8 167.3 196.5 196.9 196.8 153.4 154.3 157.0 145.2 140.9 139.5 153.7 156.1 152.3 July............................ August....................... September................. 136.8 137.3 135.8 154.6 154.7 153.2 138.4 138.9 138.8 171.0 180.7 183.4 199.3 200.1 199.4 160.5 162.3 159.8 138.6 139. 8 142.6 151.9 150.1 149.4 October...................... November................. December.................. 133.9 133.0 132.8 151.7 149.8 149.6 137.9 137.2 137.4 179.1 160.8 155.4 193.2 190.7 187.8 157.4 153.1 150.9 142.5 142.6 141.3 147.3 143.2 142.9 22 BULLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR. R E LA T IV E R E T A IL PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES, 1890 TO 1911, B Y ARTICLES—Concluded. [Average price for 1890-1899=100.0.] Year or month. Wheat flour. Com meal. Eggs, strictly fresh. Butter, creamery. Potatoes, Irish. Sugar, granulated. Milk, fresh. 1890............................. 1891............................. 1892............................. 1893............................. 1894............................. 110.2 112.4 104.0 95.1 88.3 101.3 111.5 107.7 104.0 104.4 100.3 105.6 105.3 105.5 97.4 99.2 105.7 106.8 108.6 102.0 109.0 117.1 95.4 111.8 101.8 120.8 103.1 96.9 102.6 95.2 100.4 100.5 100.5 100.5 100.3 1895............................. 1896............................. 1897............................. 1898............................. 1899............................. 89.6 94.2 104.7 106.9 94.8 101.0 92.8 91.2 92.9 92.9 98.8 90.3 94.0 97.9 101.6 97.4 93.1 93.7 95.8 97.6 90.6 78.8 92.5 103.9 98.8 91.8 96.2 94.3 99.7 99.6 99.4 100.1 100.0 99.8 98.8 1900............................. 1901............................. 1902............................. 1903............................. 1904............................. 94.6 94.9 95.6 102.1 118.3 95.6 107.6 123.9 122.1 122.9 99.1 107.7 119.4 125.1 131.1 101.2 103.0 109.8 110.2 108.1 92.8 114.0 116.7 114.7 119.0 103.9 102.1 92.8 93.7 100.4 100.0 101.4 104.1 107.4 107.4 1905............................. 1906............................. 1907............................. 1908............................. 1900............................. 118.6 108.3 118.2 127.1 138.1 123.5 124.5 133.5 142.6 145.7 131.3 134.2 138.2 142.8 154.7 111.4 118.3 127.3 127.9134.3 109.3 114.6 122.2 129.8 133.4 101.8 97.2 98.7 101.3 100.0 108.1 110.0 118.9 123.2 126.2 1910............................. 1911............................. 135.9 127.9 147.9 147.2 158.2 150.2 139.9 131.3 119.5 157.0 102.5 111.1 131.6 132.7 January...................... February.................... March......................... 130.3 129.2 127.5 144.6 144.6 143.7 185.1 145.9 123.6 140.7 133.1 128.1 119.2 119.0 121.2 99.9 98.9 99.5 135.1 135.2 134.2 April........................... May............................. June............................ 126.2 125.9 125.8 144.5 145.1 145.2 112.9 110.4 112.8 117.8 114.8 115.6 126.5 142.5 196.9 99.9 100.9 102.4 132.3 129.6 129.8 July............................. August........................ September.................. 125.8 126.7 127.6 146.9 148.7 149.5 122.1 133.0 146.7 119.4 126.2 131.0 240.1 197.6 167.8 105.3 115.0 130.2 129.9 130.5 131.5 October....................... November................... December................... 129.5 130.2 129.5 151.2 152.3 151.9 163.4 196.2 207.3 138.9 149.7 159.5 144.1 149.0 159.0 132.2 124.9 118.2 133.8 134.9 135.0 1911. In the above table, as in the preceding table of relative prices, the average price for the 10-year period, 1890 to 1899, is the base or 100.0. The figures in the column for sirloin steak, for example? indicate that if the price of sirloin steak for the 10-year period, 1890 .to 1899, be considered 100.0, the price in 1890 was 99.3, or 0.7 per cent below the average for 1890 to 1899; the price in 1911 was 134.9, or 34.9 per cent above the average for 1890 to 1899, etc. RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 23 The table which follows shows for the United States the lowest and the highest yearly relative price of each of the 15 principal articles of food during the 22 years, 1890 to 1911, and the year in which the lowest and the highest yearly price was reached. LOW EST AND HIGHEST Y E A R L Y R E LATIVE PRICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD IN THE UNITED STATES, 1890 TO 1911, B Y ARTICLES. [Average price for 1890-1899=100.0] Lowest. Article. Highest. Rela Rela Year. tive Year. tive price. price. Sirloin steak..................... 1894 98.1 Round steak.................... 1894 97.4 J1894 R ibroast.......................... J97.9 [1895 Pork chops....................... 1890 96.5 Bacon, sm oked............... 1896 96.3 Ham, smoked.................. 1896 96.5 Lard, pure........................ 1897 89.0 Hens................................. 1897 92.3 Wheat flour...................... 1894 88.3 Corn meal......................... 1897 91.2 Eggs, strictly fresh.......... 1896 90.3 Butter, creamery............. 1896 93.1 Potatoes, Irish................. 1896 78.8 Sugar, granulated............ 1895 91.8 Milk, fresh........................ 1899 98.8 1911 1911 134.9 152.6 1911 138.6 1910 1910 1910 1910 1910 1909 1910 1910 1910 1911 1890 1911 178.3 204.4 159.4 172.9 155.0 138.1 147.9 158.2 139.9 157.0 120.8 132.7 Of the 15 articles for which prices are shown the lowest yearly relative price during the 22 years was reached by one in 1890, three in 1894, one in 1894 and 1895 (the price being the same for the two years), one in 1895, five in 1896, three in 1897, and one in 1899. The highest yearly relative price was reached by one in 1890, one in 1909, eight in 1910, and five in 1911. Certain of the articles included in this report are related in such a way as to make a comparison of the course of prices of such articles interesting. The group designated in the table which follows as “ cattle products” includes sirloin steak, round steak, and ribroast; the group designated as “ dairy products” includes fresh milk and 24 B U LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR, creamery butter; and the group designated as “ hog products” includes pork chops, smoked bacon, smoked ham, and pure lard. R E LA TIV E R E TA IL PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES OF CERTAIN GROUPS OF R E LA T E D ARTICLES OF FOOD, 1890 TO 1911. [Average price for 1890-1899=100.0.] Cattle products. Year or month. Dairy products. Sirloin Round steak. steak. Rib roast. Milk, fresh. Hog products. Butter, Pork Bacon, cream chops. smoked. Ham, Lard, smoked. pure. ery. 1890......................................... 1891......................................... 1892......................................... 1893......................................... 1894......................................... 99.3 99.7 99.6 99.4 98.1 97.6 98.0 98.0 98.5 97.4 98.7 99.6 99.6 98.4 97.9 100.4 100.5 100.5 100.5 100.3 99.2 105.7 106.8 108.6 102.0 96.5 98.8 101.1 105.0 100.9 96.5 97.2 99.9 108.9 102.5 98.3 99.5 101.5 107.1 101.7 98.5 100.0 104.4 119.2 106.4 1895......................................... 1896......................................... 1897......................................... 18 98.......................... ........... 1899......................................... 98.7 98.8 99.6 102.1 104.4 98.2 100.5 101.8 102.8 107.0 97.9 99.4 100.1 102.2 106.1 99.4 100.1 100.0 99.8 98.8 97.4 93.1 93.7 95.8 97.6 99.7 97.8 97.5 99.7 103.2 98.7 96.3 97.0 100.2 102.9 98.9 96r5 98.5 97.2 100.5 99.8 92.1 89.0 93.5 97.1 1900........................................ 1901......................................... 1902......................................... 1903.................................... . 1904................... ..................... 107.1 109.4 114.6 110.6 111.0 109.8 114.0 122.3 116.8 120.8 109.3 112.7 118.6 117.0 117.0 100.0 101.4 104.1 107.4 107.4 101.2 103.0 109.8 110.2 108.1 108.9 119.0 127.8 126.1 123.1 110.3 121.3 135.9 140.4 138.5 106.9 111.1 120.6 122.1 119.4 104.9 119.6 135.6 126.0 116.3 1905......................................... 1906......................................... 1907......................................... 1908....................................... . 1909......................................... 110.6 114.2 116.7 119.9 126.1 120.0 124.4 128.4 135.5 140.6 116.2 120.5 123.0 126.7 132.2 108.1 110.0 118.9 123.2 126.2 111.4 118.3 127.3 127.9 134.3 125.0 135.9 140.9 144.6 158.7 139.3 150.5 157.7 163.2 176.4 119.4 127.8 131.0 133.8 142.1 115.8 127.3 133.5 134.3 150.5 1910......................................... 1911......................................... 134.0 134.9 149.9 152.6 137.7 138.6 131.6 132.7 139.9 131.3 178.3 170.3 204.4 197.2 159.4 155.9 172.9 145.3 January.................................. February................................ March..................................... 134.0 133.7 134.3 150.9 151.1 152.5 137.8 138.0 138.7 135.1 135.2 134.2 140.7 133.1 128.1 170.5 168.4 167.6 203.5 201.1 198.6 155.4 154.8 153.8 161.1 158.5 151.4 April....................................... May..............................*.......... June........................................ 134.3 135.8 136.2 153.0 154.2 155.1 139.8 140.0 139.4 132.3 129.6 129.8 117.8 114.8 115.6 167.4 166.8 167.3 196.5 196.9 196.8 153.4 154.3 157.0 145.2 140.9 139.5 July........................................ August. : ................................ September.............................. 136.8 137.3 135.8 154.6 154.7 153.2 138.4 138.9 138.8 129.9 130.5 131.5 119.4 126.2 131.0 171.0 180.7 183.4 199.3 200.1 199.4 160.5 162.3 159.8 138.6 139.8 142.6 October.................................. November.............................. December............................... 