TH

a Retail Prices of Coal in the United States "

HE following table shows the average retail prices of coal on April 15, 1928, and March 15 and April 15, 1929, for the United States and for each of the cities from which retail food prices have been obtained. The prices quoted are for coal delivered to consumers, but do not include charges for storing the coal in cellar or coal bin where an extra handling is necessary.

In addition to the prices for Pennsylvania anthracite, prices are shown for Colorado, Arkansas, and New Mexico anthracite in those cities where these coals form any considerable portion of the sales for household use.

The prices shown for bituminous coal are averages of prices of the several kinds sold for household use.

AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF COAL PER TON OF 2,000 POUNDS, FOR HOUSEHOLD USE, ON APRIL 15, 1928, AND MARCH 15 AND APRIL 15, 1929

a Prices of coal were formerly secured semiannually and published in the March and September issues of the Labor Review. Since June, 1920, these prices have been secured and published monthly.

AVERAGE RETAIL PRICES OF COAL PER TON OF 2,000 POUNDS, FOR HOUSEHOLD USE, ON APRIL 15, 1928, AND MARCH 15 AND APRIL 15, 1929-Continued

The average price of coal delivered in bin is 50 cents higher than here shown. Practically all coal is delivered in bin.

All coal sold in Savannah is weighed by the city. A charge of 10 cents per ton or half ton is made. This additional charge has been included in the above price.

Prepared sizes

High volatile..

18.63 18.75 18.63 110. 50 111. 42 111.00

17.60 17.63 17.81

Index Numbers of Wholesale Prices in April, 1929

SMALL decline in the general level of wholesale prices from March to April is shown by information collected in representative markets by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor. The bureau's weighted index number stands at 96.8 for April compared with 97.5 for March, a decrease of approximately three-fourths of 1 per cent. Compared with April, 1928, with an index number of 97.4, a decrease of a little more than onehalf of 1 per cent is shown. Based on these figures, the purchasing power of the dollar in April, 1929, was 103.3 compared with 100 in the year 1926.

Farm products averaged 2 per cent lower than in the preceding month, due to pronounced price decreases for all grains, cotton, eggs, and wool. Beef cattle, hogs, and sheep and lambs, on the other hand, were higher than in March,

Among foods there were decreases for butter and flour, and increases for fresh and cured meats. The group as a whole declined nearly one-half of 1 per cent in price.

JAN. FEB. MAR. APR. MAY JUN. JUL. AUG. SEP OCT NOV DEC. Hides and skins again advanced slightly, while leather again declined, resulting in a small net decrease for the group of hides and leather products. Boots and shoes showed no change in the price level, but quotations on leather harness and suit cases were somewhat reduced.

In the group of textile products there were slight price reductions among cotton goods, woolen and worsted goods, and other textile products, the group as a whole showing a decline of over one-half of 1 per cent.

Declining prices of anthracite and bituminous coal and Connellsville coke were offset by advances in gasoline and kerosene, the price level for the fuel and lighting group remaining unchanged.

Iron and steel products advanced in price while decreases were recorded for copper, lead, and tin, no change being shown in the price level for the group of metals and metal products as a whole.

Price declines for lumber and certain paint materials caused a net decrease in the group of building materials.

Small declines were likewise shown for the groups of chemicals and drugs and miscellaneous commodities, while house-furnishing goods increased slightly.

Prices of raw materials and semimanufactured articles averaged lower than in March, while finished products were somewhat higher

Of the 550 commodities of price series for which comparable information for March and April was collected increases were shown in 88 instances and decreases in 183 instances. In 279 instances no change in price was reported.

Comparing prices in April with those of a year ago, as measured by changes in the index numbers, it is seen that metals and metal products and building materials were appreciably higher. In all other groups prices in April were lower than a year ago, ranging from onefourth of 1 per cent in the case of fuel and lighting materials to nearly 15 per cent in the case of hides and leather products.

INDEX NUMBERS OF WHOLESALE PRICES BY GROUPS AND SUBGROUPS OF COMMODITIES [1926-100. 0]

258

Wholesale Prices in the United States and in Foreign Countries, 1923 to March, 1929

IN

'N THE following table the more important index numbers of wholesale prices in foreign countries and those of the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics have been brought together in order that the trend of prices in thes everal countries may be compared. The base periods here shown are those appearing in the sources from which the information has been drawn, in most cases being the year 1913. Only general comparisons can be made from these figures, since, in addition to differences in the base periods, there are important differences in the composition of the index numbers themselves.

INDEX NUMBERS OF WHOLESALE PRICES IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN CERTAIN FOREIGN COUNTRIES