This message sent yesterday seems to not have gotten to the VA sites. Here are 1850 prices, as paid my G-GFather, a young South-central Ohio physician of no more than average means. These entries in his "DayBook" seem to establish my suggestion that one must multiply the 1845-1855 prices by about 40 to show the relationship with today's costs for common items. Try it yourself; the CPI multiplier of 10 simply does NOT work (unless you can now hire a man to work in the fields for $7.50 a day and buy sausage for 80 cents per lb.). I will later send 1900 prices for common items, those also that 30 is an appropriate approximate multiplier to compare the turn of the 20th-Century with now. ******* 1850 RETAIL PRICES (Southern Ohio) 20.00 for a "colt" 5 cents for a "daybook" (bound notebook 100 pg.) $1.00 for leather for a pr. of shoes, plus $1.00 to have those made $1.121/2 for a leather vest $5.00 for an "overcoat" $1.00 for 2 shirts $1.00 for 2 prs. Trousers 371/2 cents for a tin bucket $1.50 per student (two 66 day terms) = 23/4 cents ea. per day 621/2 cents a day for raking and binding 50 cents a day for hoeing corn 50 cents a day for reaping and the same for raking 50 cents a day for hauling grain (teamster) $1.00 per day for threshing (The above rates equal 4-6 cents per hour for such farm work) $1.00 per week "and washing done" @ 4-5 cents per item $3.00 for obstetrics 1 cent per bd foot for 375 linear ft. lumber (1"x1') $1.25 for having a horse shod 39 cents for 5 lbs tallow 1.25 for "front quarter" of beef 35 cents for 10 lbs "beef" 17 cents for 10 lbs lard 80 cents for 10 lbs sausage 1 cent per lb. for 14 lbs spare ribs 66 cents for 141/4 lbs. ham (4¼ cents per lb.) 621/2 cents for 5 lbs butter $1.00 for a bu. dried apples 10 cents per gallon for 5 gal. Vinegar $1.19 for 28 lbs of pork ( $1.00 for a bu. of potatoes 1.00 $1.00 for having a pair of pants made $1.50 for having a linen coat made $1.99 for 2 prs of drawers 23/4 cents per lb. for 42 lbs. flour $3.00 for house call at night, $1.00 day call $1.50 room and board for one week $3.00 for wood and candles for 3 months for a boarder 3-5 cents per item of clothes laundered To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-roots.html