133.9 133.0 132.8 151.7 149.8 149.6 137.9 137.2 137.4 133.8 134.9 135.0 138.9 149.7 159.5 179.1 160.8 155.4 193.2 190.7 187.8 157.4 153.1 150.9 142.5 142.6 141.3 1911. The price of each of the three articles shown under “ cattle prod ucts” was higher in 1891 than in 1890; the price of sirloin steak lower and the price of both round steak and ribroast the same in 1892 as in 1891; the prices of sirloin steak and ribroast lower and of round steak higher in 1893 than in 1892; the prices of all three lower in 1894 than in 1893; the prices of sirloin steak and round steak higher and of ribroast the same in 1895 as in 1894; in each year from 1896 to 1902, inclusive, the prices of each of the three articles advanced; in 1903 all three declined; in 1904 sirloin steak and round steak advanced and ribroast remained the same as in 1903; in 1905 all declined; in each year from 1906 to 1911, inclusive, the price of each of the three Digitized for articles FRASER advanced. RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 25 B R E A D W E IG H T S . The price of a loaf of bread as a rule is practically fixed by custom, the 5-cent loaf being by far the most commonly sold, the 10-cent loaf predominating in a few localities, and sharing the popularity of the 5-cent loaf in others. The baker, therefore, varies the weight of the loaf as the price of the materials used rises or falls. In recent years a noteworthy change has taken place in bakery methods. The small plant, using in the main hand processes and frequently selling chiefly at retail, is being rapidly replaced by the large modern bakery using machine methods of production and more or less closely restricted to a wholesale business. The brand name has become an important factor, and the change of names and for mulas is more or less frequent, It was found impossible, in most cases, to get satisfactory informa tion as to the weight of the loaf of bread prior to 1911. It therefore became necessary to omit the data for bread from the general table for 1907-1911, and no relative prices for bread were computed for that period. More satisfactory information as to bread weights is, how ever, now being received monthly from the chief baking establish ments of the 39 cities covered by this report and will be printed cur rently with the future retail price reports of the Bureau. In a few cities satisfactory information was secured for the period 1907 to 1911, and the data from two of them, designated below as City A and City B, are presented in the following tables. Both of these cities represent a high development of the bakery business by modern factory methods. All graham, rye, special, and restaurant breads are excluded, except as noted for one firm, and no “ French” breads were reported. The tables include only wheat breads, retailed by grocers to a regular family trade. It is to be noted that the bread weights shown in these tables are the scaling weights, i. e., the weight of the loaf before it is baked. While it would be highly desirable to present the weight of the loaf as actually purchased by the consumer, the complications involved in the relation of the scaled weight to the weight of the bread when it passes over the retailer’s counter were found to be such that it was impossible to do so. The loss of weight in baking varies with the formula, with the style of loaf, and with the temperature of the oven. A further element of uncertainty affecting weights enters before the consumer actually gets the loaf. The weight of course varies with the time intervening between the removal of the loaf from the oven and its final distribution to the consumer, the loss by evaporization also being partly determined by the conditions under which the bread is kept and by the state of the atmosphere. The customary loss in baking is variously estimated by bakers, but it may be said that a loaf scaled at 18 ounces will, when cold, if han dled under ordinary conditions, weigh not far from 16 ounces, and a 26 BU LLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR. loaf scaled at 16 ounces will, when baked and cooled, weigh about 14J ounces. As noted above, however, the range of loss varies widely. The tables below are believed to represent fairly typical conditions during the years covered. B R EAD WEIGHTS: SCALING W EIGH T (W EIGHT OF DOUGH BEFORE BAKING), IN OUNCES, OF W H E A T B R EAD IN TWO CITIES E V E R Y SECOND MONTH, 1907 TO 1910, AND E V E R Y MONTH DURING 1911, B Y FIRMS. [The weights quoted are for the 15th of each month for which data are shown.] City A. Firm No. I. Firm No. II. Firm No. III. C ity B. Firm No. IV. Firm No. I. Firm No. II. Year and month. Brands Average Average Brand A, B, of all of all A— and C— brands— brands1 5-cent 5-cent 5-cent 5-cent loaf. loaf. loaf. loaf. Brands B and C— 5-cent loaf. Brand A— 5-cent loaf. Brand B— 5-cent loaf. Brand A— 5-cent loaf. Brand B— 5-cent loaf. 1907. January........ March............ May.............. July............... September... November... Ounces. Ounces. Ounces. Ounces. Ounces. 21 224 21 m 194 21 224 21 174 194 22 21 20 174 194 Ounces. Ounces. Ounces. Ounces, 16 164 18 16 16 16 18 16 16 16 18 16 174 174 174 194 194 194 19 19 19 21 20 19 194 18 18 16 16 16 16 16 16 18 18 17 16 16 16 January......... March............ May........... 174 174 174 ISf 18§ 18f 18 18 18 19 19 19 174 174 174 15 15 15 154 154 15 17 17 16 16 15 15 July............... September... N ovem ber... 174 174 174 18§ 18§ 18§ 18 18 18 19 19 19 174 174 174 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 15 15 15 January......... March............ May............... 174 174 174 17S 17§ 17§ 18 18 17 184 19 184 174 174 174 154 15 15 15 144 144 16 16 154 14 14 14 July............... September... November... 174 174 174 }3 17 17 164 164 17 18 18 18 174 174 174 15 15 15 144 15 15 154 154 154 14 14 14 January......... March............ May............... m 20 20 17 17 17 164 17 17 184 18 184 17 17 174 16 15 15 15 144 15 15 15 15 14 14 14 July............... September... N ovem ber... 18 m 174 17 •174 174 17 164 164 18 174 18 17 17 174 15 15 15 15 15 15 16 16 16 14 15 15 January......... February___ March............ 174 174 174 174 174 174 164 17 174 184 184 19 17 17 174 16 16 16 15 15 154 16 16 16 15| April............. May............... June.............. 174 174 174 174 174 174 18 18 19 19 19 19 174 174 174 16 16 16 154 16 16 16 17 17 154 July............... August.......... September... 174 174 174 174 174 174 19 19 19 19 19 19 174 174 174 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 16 16 16 16 16 October......... Novem ber... December___ 174 174 174 174 174 174 19 19 18 19 19 19 174 174 174 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ 1 In this report a small amount of rye bread is included in the average. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis 154 154 16 16 27 R E T A IL P R IC E S , 1890 TO 1911. COAL. Retail prices of coal for household use were slightly higher in 1911 than in 1907. Average annual prices computed from a simple average of quotations on January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15, show that Pennsylvania anthracite white ash, stove size, in ton lots, as reported from 29 cities, was 0.9 per cent higher in 1911 than in 1907. Pennsylvania anthracite white ash, chestnut size, in ton lots, as reported from 28 cities, was 2.5 per cent higher in 1911 than in 1907. Bituminous coal in ton lots, as reported from 31 cities, was 1.0 per cent higher in 1911 than in 1907. A comparison of prices on January 15, 1911, with prices on January 15, 1907, shows a somewhat greater change in price. White ash stove advanced 1.6 per cent, white ash chestnut advanced 2.8 per cent, and bituminous advanced 3.9 per cent. Coal prices have never before been included in the retail price reports of the Bureau of Labor, and therefore no summary for the period for which food prices are summarized in this report is possible. The table which follows shows the relative prices of coal in each of the five geographical divisions and in the United States as a whole, each year from 1907 to 1911. The first section of the table compares the average price for each year, 1908 to 1911, inclusive, with the aver age price for 1907. The second section compares the midwinter price on January 15 of each year, 1908 to 1911, inclusive, with the price on January 15, 1907. R E LA T IV E R E TA IL PRICES OF COAL IN TON LOTS FOR HOUSEHOLD USE, 1907 TO 1911, B Y CITIES AND B Y GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS. Average price for 1907=100.0. ----------------------------•-----------------------------------------------------Pennsylvania anthracite white ash. Bituminous. Geographical division. Chestnut. Stove. 1908 1909 1910 1911 1908 1909 1910 1911 1908 1909 1910 1911 North Atlantic.. 100.7 South A tlantic.. 102.3 North Central... 99.7 South Central... 100.6 Western............. 99.4 101.0 101.3 99.6 100.9 99.4 100.1 101.4 100.5 101.0 99.4 100.6 102.9 100.6 101.1 96.7 100.7 102.4 99.7 100.3 101.0 101.4 99.6 99.7 100.2 101.7 100.6 100.5 102.6 104.4 102.4 101.1 98.9 100.3 99.8 99.9 101.8 96.5 101.3 97.9 96.0 100.2 97.2 101.5 102.6 99.4 101.2 97.4 105.8 102.5 98.7 101.8 United States. 100.5 100.5 100.5 100.9 100.5 100.4 100.6 102.5 100.0 98.1 100.5 101.0 Price on January 15, 1 9 0 7 = 1 0 0 .0 . North Atlantic.. South Atlantic.. North Central... South Central... Western............. 103.0 103.2 100.2 100.7 98.8 103.0 103.2 100.0 101.3 98.8 103.5 100.9 101.1 101.5 98.8 102.3 103.2 100.8 101.5 96.1 103.0 103.7 100.1 100.7 102.9 103.7 100.0 100.3 103.5 101.1 101.2 102.0 103.5 103.9 102.3 101.5 102.8 101.9 101.0 102.1 108.5 98.0 102.5 99.1 98.0 107.6 97.7 102.5 101.0 101.8 106.2 99.0 106.7 104.6 103.1 108.3 United States. 