U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR JAMES J. DAVIS, Secretary BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS ETHELBERT STEWART, Commissioner BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES T BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS/ No. 315 RETAIL PRICES AND COST OF LIVING SERIES RETAIL PRICES 1913 TO DECEMBER, 1921 JANUARY, 1923 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1923 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.................................................................................................. 7 Summary of price changes................................................................................................... 7-64 Food.................................................................................................................................... 7-57 Monthly and yearly price changes in the United States, 1913 to 1921.. 7-41 Monthly and yearly price changes, by cities, 1913 to 1921....................... 41-54 Yearly price changes in the United States, 1890 to 1921........................... 54-57 By articles, 1907 to 1921............................................................................... 54 All articles combined, 1890 to 1921.......................................................... 56 By articles, 1890 to 1921.............................................................................. 56,57 Coal................... 58,59 Average and relative prices for the United States, January and July of each year, 1913 to 1919, for January, 1920, and June, 1920, to December, 1921................................................................................................... 58,59 Average prices, by cities, January to December, 1921............................... 59 Gas....................................................................................................................................... 61 Average and relative prices for the United States, April of each year, 1907 to 1920, and May, September, and December, 1921................... 61 Average prices, by cities, April of each year, 1907 to 1920 and May, September, and December, 1921................................................................ 61 Dry goods.......................................................................................................................... 63, 64 Average prices for the United States, May and October, 1915 to 1921, and February and August, 1919 to 1921..................................................... 63 Average prices, by cities, February, May, August, and October, 1921.. 64 Scope of study and method of obtaining prices............................................................ 64-83 Food.................................................................................................................................... 65-81 Coal..................................................................................................................................... 82 Gas....................................................................................................................................... 82 Dry goods........................................................................................................................... 83 Explanation of tables............................................................ ......................... ....................83,84 Table A.—Average and relative retail prices of specified food articles for the United States, 1913 to 1921, by months and years.................................................. 86-96 Table B.—Average retail prices of specified food articles in 1913 and 1921 and for each month of 1921, for each of 51 cities...............................................................97-147 Table C.—Relative retail prices of 23 food articles, 1921 and each month of 1921 compared with 1913, for each of 39 cities...................................................... 148-167 Table D.—Average retail prices of coal, per ton of 2,000 pounds, January to December, 1921, by cities.............................................................................. 168-170 Table E.—Net price of gas for household use, per 1,000 cubic feet, April 15 of each year, 1907 to 1920, and May 15, September 15, and December 15, 1921, by cities................................................................................................................... 171 Table F.—Average retail prices of specified articles of dry goods, February, May, August, and October, 1921, by cities............................................................. 172-178 Appendix A.—Purchasing power of union wages as measured in food, 1907 to 1921............................. 179,180 Appendix B.—Comparisons of wholesale and retail prices of certain food articles, 1913 to 1921...................................................................................................... 181-222 Appendix C.—Retail prices in foreign countries..................................................... 223-226 3 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 1921: Page. Table 1.—Index numbers showing trend in retail cost of all articles combined............................................................................................................... 10 Table 2.—Index numbers showing trend in retail cost of cereals, meats, and dairy products, by groups..................................................................... 13 Table 3.—Percent of increase of retail price of 15 foods at the peak and in December, 1921, compared with the average price for the year 1913........................................................................................................................ 15 Table A.—Average and relative retail prices of specified food articles. 86-96 By years, 1890 to 1921: Table 5.—1907 to 1921. Relative prices, by articles................................... 54 Table 6.—1890 to 1921. Index numbers showing trend in average family expenditure for food............................................................................ 56 Table 7.—1890 to 1921. Average retail prices of certain foods, and amounts purchasable for $1........................................................................... 56,57 Coal—' 1913 to 1921: Table 8.—Average and relative prices, January and July of each year, 1913 to 1920, and January and June, 1920, to December, 1921................ 58,59 G as- 1907 to 1921: Table 9.—Average and relative prices, April of each year, 1907 to 1920, and May, September, and December, 1921.................................................. 61 Dry goods— 1915 to 1921: Table 10.—Average retail prices, May and October, 1915 to 1921, and February and August, 1919,1920, and 1921................................................ 63,64 CITIES. Food— By months and years, 1913 to 1921: Table 4.—Index numbers showing trend in average family expendi­ ture for all foods combined............................................................... ..............44-51 By months of 1921 and by years, 1913 and 1921: Table B.—Average retail prices of specified food articles for each of 51 cities*.................................................................................................................... 97-147 Table C.—Relative retail prices of 23 food articles, 1921 and each month of 1921 compared with 1913, for each of 39 cities................... 148-167 C oal- 1921: Table D.—Average retail prices, January to December......................... 168-170 Gas— 1907 to 1921: Table E.—Net price, April 15, 1907 to 1920, and May 15, September 15, and December 15, 1921............................................................................. 171 Dry goods— 1921: Table F.—Average retail prices, February, May, August, and October............................................................................................................. 172-178 4 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 THE UNITED STATES. Food— By months, 1913 to 1921: Page- Chart 1. All food articles combined.................................................................. 11 Chart 2. Cereals, meats, and dairy products, by groups............................ 14 Chart 3. Fifteen selected foods........................................................................... 16 Chart 4. Sirloin steak............................................................................................. 17 Chart 5. Round steak............................................................................................ 18 Chart 6. Rib roast................................................................................................... 19 Chart 7. Chuck roast.............................................................................................. 20 Chart 8. Plate boiling beef.................................................................................. 21 Chart 9. Pork chops............................................................................................... 23 Chart 10. Bacon........................................................ 24 Chart 11. Ham......................................................................................................... 25 Chart