U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JAMES J. DAVIS, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS ETHELBERT STEWART, Commissioner BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES \ BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS/ No. 300 RETAIL PRICES AND COST OF LIVING SERIES RETAIL PRICES 1913 TO DECEMBER, 1920 MAY, 1922 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1922 Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis CONTENTS. Page. Introduction and summary......................................................................................... 1 Summary of price changes....................................................... .................................... 1-57 Food...................................................................................*.................................... 1-52 Monthly and yearly price changes in the United States ,1913 to 1920.. 1-36 Monthly and yearly price changes, by cities, 1913 to 1920..................... 37-48 Yearly price changes in the United States, 1890 to 1920......................... 48-51 By articles, 1’907 to 1920......................................................................... 48 All articles combined, 1890 to 1920...................................................... 50 By articles, 1890 to 1920....................................................................... 50, 51 Coal......................-.................................................................................................. 52—54 Average and relative prices for the United States, January and July of each year, 1913 to 1919, for January and June to December, 1920. 52-54 Average prices, by cities, January and June to December, 1920........... 54 Gas............................................................................................................................ 54r-56 Average and relative prices for the United States, April of each year, 1907 to 1920.......................................................................................................... 54-56 Average prices, by cities, April of each year, 1907 to 1920....................... 56 Drygoods.................. 56,57 Average prices for the United States, May and October, 1915 to 1920 and February and August, 1919 and 1920.................................................. 56,57 Average prices, by cities, February, May, August, and October, 1920 . 57 Scope of study and method of obtaining prices............................................................ 58-77 Food............................. 58-75 Coal..................................................................................................................................... 75,76 Gas....................................................................................................................................... 76 Drygoods.......................................................................................................................... 76,77 Explanation of tables..........................................................................................*................77, 78 Table A.—Average and relative retail prices of specified food articles, for the United States, 1913 to 1920, by months and years.................................................. 80-89 Table B.—Average retail prices of specified food articles in 1913 and 1920 and for each month of 1920, for each of 51 cities............................................................90-140 Table C.—Relative retail prices of 23 food articles: 1920 and each month of 1920 compared with 1913, for each of 39 cities..................................................... 141-160 Table D.—Average retail prices of coal, per ton of 2,000 pounds, January and June to December, 1920, by cities............................................................................ 161-163 Table E.—Net price of gas per 1,000 cubic feet, April 15 of each year, 1907 to 1920, by cities............................. 164 Table F.—Average retail prices of specified articles of dry goods, February, May, August, and October, 1920, by cities............................................................. 165-170 Appendix A.—Purchasing power of union wages as measured in food, 1907 to 1920............................... 171,172 Appendix B.—Comparisons of wholesale and retail prices of certain food arti­ cles, 1913 to 1920.............................................................................................., ............ 172-214 Appendix C.—Retail prices in foreign countries...................................................... 215-217 iii Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis LIST OF TABLES COVERING THE UNITED STATES AND THE CITIES. GROUPED ACCORDING TO COMMODITIES. UNITED STATES. Food— By months and years, 1913 to 1920: Table 1. Index numbers showing trend in retail cost of 22 foods com­ bined....................................................................................................... 4 Table 2. Index numbers showing trend in retail cost of cereals, meats, and dairy products, by groups .............................................................. 7 Table A. Average and relative retail prices of specified food articles.. 80-89 By years, 1890 to 1920: Table 4. 1907 to 1920. Relative prices, by articles................................. 48 Table 5. 1890 to 1920. Index numbers showing trend in average family expenditure for food.................................................................... 50 Table 6. 1890 to 1920. Average prices of certain foods, and amounts purchasable for $1.................................................................................. 50, 51 Coal- 1913 to 1920: Table 7. Average and relative prices, January and July of each year, 1913 to 1919, and for January and June to December, 1920.-........ 52 Gas— 1907 to 1920: Table 8. Average and relative prices, April of each year, 1907 to 1920.. 56 Dry goods— 1915 to 1920: Table 9. Average prices, May and October, 1915 to 1920, and February and August, 1919 and 1920.............................. .. /................................. 57 CITIES. Food— By months and years, 1913 to 1920: Table 3. Index numbers showing trend in average family expenditure for 22 foods combined.......................................................................... 38-45 By months of 1920 and by years, 1913 and 1920: Table B. Average retail prices of specified food articles in 1913 and 1920 and for each month of 1920, for each of 51 cities........................90-140 Table C. Relative retail prices of 23 food articles: 1920 and each month of 1920 compared with 1913, for each of 39 cities___:..... 141-160 Coal- 1920: Table D. Average prices, January and June to December.................161-163 Gas— 1907 to 1920: Table E. Average prices, April................................................................... 164 Dry goods— 1920: Table F. Average prices, February, May, August, and October......... 165-170 IV Digitized for FRASER http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/ Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis LIST OF CHARTS (AND TABLES) SHOWING TREND IN PRICES. RETAIL PRICES IN UNITED STATES. Food— By months, 1913 to 1920: Page- Chart 1. 22 food articles combined............................................................. 5 Chart 2. Cereals, meats, and dairy products, by groups........................... 8 Chart 3. Sirloin steak..................................................................... 10 Chart 4. Round steak......................................, ........................................... 11 Chart 5. Rib roast......................................................................................... 12 Chart 6. Chuck roast..................................................................................... 13 Chart 7. Plate beef.......................................................................... 14 Chart 8. Pork chops..................................................................................... 15 Chart 9. Bacon.............................................................................................. 16 Chart 10. Ham................................................................................................ 17 Chart 11. Lard..................................................... 18 Chart 12.. Lamb, leg of.................................................................................. 19 Chart 13. Hens............................................................................................... 20 Chart 14. Eggs.............. 22 Chart 15. Butter............................................................................................. 23 Chart 16. Milk................................................................................................ 24 Chart 17. Cheese............................................................................................ 25 Chart 18. Flour............................................................................. 27 Chart 19. Bread.............................................................................................. 28 Chart 20. Corn meal....................................................................................... 29 Chart 21. Rice................................................................................................ 31 Chart 22. Potatoes.......................................................................................... 32 Chart 23. Sugar..............................................................................................