101.6 101.6 101.9 101.6 101.8 101.6 102.1 102.8 102.9 100.5 101.4 103.9 28 B U LLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR. In the above table the relatives for each geographical division were computed simply by dividing the sum of the relatives for the several cities for which coal prices were quoted by the number of cities included. The United States relatives were computed by dividing the sum of rela tives for all cities included in this report by the number of such cities. General Table III, in Part II of this Bulletin shows actual prices of coal from 1907 to 1911, and General Table PV shows relative prices for each city on ton lots of Pennsylvania anthracite white ash, stove size; Pennsylvania anthracite white ash, chestnut size; and bituminous. No relative prices were computed for the few quotations for Colorado anthracite and other kinds of coal. Nor were relative prices com puted for Pennsylvania anthracite or bituminous sold in half-ton lots and in bushel lots. The price of half-ton lots generally follows the price of ton lots, but the bushel price (for small lots) generally remains the same year after year without any reduction during the summer months, as is customary in most cities for sales of ton or half-ton lots. Emphasis is placed upon the fact that the coal prices quoted are for coal for household use and do not include contracts for large quantities which are usually made at a considerably lower price. GAS. Net prices of manufactured gas for household use are included in this report for 37 cities, natural gas for 5 cities, and mixed manufac tured and natural gas for 1 city. Net price data are shown through out the five years 1907 to 1911, inclusive, for manufactured gas in 35 cities. In those 35 cities the prices on April 15, 1911, compared with the price on April 15, 1907, show an advance in one city, no change in 20 cities, and a reduction in 14 cities (including Detroit and Wash ington, in each of which cities the price quoted by one company was unchanged, and not including New York, in which city the price quoted by one company was reduced). Natural gas prices are quoted throughout the five-year period for five cities, and the price was unchanged in all cities excepting Pitts burgh, where the prices charged by four companies were advanced and the price charged by one company reduced. Gas prices have never before been included in the retail price reports of the Bureau of Labor, and therefore no summary for the period for which food prices are summarized in this report is possible. The net prices per 1,000 cubic feet charged for manufactured gas, for household lighting purposes, on April 15, 1911, were as follows: SIXTY CENTS. Indianapolis, Ind. SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS. Los Angeles, Cal. (1 company). RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 29 EIGHTY CENTS. Boston, Mass. (1 company). Cleveland, Ohio. Detroit, Mich. Fall River, Mass. Los Angeles, Cal. (1 company). Milwaukee, Wis. New York, N. Y. (8 companies). St. Louis, Mo. EIGHTY-FIVE CENTS. Boston, Mass. (1 company). Chicago, 111. Minneapolis, Minn. Washington, D. C. (1 company). NINETY CENTS. Baltimore, Md. Boston, Mass. (1 company). Denver, Colo. Providence, R. I. Richmond, Ya. NINETY-FIVE CENTS. Scranton, Pa. New Haven, Conn. Portland, Oreg. ONE DOLLAR. New York, N. Y . (2 companies). Philadelphia, Pa. Pittsburgh, Pa. Seattle, Wash. Washington, D. C. (1 company). Atlanta, Ga. Birmingham, Ala. Buffalo, N. Y. Louisville, Ky. Memphis, 'Penn. Newark, N. J. ONE DOLLAR AND TEN CENTS. Manchester, N. H. ONE DOLLAR AND FIFTEEN CENTS. New Orleans, La. Omaha, Nebr. ONE'DOLLAR AND TWENTY CENTS. Charleston, S. C. ONE DOLLAR AND TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. Jacksonville, Fla. Little Rock, Ark. ONE DOLLAR AND THIRTY CENTS. Salt Lake City, Utah. The net prices charged per 1,000 cubic feet for natural gas, iY household use, on April 15, 1911, were as follows: TWENTY-FIVE CENTS. Kansas City, Mo. 30 B U LLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR. TWENTY-SEVEN AND ONE-HALF CENTS. Pittsburgh; Pa. THIRTY CENTS. Buffalo, N. Y. Cincinnati, Ohio. Cleveland, Ohio. The net price charged for the mixed manufactured and natural gas used in Louisville, K y., was 65 cents per 1,000 cubic feet. COST OF L IV IN G . As stated in several places in the preceding pages, the weighted relative prices for food given in this report were computed from the relative prices of the several articles and the consumption of the sev eral articles in workingmen’s families as set forth in the Eighteenth Annual Report of this Bureau. In preparing the Eighteenth Annual Report data relative to ex penditures were obtained in detail from 2,567 families, including 13,643 persons. Certain of the summary tables from that report are here reproduced because of their interest, and more especially because they are used in preparing several of the tables in this report. The table which follows shows, by geographical divisions, the total number of families reporting expenditures in detail, average size of family and average income, average expenditure for all purposes, and average expenditure for food per family for the year 1901: NUMBER OF FAMILIES, AVERAGE SIZE OF FAMILY, AVERAG E INCOME PER FAM ILY. AVERAGE E X PE N D ITU R E PER FAMILY FOR A L L PURPOSES, AND AVERAG E E X PENDITURE PER FAM ILY FOR FOOD, B Y GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS, 1901. [From Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, p. 647.] Geographical division. Fami lies. Average Average size of income per family. family. Average expendi ture per family for all purposes. Average expendi ture per family for food. North Atlantic..................................................... South Atlantic..................................................... North Central....................................................... South Central....................................................... Western .............................................................. 1,415 219 721 122 90 5.25 5.30 5.46 5.65 4.69 $834.83 762.78 842.60 715.46 891. 82 $778.04 700.62 785.95 690.11 751.46 $338.10 298.64 321.60 292.68 308.53 United States............................................. 2,567 5.31 827.19 768.54 326.90 31 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911, The table which follows shows, for the 2,567 families reporting expenditures in detail, the average amount per family expended in one year for each of the principal items entering into the cost of living, and also the per cent which the amount expended for each item is of the total family expenditure: AVERAGE E X PE N D ITU R E OF 2,567 W ORKINGMEN'S FAMILIES FOR EACH OF THE PRIN CIPAL ITEMS EN TERIN G INTO COST OF LIVING AND PE R CENT OF AVERAG E TOTAL E XPE N D ITU R E, 1901. [From Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, p. 648.] Expenditure based on all families. Item of expenditure. Per cent of total Average. expendi ture. Food.................................................................................................................................... Rent............................................4...................................................................................... Mortgage: Principal........................................... ' ......................................................................... Interest......................................................................................................................... Fuel..................................................................................................................................... Lighting.............................................................................................................................. Clothing: Husband...................................................................................................................... W ife.............................................................................................................................. Children....................................................................................................................... Taxes................................................................................................................................... Insurance: Property....................................................................................................................... Life............................................................................................................................... Organizations: Labor............................................................................................................................ Other............................................................................................................................ Religious purposes............................................................................................................. Charity................................................................................................................................ Furniture and utensils...................................................................................................... Books and newspapers...................................................................................................... Amusements and vacatioiis.............................................................................................. $326.90 99.49 • 42.54 12.95 i 8.15 23.98 32.23 8.15 1.06 .52 4.19 1.06 33.73 26.03 48.08 5.79 4.39 3.39 6.26 .75 1.53 19.44 .20 2.53 3.87 5.18 7 62 2.39 26.31 8.35 12.28 .50 .67 .99 .31 3.42 1.09 1.60 Intoxicating liquors........................................................................................................... Tobacco............................................................................................................................... Sickness and death......................................................................................................... Other purposes................................................................................................................... 12.44 10.93 20.54 45.13 1.62 1.42 2. 67 5.87 Total......................................................................................................................... 768.54 100.00 1 Including interest paid by 13 families. 2 Not including interest paid by 13 families, included in principal. The following table shows for each of the geographical divisions and for the United States the average quantity per family of certain principal articles of food consumed in one year. These averages are based on the families from which detailed statements were secured in each geographical division. 