How much? – (PIP #88)

By Louise Peloquin

     How much would a Thanksgiving dinner have cost the American manufacturing industry worker earning a weekly average of $24.41 in November 1926? (1)

     “Peeks into the past” #7 and #49 have also provided examples of early 20th-century (1917) grocery prices as well as consumer complaints. See the links below. (2)

L’Etoile – January 8, 1926

PRICES AT THE LOCAL MARKET

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Fresh eggs are now sold at 65 cents a dozen – Welsh coal is $22 a ton – A few other changes.

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     There are very few changes at the markets this week. However, one of the interesting adjustments is the price of eggs which dropped from 70 to 65 cents a dozen. Fish eggs are now 25 cents per pound. New potatoes are 85 cents instead of 79 cents per peck, pork loin is 5 cents more expensive and pork chops 3 cents more. Flour is 4 cents higher. In the coal list, we notice the $2 hike for Welsh coal.

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A long list of grocery items follows this brief. Here are a few from the selection of the day.

VEGETABLES

• Potatoes = 85 cents a pound
• Squash = 8 cents a pound
• Mushrooms = 59 cents a pound
• Onions = 5 cents a pound 

TURKEY

• Turkey = 35 to 59 cents a pound

FISH & SEAFOOD

• Fresh salmon = 50 cents a pound
• Smoked salmon = 25 cents a pound
• Oysters = 75 to 90 cents a pint
• Shrimp = 35 to 50 cents a pound
• Norwegian sardines = 15 cents a pound
• American sardines = 5, 10, 15 cents a pound

BAKING INGREDIENTS

• 5-pound box of butter = $3.25
• Fresh eggs = 65 cents a dozen
• Bag of flour = $1.79
• Brown sugar = 6.5 cents a pound
• Maple syrup = $3.00 a gallon
• Molasses = 75 cents, $1.10, $1.25 a gallon
• Granulated sugar = 6 cents a pound
• Honey = 35 cents a pound

FRUIT & NUTS

• California oranges = 65, 75, 98 cents a dozen
• Florida oranges = 25, 35, 40, 49 cents a dozen
• Grapefruit = 10 to 15 cents a dozen
• Lemon = 40 cents a dozen
• Bananas = 35 to 40 cents a dozen
• Cranberries = 23 cents a quart
• 2 pounds of dates = 25 cents
• Georgia pecans = 75 cents a pound
• Mixed nuts = 30 cents a pound

(3)

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1) Information obtained here: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1241617/average-weekly-earnings-manufacturing-united-states-early-20th-century/

2)  https://richardhowe.com/2023/11/07/your-business-is-ours/#comments

https://richardhowe.com/2024/03/12/consumers-are-complaining-1917/

 3) Translations by Louise Peloquin.