32 B U LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR, AVERAG E QUANTITY P E R W ORKINGM AN’ S FAM ILY OF CERTAIN PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD CONSUMED IN 1901, B Y GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS. [From Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, p. 648.] North South North South Atlantic Atlantic Central Central Western United States, division, division, division, division, division, 2,567 1,415 219 fami 721 fami 122 fami 90 fami lies. families. families. lies. lies. lies. Article. Unit. Fresh beef.................................... Salt beef...................................... Fresh hog products.................... Salt hog products....................... Other meat................................. Pounds. ...d o ___ . . .d o .. . . ...d o ___ ...d o ___ 352.2 75.3 103.4 95.2 98.1 306.8 9.4 85.3 222.0 28.1 363.5 21.3 152. 6 87.3 68.8 317.4 3.5 128.1 248.7 11.2 348.4 3.8 28.4 76.6 37.8 349. 7 48. 6 114.2 110.5 77.7 Poultry....................................... Fish............................................. Eggs............................................ Milk............................................. Butter......................................... ...d o ___ . ..d o .. . . Dozens.. Quarts.. Pounds. 67.2 98.9 85.8 396.3 118.9 73. 6 66.1 90.6 191.9 102.1 71.3 56.5 88.3 348.2 124.0 53. 0 39.5 85.0 220.8 88.9 53.5 57.5 39.8 324.4 108.9 67.7 79.9 85.2 354.5 117.1 Cheese......................................... Lard............................................ Tea.............................................. Coffee.......................................... Sugar........................................... . ..d o ___ .. .d o .. . . .. .d o .. . . ...d o ___ . .. d o . . . . 15.9 73. 8 12.9 38.5 282.8 15.2 119. 5 8.2 60.7 240.4 17.4 89.1 8. 5 57. 5 253.1 18.9 143.3 4.9 71.4 245.8 3.8 48.5 5. 6 25.2 267.2 16.0 84.4 10. 6 46.8 268. 5 Molasses...................................... Flour and meal........................... Bread.......................................... Rice............................................. Potatoes...................................... Gallons. Pounds. Loaves.. Pounds. Bushels. 3.2 624.0 310.2 22.2 13.8 4.6 851.8 197.0 49.1 11.1 3. 4 718.2 165.6 21.8 18.3 6.2 979.5 199.8 47.2 13.3 4.0 452.3 255.2 10.3 10.3 3.6 680.8 252.7 25.1 14.7 Another table shows the average cost per family of the principal articles of food consumed in one year. These averages are based on the families from which detailed statements were secured in each of the geographical divisions. A V ERAG E COST PER W ORKINGM AN’S F AM ILY OF THE PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD CONSUMED IN 1901, B Y GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS. [From Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, p. 649.] Article. North South Atlantic Atlantic division, division, 1,415 219 families. families. North South Central Central division, division, 721 122 families. families. Western division, 90 families. United States, 2,567 families. Fresh beef..................................................... Salt beef........................................................ Fresh hog products...................................... Salt hog products........................ ................ Other meat................................................... $54.27 8.18 12.83 12.19 12.26 $41.08 1.13 10.48 26.79 3.86 $46.06 2.20 18.39 11.25 8.68 $37.84 .33 15.60 28.09 1.40 $54.13 .66 4.04 11.06 5.35 $50.05 5.26 14.02 13.89 9.78 Poultry.......................................................... F ish .............................................................. Eggs............................................................... Milk............................................................... Butter........................................................... 10.18 10.06 18.44 24.29 29.77 8.44 5.21 15.55 13.02 25.76 9.34 5.67 15.24 19.67 28.48 5.93 3.95 13.20 12.25 21.74 7.15 6.90 11.01 20.46 31.81 9.49 8.01 16.79 21.32 28.76 Cheese........................................................... Lara.............................................................. Tea................................................................ Coffee............................................................. Sugar............................................................. 2.55 8.15 6.33 9.70 16.67 2.65 12.72 4.40 10.58 14.15 2.87 10.34 4.22 12.91 14.63 3.36 14.31 2.69 12.22 15.70 .69 5.44 3.43 8.06 14.49 2.62 9.35 5.30 10.74 15.76 Molasses........................................................ Flour and meal............................................. Bread............................................................ R ice............................................................... Potatoes........................................................ 1.51 16.24 15.41 1.94 13.77 2.01 21.10 9.34 2.77 9.29 1.53 16.47 8.11 1.92 13.01 2.93 22.68 9.55 3.70 11.54 3.28 8.85 11.93 .91 9.84 1.69 16. 76 12.44 2.05 12.93 Other vegetables.......................................... Fruit.............................................................. Vinegar, pickles, and condiments............... Other food..................................................... 16.08 15.31 4.06 17.91 20.75 15.22 3.21 19.13 22.03 17.15 4.80 26.63 16.62 11.52 4.41 21.12 35.41 40.53 1.49 11.61 18.85 16.52 4.12 20.40 388.10 298.64 321.60 292.68 308.53 326.90 Total.................................................... 33 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. From the table just shown another table has been computed, showing the relative importance, as measured by the average family expenditure, of the principal articles of food consumed in one year. For the purpose of computing the relative importance of the various articles, the total value of food consumed is considered equal to 10,000. The table follows: R E L A T IV E IM PORTANCE IN W ORKIN GM EN ’ S FAMILIES OF TH E PRINCIPAL ARTICLES OF FOOD CONSUMED IN 1901, B Y GEOGRAPHICAL DIVISIONS. [From Eighteenth Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Labor, p. 650. food consumed= 10 ,000.] Article. Total value of North South North South Western Central division, Atlantic Atlantic Central division, division, division, division, 90 721 122 . 1,415 219 families. families. families. families. families. Fresh beef..................................................... Salt beef........................................................ Fresh hog products...................................... Salt hog products......................................... Other meat................................................... 1,605 242 379 361 363 1,375 38 351 897 129 1,432 572 350 270 533 960 48 131 359 173 1,531 161 429 425 299 Poultry......................................................... "Fish............................................................... Eggs.............................................................. Milk.............. ................................................ Butter........................................................... 301 298 545 718 881 283 174 521 436 863 290 176 474 612 886 203 135 451 418 743 232 224 357 663 1,031 290 245 514 652 880 Cheese........................................................... Lard.............................................................. Tea................................................................ Coffee............................................................. Sugar............................................................. 75 241 187 287 493 89 426 147 354 474 89 322 131 401 455 115 489 92 417 536 22 111 261 470 80 " 286 162 328 482 Molasses........................................................ Flour and meal............................................ Bread............................................................. Rice...................................................... ; ___ Potatoes....................................................... 45 480 456 57 407 67 706 313 93 311 48 512 252 60 405 775 326 126 394 100 106 287 387 30 319 52 513 381 63 395 Other vegetables.......................................... Fruit.............................................................. Vinegar, pickles, and condiments.............. Other food.................................................... 476 453 530 695 510 107 641 685 533 149 828 568 394 151 722 1,148 1,314 48 376 577 505 126 624 Total.................................................... 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 120 68 1,293 11 1,754 United States, 2,567 families. 21 176 The relative prices or index numbers weighted according to family consumption shown in the preceding pages were computed by the use of this table, the several articles being given the weight or importance shown in the table. Certain groupings of the articles for which retail prices were secured are necessary in order to bring them within the classification reported in the family budgets. Fresh beef is represented by the three articles— sirloin steak, round steak, and ribroast; salt hog products by the two articles— smoked bacon and smoked ham; flour and meal by wheat flour and corn meal, but in obtaining an average index number to be used in weighting by relative importance wheat flour is given twice the importance of corn meal. 57987°— 12------ 3 34 B U LLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR. The list which follows includes the 15 articles for which retail prices were secured and shows the groupings for the purpose of weighting: Fresh beef: Sirloin steak. Round steak. Ribroast. Fresh hog products: Pork chops. Salt pork products: Bacon, smoked. Ham, smoked. Poultry: Hens. Eggs, strictly fresh. Milk, fresh. Butter, creamery. Lard, pure. Sugar, granulated. Flour and meal: Wheat flour (weight of 2) Corn meal. Potatoes, Irish. The figures showing the relative importance of the various articles of food are based on the family consumption for 1901. There is no doubt that the relative importance of articles varied slightly from year to year, but no figures are available covering the 22 years; therefore the relative consumption of the various articles of food is, in this study, considered the same for each of the years. The method of computing the series of relative prices, weighted according to family consumption, for each of the geographical divisions, and for the United States considered as a whole, can best be explained by illustrating the process. The following table is for the United States for the year 1911: *' IL LU ST R A TIO N OF THE METHOD OF COMPUTING THE R E L A T IV E R E TA IL PRICE OF FOOD IN TH E UNITED STATES FOR 1911, THE VARIOUS ARTICLES BEING W EIGH TED ACCORDING TO A V E R A G E CONSUMPTION IN 2,567 W ORKINGM EN’ S FAMILIES. Article. Relative impor tance. Relative price. Result. Fresh beef............................... Fresh hog products................ Salt hog products................... Poultry................................... Eggs........................................ Milk......................................... Butter..................................... Lard........................................ Sugar....................................... Flour and meal...................... Potatoes.................................. 1,531 429 425 290 514 652 880 286 482 513 395 142.0 170.3 176.6 151.6 150.2 132.7 131.3 145.3 134.3 157.0 217,402.0 73,058.7 75,055.0 43,964.0 77,202.8 86,520.4 115,544.0 41,555.8 53,550.2 68,895.9 62,015.0 Total............................. 6,397 143.0 914,763.8 1 1 1 .1 The number indicating the relative importance of fresh beef, 1,531, is drawn from the table on page 33 and denotes that for every $100 spent by the 2,567 wage-earning families for food $15.31 was spent for fresh beef. The relative price, 142.0, entered for fresh KETAIL PKICES, 1890 TO 1911. 35 beef, is a simple average of the relative prices of sirloin steak, round steak, and ribroast. The number entered in the “ result” column, 217,402, is simply the product of the relative price, 142.0, multiplied by the relative importance, 1,531, of fresh beef. Each of the other articles is taken Up in the same way as fresh beef, the relative price as shown in General Table II, in Part II of this Bulletin, being multiplied by the relative importance of the article as shown in the table on page 33. The grand total of the numbers indicating relative importance was 6,397, and the sum of the results obtained by multiplying the relative price of each of the various articles considered by its relative importance was 914,763.8. The sum of the results divided by 6,397 gives 143.0, the relative price of food for the United States in 1911, when the various articles are weighted according to the reported consumption in 2,567 workingmen’s families. In the present report it was not possible to collect retail prices for all of the articles which enter into the family budget, but, as indicated above, the relative importance of the 15 articles for which prices are shown is 6,397 out of a total of 10,000 (see p. 33) and they therefore represent 63.97 per cent of food expenditures in the average workingman’s family. The weighted relative price for the United States for each of the years from 1890 to 1910 was found in the same way as has been explained for 1911. The same method was employed in computing the weighted rela tive prices for each of the five geographical divisions as for the United States. The relative importance of the various articles, or classes of articles, in the different geographical divisions is shown in the table on page 33. The significance of the changes in the retail prices of food can best be understood if taken in connection with the data relative to total family food expenditures as shown in the Eighteenth Annual Report. If it be assumed that the expenditure for each of the various articles bore the same relation to the total expenditure for food in each of the other years of the 22-year period covered by this investigation as in 1901, the average cost for food per family in 1911 in the North At lantic division was $422 against $300 in 1896, the year of lowest prices, and against $423 in 1910. The cost in 1911 was $122 more than in 1896 and $1 less than in 1910. The table which follows shows by geographical divisions the approx imate average cost of a year’s food supply for an average working man’s family at average prices of each year from 1890 to 1911. This table is based on the average food cost per family in 1901 as reported by the families investigated in each geographical division, and the course of relative retail prices of food in each geographical division weighted according to family consumption in that division. 36 B U LLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR. In each of the geographical divisions, it is considered in this table that the expenditure for each of the various articles bore the same relation to the total expenditure for food in each of the other years of the 22-year period covered by this investigation as in 1901. APPROXIM ATE COST OF A Y E A R ’ S FOOD SU PPLY FOR AN AVERAG E W ORKINGMAN’ S FAMILY, AT AVERAG E PRICES OF EACH Y E A R , 1890 to 1911, B Y GEOGRAPHICAL DIVI SIONS. (Based on the average food cost per family in 1901 and the course of retail prices of food as indicated by the relative prices weighted according to family consumption. The average food cost in 1901 was $338.10 for 1,415 families in the North Atlantic division, $298.64 for 219 families in the South Atlantic division, $321.60 for 721 families in the North Central division, $292.68 for 122 families in the South Central division, and $308.53 for 90 families in the Western division. Cents are not shown in entering the approximate amounts in this table.] North South North South Atlantic Atlantic Central Central. Western division. division. division. division. division. Year. $319 320 319 327 311 $274 277 276 280 271 $299 307 299 312 293 $269 274 267 278 268 $309 314 304 300 288 304 300 305 314 313 266 265 265 271 278 285 276 282 292 293 261 255 259 267 270 281 277 279 288 299 1900................................................................................. 1901................................................................................. 1902................................................................................. 1903................................................................................. 322 338 357 356 284 299 315 312 301 322 339 339 275 293 317 321 301 309 324 323 1904................................................................................. 1905................................................................................. 1907.................................................................................. 362 360 373 388 313 315 327 343 341 342 354 370 323 324 334 349 327 329 338 358 1908.................................................................................. 1909.................................................................................. 1910.................................................................................. 1911.................................................................................. 396 411 423 422 353 375 404 389 386 409 432 424 367 392 418 419 364 386 408 409 E X P L A N A T IO N OF SCOPE A N D M ETHO D . This report presents for each of 39 of the most important industrial cities in the various sections of the United States, the retail prices of the principal articles of food, the retail prices of anthracite and bituminous coal, and the net price of gas for household use. FOOD. The present report gives the result of an investigation of retail prices of the principal articles of food in 39 cities in the United States for the years 1907 to 1911. Summaries are also presented covering the 22-year period from 1890 to 1911, inclusive. Previous investiga tions of retail prices have been made and published by the Bureau of Labor as follows: Eighteenth Annual Keport, covering 1890 to 1903; Bulletin No. 59 (July, 1905), covering 1904; Bulletin No. 65 (July, 1906), covering 1905; Bulletin No. 71 (July, 1907), covering 1906; Bulletin No. 77 (July, 1908), covering 1907. 37 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. The cities included are important industrial cities representing 32 States. In a general way the cities selected were those having the largest population in each section of the country, but in addition two smaller cities were included— Fall River, Mass., which is a textile center, and Scranton, Pa., which is situated in the anthracite coal section of that State. Within the 39 cities live one-fifth of the total number of people, two-fifths of the urban population, and approxi mately one-third of the total number engaged in gainful occupations (not including those in agricultural pursuits) in continental United States. The cities included and the number of retail firms from which price quotations were secured are as follows: NUMBER OF FIRMS QUOTING R E T A IL PRICES OF FOOD IN EACH CITY DURING EACH Y E A R , 1907 TO 1911. City. Atlanta, Ga................... Baltimore, M d.............. Birmingham, A la......... Boston, Mass................. Buffalo, N. Y ............... Charleston, S. C............ Chicago, 111.................. Cincinnati, Ohio........... Cleveland, Ohio............ Dallas, T ex................... Denver, Colo................. Detroit, Mjoh................ Fall River, Mass.......... Indianapolis, In d ......... Jacksonville, Fla........... Kansas City, Mo.......... Little Rock, Ark.......... Los Angeles, Cal........... T n uUi io Qv p j XK kv j ....................... XiU ViUf lIC Manchester, N. H ......... Memphis, Tenn............ 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 12 12 12 11 10 12 11 10 12 11 10 12 14 14 19 13 13 10 8 8 13 10 10 12 12 9 14 14 19 13 13 10 8 8 14 14 19 13 13 10 7 8 13 13 10 10 12 12 10 10 11 12 9 9 11 11 11 10 10 10 9 9 9 15 15 22 21 20 20 20 20 16 16 19 23 17 14 13 17 18 15 13 15 16 15 14 13 13 18 16 19 23 17 14 13 17 19 15 14 14 18 15 14 13 13 City. Milwaukee, W is.. . ; . . . Minneapolis, M inn.. . Newark, N. J................ New Haven, Conn....... New Orleans, La.......... New York, N. Y ........... Omaha, Nebr............ Philadelphia, Pa . Pittsburgh, Pa.............. Portland, Oreg.......... Providence, R. I ....... Richmond, V a......... St. Louis, Mo............ Salt Lake City, U tah... San Francisco, Cal .. Scranton, Pa.............. Seattle, Wash............ Washington, D. C........ 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 11 9 14 8 11 9 14 8 11 9 14 8 18 15 15 9 17 28 9 19 13 17 28 9 19 13 12 10 10 8 10 12 10 10 8 10 8 8 8 14 18 16 17 13 Total.................... 457 457 454 645 9 13 9 9 13 9 17 28 9 19 13 11 10 10 8 10 9 13 9 20 35 14 24 17 17 11 16 12 18 15 15 9 23 35 12 24 18 16 11 17 12 13 21 16 15 13 651 The retail dealers selected were those selling largely to the families of American, English, Irish, German, and Scandinavian wage earners. A comparatively few “ down tow n” stores are included, but the neighborhood stores predominate. So called “ cut-rate” stores are not included. “ Chain stores” (a number of stores in one city owned or controlled by one firm) are not included except in a very few cities where such stores are so numerous that they form a very important factor in the city’s trade. The stores selected, with a very few exceptions, deliver all purchases when requested. This investigation was begun in the summer of 1911, and all data were secured by personal visits of agents of the Bureau for the period from January, 1907, to the time of the visit. At the same time that data were secured for the past period, the agents of the Bureau arranged for the retail merchant to send to the Bureau on a form supplied by the Bureau a statement of prices of the various commodities on or about the 15th of each succeeding month. Return 88 BU LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR. ■visits were made during the early part of 1912, whenever inquiries concerning the monthly price quotations were necessary. For each of the years 1907 to 1910 quotations were secured of prices on or about the 15th of January, March, May, July, Septem ber, and November. For 1911, quotations were secured of prices on or about the 15th of each month. The quotations in all cases were for as nearly the 15th of the month as practicable. The present report includes quotations from a larger number of firms for each article in each of the cities for which data were secured than do former retail price reports of the Bureau, but as the number of cities included is considerably less than in the report published in Bulletin No. 77, the total number of firms is also less. Com paratively few retail firms preserve records for any considerable period, and therefore it was extremely difficult to secure price quotations for the earlier years of the period covered by this report. The number of firms from which data were secured was materially increased beginning with January, 1910. The total number of firms from which price quotations were secured was 457 in 1907, 457 in 1908, 454 in 1909, 645 in 1910, and 651 in 1911. The number of firms quoting prices for each of the articles included in this report is shown for each of the five years in the table which follows: NUMBER OF FIRMS QUOTING R E TA IL PRICES FOR EACH ARTICLE OF FOOD DURING EACH Y E A R , 1907 TO 1911. Article. Sirloin steak......... Round steak.____ Ribroast............... Pork chops............ Bacon, smoked___ Ham, smoked....... Lard...................... Leg of lamb, year ling..................... 1907 1908 1909 1910 125 125 126 126 125 125 12 1 122 12 1 210 210 118 123 129 129 118 119 124 130 130 120 118 123 129 129 120 205 204 208 215 207 201 1911 204 206 201 200 205 2 11 202 198 'Article. Hens...................... Wheat flour.......... Corn meal.............. Eggs, strictly fresh Butter, creamery.. Potatoes, Irish___ Sugar, granulated. Milk, fresh............ 1907 1908 1909 1910 109 129 129 132 137 109 130 129 133 138 183 189 212 202 210 200 120 122 109 129 129 132 137 130 146 131 146 120 130 146 213 225 198 204 202 1911 209 222 196 201 209 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ARTICLES INCLUDED. The grade of articles quoted is that sold in each city in stores patronized largely by the families of American, English, Irish, German, and Scandinavian wage earners. The Bureau has not attempted to quote prices for an article of identical grade throughout the 39 cities. For almost every article this would be absolutely impossible as the grade varies not only from city to city but also from firm to firm within the same city, and the grade even varies to some extent from month to month within the same store. Stores which vary in a, marked degree from day to day or month to month the grade of articles handled have not been RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 39 included, but in every store there is necessarily some variation in grade. This variation is usually more marked in fresh meat and eggs than in other articles. Brief descriptions of each of the articles and necessary explanations concerning each are here presented. Fresh beef. In the present report prices are quoted for three cuts of^ beef, as follows: Sirloin steak, round steak, and ribroast. Beginning with January, 1912, quotations have also been secured for chuck roast and those prices will be included in the forthcoming report covering January to June, 1912. Methods of cutting beef vary considerably in different cities and to some extent this affects retail prices. The majority of the firms that furnished quotations for cuts of meat quoted in this report buy “ straight cattle” or carcass beef, that is, whole carcass separated into sides (halves) as distinguished from special cuts, such as loins, ribs, or rounds. A side or half consists of a hind quarter and a forequarter. In separating a side or half into quarters no ribs are cut to the hind quarter in some cities, while in other cities the side is cut leaving 1, 2, 3, or 4 ribs on the hind quarter. These ribs are sold either as roast or porterhouse steak. If sold as steak the rib is usually removed before weighing. The hind quarter is separated into “ loin” and “ round ” either by cutting from the top of the hip near the end of the backbone through the rump to the hip joint and then through to the front of the leg above the stifle joint or by cutting from the leg at the* stifle joint along the leg bone to the hip joint and then through the rump to the top of the hip at or near the tail bone. The second method gives a larger loin and a smaller round than does the first method. The loin of beef is cut into steaks. The cuts commonly known as “ sirloin” steak for which prices are quoted in most cities are cut parallel to the full cut surface of the thick or butt end of the loin, and include all cuts of the loin with any part of the hip bone in them. The other cuts of the loin, or those from the small or thin end, are commonly known as “ porterhouse” steak in most cities. Emphasis should be placed upon the fact that, according to the method of cutting followed in Boston, Mass., Manchester, N. H., Philadelphia, Pa., and Providence, R. I., no cut corresponds to the cut known as sirloin in other cities. In these four cities the cut known as sirloin corresponds to the cut described above as porter house, and in this report the quotations of prices for the cities just named are for the cut known locally as sirloin. The cut commonly known as sirloin is sold in Fall River, Mass., under the name of 40 BU LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR. “ rump” steak and in this report the prices quoted for that city are for the article known locally as rump steak. The round of beef is separated at the hip joint into the rump and the round. The rump has part of the hip bone in it and is called rump, bullion, or butchers’ roast. The round has the leg bone in it. The great majority of the prices quoted for round steak are for “ whole” round, that is, for a cut that includes the top round, bottom round, and bone. Quotations from a few firms are for “ top round, bone out,” or “ top round, bone in.” Top round is cut from the inside of the leg or round and extends about half through the round to the leg bone, and to the tissue or membrane which marks the natural division between the inside and outside of the leg. The inside is tender while the outside is muscular and more or less tough. Some firms cut the top round to include the leg bone and a small part of the bottom round. Firms that sell top round usually sell the bottom or outside for pot roast or Hamburg steak. In many cities no bone #or fat is trimmed from either sirloin or round steaks before weighing, while in others some bone and fat or all bone and fat are cut off before steaks are weighed. Forequarters include ribs, chucks, plates, and shanks. The shank is removed by cutting through the shoulder joint or by sawing through the leg bone below the shoulder joint. The plate is separated from the ribs and chuck by cutting through the ribs on a line beginning about the middle of the rib next to the hind quarter and running parallel to the backbone to the point where the shank is removed. If the line or cut be nearer the backbone the ribs are short, more desirable, and higher priced. “ R ibs” are usually separated from chucks by cutting across the backbone between the fifth and sixth ribs, counting from the front backwards. “ R ibs” usually include about eight ribs, two of which have part of the shoulder blade in them. The prices quoted for ribroast are for cuts of ribs that do not have any part of the shoulder blade in them. Some firms in some cities cut ribroast short and trim off part of the chine bone before weighing. Chucks extend from the point where ribs and chucks are separated to the neck. Plates include the forequarter flank or navel and the brisket. The flank or the navel extends from about the eighth rib to the hindquarter flank, and the brisket extends from about the eighth to the first rib and includes all the breast bone. All quotations for fresh beef in this report are on the basis of one pound, but of course in many, if not most, cases the usual sale is in quantities of more than one pound. RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 41 As stated elsewhere, the grade of beef quoted is not identical throughout the 39 cities, nor is the grade identical in a store through out the period for which prices are quoted, but the article quoted is the best grade of meat on sale at the date of each quotation in the store selected, and the stores selected were those patronized largely by the families of American, English, Irish, German, and Scandi navian wage earners. Pork chops. The quotations are for loin chops, with the exception of a very few for rib chops. Prices are quoted on the pound basis, but many of the sales are for quantities larger than 1 pound. Bacon. Prices are reported by each dealer on the best grade of smoked bacon that he sells in any considerable quantity to families of wage earners. No fancy bacon ready sliced in glass jars or other small packages is quoted. The prices quoted are in most cases for bacon sliced when sold, but in a few cities some of the dealers sell relatively little sliced bacon and therefore have quoted bacon by the piece and have reported the usual range of weight of such pieces. Prices are quoted on the pound basis, but many sales are of quantities larger than a pound. Ham. Prices are reported by each dealer on the best grade of smoked ham that he sells in any considerable quantity to families of wage earners. The prices quoted are in most cases for ham sliced when sold, but in a few cities some of the dealers sell relatively little sliced ham and therefore have quoted whole hams and have reported the usual range of weight of such hams. Some of the firms thaii sell sliced ham cut only four or five slices from the middle of the ham and sell the ends without slicing. On the other hand, some dealers slice practically all the ham and in such cases the prices quoted are for the best slices from the middle of the ham. Prices are quoted on the pound basis, but in many, if not most, cases the usual quantity sold is greater than 1 pound. Lard. All quotations are for “ pure” lard with the exception of a few for “ pure leaf.” No “ compound” lard is quoted. The great majority are for “ tub’ ’ lard (lard sold in bulk). Some quotations, Digitizedof forquotations FRASER 42 BU LLETIN OF TH E BUREAU OF LABOR. however, are for lard in pails weighing either 3 or 5 pounds and known to the trade in some localities as No. 3 and No. 5. Tub lard is quoted by the pound. In many cases tub lard is customarily sold in quan tities of 2 or more pounds, and in all such cases the price quoted in this report is reduced to the pound basis. Where lard is sold by the pail, the price is quoted per pail, gross weight, as it was not possible readily to determine the net weight of the lard. Leg of lamb, yearling. The prices quoted in this report are for the article generally known to the trade as “ yearling.77 The age of the sheep (“ yearling77) varies from approximately 9 to 18 months: Owing to the fact that, in some firms, the age varies considerably with different seasons of the year, no “ relative77 prices are computed for this article in the report of the Bureau. Hens. Prices are quoted for “ hens77 at least a year old, such as are usually sold for roasting or stewing. In some localities, the term used for these hens is either “ fowls77 or “ stewing chickens.77 The quotations are in most cases for “ dressed77 hens, although a few dealers reported prices for “ live77 hens. Dressed hens are described as “ drawn77 or “ not drawn.77 In a few cities hens are sold “ full dressed,77 that is, drawn and with head and feet off. Throughout all cities reporting, except San Francisco, the basis of sale is 1 pound. In San Francisco hens are sold wholesale in 1 dozen lots and classified under the terms “ small,77 “ large,77 and “ extra.77 Retailers while following this classification seldom weigh the hens, but sell by the fowl and base the price charged on size and appearance, while at the same time having in mind a rough estimate of the value per pound. No prices for San Francisco were quoted for January, 1907, to September, 1911, inclusive, because of a lack of a basis of sale due to the conditions here described. Wheat flour. Flour is quoted by the eighth-barrel bag for about 30 of the cities, by the eighth-barrel bag with a few firms quoting fourth-barrel bags in a few cities, by the fourth-barrel bag with an occasional firm quoting half-barrel bags for some of the Pacific coast cities, by the 20-pound bag by one firm in Indianapolis, and by the sixteenthbarrel bag from an occasional firm in one or two of the eastern cities. The weight of the various size bags varies slightly in different localities; the half-barrel bag weighs from 96 to 98 pounds, the fourth-barrel bag from 48 to 49 pounds and the eighth-barrel bag from 23 to 24\ pounds. These weights are in some instances net and in others gross. Great quantities of flour are sold in sixteenth and in thirty-second-barrel RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 43 bags, particularly in the eastern cities, but the eighth-barrel bag is a very popular size in most of the cities for which prices were secured, and for ready comparison that size has been quoted where possible. In a few of the cities the price of flour is “ protected” ; that is, the flour manufacturer fixes a minimum selling price for the retailer. The quotations from each firm are for a definite brand, or brands of equivalent grade, throughout the period for which prices are quoted. Com meal. The corn meal for which prices are given is bulk or bag meal, and not fancy meal in cartons or packages. The color of the meal han dled varies, generally speaking, according to the locality, yellow being sold as a rule in cities of the North, white in southern cities, and both white and yellow in Denver, Salt Lake City, and the cities on the Pacific coast. The price of corn meal is quoted in this report on a 1-pound basis. These figures have been derived from the price charged by the dealer for the quantity of corn meal most in demand among his cus tomers and represent a great variety of units of sale. In New Eng land and other northern cities the amounts sold are usually small, being as a rule from 2 to 5 pounds, the 5 cents’ worth, or the 10 cents’ worth. In most southern "cities sales of 10 pounds or more predominate, while in the cities of the far west reports on any other unit than 10 pounds are exceptional. Eggs. Prices of eggs are reported from grocery stores with the exception of a few instances in which quotations have been secured from dairy firms. The prices quoted are for “ strictly fresh” eggs of the highest grade handled by the firm on the date of each quotation, excluding fancy eggs, or eggs selected'for size and color. Many of the firms represented in this study carry both fresh and storage eggs whenever both are on the market, and some firms at certain seasons do not carry any “ strictly fresh” eggs. The trade terms used to describe the eggs for which quotations are given vary with the locality. On the Atlantic coast, for example, common descriptive terms are “ near-by,” “ State,” “ eastern,” and “ western” ; in the Middle West, “ near-by” and “ country” ; in certain southern cities, “ near-by” and “ Tennessee” ; and on the Pacific coast, “ ranch” and “ eastern fresh.” Some quotations for storage eggs were secured for the period 1907 •to 1911, but the number was insufficient for the purpose of this report. A much larger number of quotations on storage eggs is being secured for 1912 for inclusion in the forthcoming report for January to June, 1912. 44 B U LLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR. All prices in the table are quoted on the dozen, and in most cities included in this study the dozen is the only unit of sale of importance. In New York City, however, purchases by the 25 cents' worth are common, and in the Pacific coast cities two dozen becomes at times the prevailing unit of sale, owing to the fact that it is a common practice to make a special rate on this quantity (as, for example, 65 cents per 2 dozen when the price is 35 cents per dozen). In such cases the price as quoted on the most usual unit of sale has been reduced to the rate per dozen. Butter. The quotations for butter represent the grade of butter known on the market as “ creamery extra." No dairy butter nor brands desig nated as specials or fancy have been included. Creamery extras are sold in bulk, otherwise known as “ tu b " but ter, or in bricks generally termed “ print" butter. When print butter is put up in cartons it is often termed “ package" butter. Seventeen cities report prices for print butter only, 19 tub and print, and 3 tub butter only. Prices for butter in practically all cities west of the Mississippi included in this report, except St. Louis and Omaha, are for print butter, and in most cases this print butter is put up in cartons. The demands for print or tub butter seem to rest on local prefer ences. In some cities the price is the same for both; in others print butter is quoted at 1 or at 2 cents higher than tub. In some of the Pacific coast cities butter is usually sold in 2-pound prints, locally known as “ squares." Prices for San Francisco and Portland are shown in this report on the 2-pound basis; prices for all other cities are on the 1-pound basis. In Seattle butter is reported both in 2-pound prints and in 1-pound prints, and in that city all quotations have been reduced to the 1-pound basis. Potatoes. All quotations for potatoes are for the article known in many localities as “ Irish" potatoes, which signifies the.“ white" potato in contradistinction to the “ sweet." The extensive variety of Irish potatoes on the market and the fact that retailers do not confine their buying to one variety have made it impracticable to quote vari eties or grades. New potatoes have been quoted only when they form the bulk of the sales. This is usually when new potatoes grown in the locality are plentiful, as the price of new potatoes shipped from a distance is. generally prohibitive to the mass of trade in the stores reporting. The peck, or a fractional part of a peck, is the unit of sale for prac tically all eastern cities except New York and Newark. All quota EE TAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. 45 tions for the eastern cities in this report are on the basis of one peck. In the West potatoes are sold by weight, using the 100-pound lot as a basis. In the western cities reporting there is a demand during the summer for smaller quantities than the 100-pound lot, which results in sales of 25 cents’, 50 cents’, and one dollar’s worth. No retail prices for Irish potatoes have been tabulated for either New York or Newark owing to the fact that the unit of sale generally reported in each city— that is, the quart and the one-half peck, respectively— does not appear to be based on a definite weight or measure. For example, in New Yorjs; the amount sold for a quart varies from store to store from 2\ to 4 or more pounds, while within the same store the number of pounds of new potatoes sold for a quart is generally less than the number of pounds of old potatoes sold for a quart. Sugar. All quotations are for granulated sugar and are on a pound basis. These prices per pound in most cases have been derived from prices as reported by the dealers on the quantities most in demand. Such quantities vary in the cities represented. The common units of sale in most cities are 25-cent, 50-cent, and $1 lots. In certain cities, notably New York and Philadelphia, small quantities are reported as the usual units of sale. In New York, Brooklyn, and Newark 3J pounds, and in Philadelphia 2 pounds, are as a rule the quantities most in demand among the customers of the dealers reporting. Mill. All quotations are by the quart and are for milk regularly deliv ered to customers. In connection with each quotation is a statement as to whether the milk is sold bottled or is sold “ loose;” that is, dipped from the can. All quotations are from dairies, either the original producer or a milk dealer, and none are from grocers. In the forthcoming report for 1912 prices, milk will be designated as “ pasteurized” or “ raw,” but in the present report it was not possible to indicate this in a large number of cases, and therefore none of the quotations carry such designation. The method of sale is in some cases by the quart, and a bill is rendered monthly for the amount actually served; in other cases a certain number of tickets, each exchangeable for 1 quart of milk, is sold for $1, usually with a slight gain to the consumer; thus, if milk is 9 cents per quart, 12 tickets may be sold for $1. Some of the dai ries in the Pacific coast cities charge a definite sum monthly for a quart of milk each day, the price being the same for each calendar month. 46 B U LLETIN OF TH E BUBEAU OF LABOB. COAL. This report gives prices of coal on the 15th of January, April, July, and October of each year from 1907 to 1911, inclusive. Coal prices have never before been included in the retail price reports of the Bureau of Labor, and therefore no summary for the period for which food prices are summarized in this report is possible. The prices shown are those quoted by the retail trade for household use. The table of prices shows Pennsylvania anthracite white ash coal both in stove size and in chestnut size; bituminous coal, of sev eral kinds; and in a few cities other varieties, such as Colorado, Welsh, and Australian. Prices are quoted for sales in “ ton lots,” “ in half-ton lots,” and “ in lots of less than one-fourth ton.” The prices were quoted by coal dealers who kindly supplied the informa tion at the request of the Bureau of Labor. In some cities practi cally all sales for household use were of anthracite coal, and in other cities of bituminous coal. The coal dealers in each city were asked to quote prices on the kind of bituminous coal usually sold for house hold use. The prices quoted are for coal delivered to customers, but do not include charges for storing in cellar or coal bin except when noted. The 35 cities for which coal prices are quoted are cities for which retail prices of food are shown in this report. Prices of food are also shown for four additional cities— Atlanta, Ga.; Charleston, S. C.; Portland, Oreg.; and Scranton, Pa. The cities included and the number of firms from which price quotations for coal were secured are as follows: NUM BER OF FIRMS QUOTING R E T A IL PRICES OF COAL, B Y CITIES. City. Baltimore, M d ....................... Birmingham, Ala ................. Boston, Mass.......................... Buffalo, N. Y ................ Chicago, 111............................... Cincinnati, Ohio ................... Cleveland, Ohio ..................... Dallas, T ex .............................. Denver, Colo......................... Detroit, Mich .......................... Fall River, Mass................... Indianapolis, In d ................. Jacksonville, Fla .................. Kansas City, M o ................... Little Rock, Ark .................. Los Angeles, Cal................... Total num ber of firms report ing coal prices. 4 4 4 8 8 Num ber re porting prices of bitumi nous coal. 1 4 6 2 3 6 6 2 4 5 5 3 6 2 2 12 5 3 6 2 2 6 2 4 3 4 1 3 Tinm 'svillp PTy 5 Manchester, N. H ................ Memphis, Tenn ..................... 2 Num ber re porting prices of anthra cite coal. 5 3 3 4 4 6 6 2 3 2 5 4 5 4 1 3 5 City. Total num ber of firms report ing coal prices. Milwaukee, W is .................. Minneapolis, Minn........... Newark, N. J ....................... New Haven, Conn . . New Orleans, La.. New York, N. Y . . . . Omaha, Nebr ......................... Philadelphia, P a . . . . Pittsburgh, Pa. Providence, R . I ................... Richmond, V a ..................... St. Louis, M o .......................... Salt Lake City, Utah . . San Francisco, Cal.............. Seattle, W a s h ....................... Washington, D. C ................ Total .............................. 168 4 1 Colorado anthracite. Num Num ber re ber re porting porting prices of prices of anthra bitumi cite nous coal. coal. 6 6 6 7 7 7 4 7 7 7 4 7 9 9 4 4 4 4 4 10 10 2 3 3 5 3 4 4 4 5 4 4 i 2 3 4 4 2 1 0 2 5 2 9 6 1 9 7 142 130 47 RETAIL PRICES, 1890 TO 1911. GAS. This report gives prices of gas for household use on the 15th of April of each year from 1907 to 1911, inclusive. Gas prices have never before been included in the retail price reports of the Bureau of Labor, and therefore no summary for the period for which food prices are summarized in this report is possible. The prices quoted are the net rates charged for gas for household use as distinguished from use by manufacturing plants and industrial establishments. The prices are the same for gas for illuminating, cooking, and heating purposes, except as noted in the table. Prices are in most cases for manufactured gas, but natural gas has also been quoted where that is in general use. The data were furnished by the gas companies who kindly responded to the Bureau’s request for this information. The 38 cities for which prices of gas are quoted are cities for which retail prices of food are shown in this report. Prices of food are also shown for one additional city— Dallas, Tex. The cities included and the kind of gas quoted are as follows: NUM BER OF COMPANIES QUOTING PRICES OF GAS, B Y CITIES. City. Atlanta, Ga.............. Baltimore, M d.......... Birmingham, Ala__ Boston, Mass............ Buffalo, N. Y ........... Charleston, S. C ....... Chicago, 111............... Cincinnati, Ohio....... Cleveland, Ohio....... Denver, Colo............ Detroit, Mich............ Fall River, Mass....... Indianapolis, Ind . . . . Jacksonville, F la .. . . Kansas City, Mo....... Little Rock, Ark....... Los Angeles, Cal....... Louisville, K y .......... Manchester N. H Memphis, Tenn........ Num ber Num Total num report ber ber of ing report ing com prices panies of prices report manu of nat ing gas fac ural prices. tured gas. gas. ^1 1 1 3 2 1 1 i1 11 1 2 1 2 1 1. 1 2 2 1 1 Num ber report ing prices of manu fac tured and natural gas mixed. 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 City. Milwaukee, W is....... Minneapolis, Minn__ Newark, N. J............ New Haven, Conn. . . New Orleans, L a ___ New York, N. Y ....... Omaha, Nebr............ Philadelphia, Pa....... Pittsburgh, P a......... Portland, Ortg....... Providence, R. I ....... Richmond, Va.......... St. Louis, M o......... Salt Lake City, Utah. San Francisco, Cal. . . Scranton. P a............. Seattle, Wash.......... AVashington, D. C___ Total Num ber report Num Total ber Num ing num report ber prices ber of ing report of com prices ing manu prices fac panies of report manu of nat tured and ural ing gas fac prices. tured gas. nat ural gas. gas mixed. 1 1 1 ' 1 1 10 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 10 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 G2 54 7 1 Company distributes both manufactured and natural gas. 2 Two companies distribute both manufactured and natural gas. 5 9 1 48 B U LLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF LABOR. Part II of this report contains five general tables, as follows: Table I .— Retail prices of the principal articles of food every second month, 1907 to 1910, and every month during 1911, by cities and by firms. Table I I .— Relative retail prices of the principal articles of food; 1890 to 1911, by geographical divisions. Table I I I .— Retail prices of coal, for household use, on the 15th of January, April, July* and October, 1907 to 1911, by cities and by firms. Table I V .— Relative retail prices of coal, for household use, 1907 to 1911, by cities. Table V .— Net price per 1,000 cubic feet of gas, for household use, on the 15th of April, 1907 to 1911, by cities and by companies.
@FedFRASER