Prices and Wages by Decade: 1870-1879
Links to government documents and primary sources listing retail prices for products and services, as well as wages for common occupations.
Wages in the United States, 1870-1879
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PRICES in FOREIGN COUNTRIES
- Farm labor - Average wages by state, 1866-1909
Tables 11-13 on pages 29-31 show average wages with and without board. Table 17 shows average wages per day without board, and Table 18 shows the daily wages with board.
Section titled "Extras Received by Laborers" explains the prevalence and value of non-monetary benefits paid to farm laborers, such as the use of a house or dwelling and garden plot, firewood for heat, stable and pasture for the worker's horse or cow, laundry service, occasional use of a buggy or a team for hauling, and one meal per day, pp. 49-52. Starting on page 53, there is discussion of the purchasing power of farm wages over the years. - Farm laborer earnings by state and territory, 1870
Shows daily and monthly wages with and without board, in winter and in summer. Source: Special report on immigration, a U.S. Bureau of Statistics publication, pp. 216-217. - Farm laborer monthly earnings, 1818-1948
Lists average monthly earnings with board, by geographic divisions. Data for years: 1818, 1826, 1830, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890, 1909, 1919, 1929, 1940, 1948. Read the explanation and historical context for this table. - Farm labor, 1841-1899
Source: History of Wages in the United States from Colonial times to 1928. - Farm labor wages - 1875 and 1879
This source shows the national average for daily and monthly wages of hired farm labor, with board or without, at harvest or at other times. - Farm wages in Vermont, 1780-1937
Table 26 shows daily and monthly wages with board for each year from 1780-1937. Source: Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station.
- Manufacturing wages, 1850s-1870s
Published in 1886 as part of the 10th U.S. Census. Also printed in Serial Set Vol. 2150. - Clothing manufacture, 1851-1898
Listed wages for dressmakers and sewing machine operators - Glass and clay products, 1841-1898
Listed wages for glass blowers, potters, kiln placers and turners. - Leather products, 1855-1900
Listed wages for shoemakers, leather cutters, stitchers, vampers, lasters and tanners. - Textiles - Cloth manufacture, 1842-1900
Wages for doffers, drawing frame tenders, cotton dyers, loom fixers, cotton spinners, cotton weavers - Textiles - Hosiery and underwear manufacture, 1842-1900
Wages for knitters of hosiery and underwear, weavers and winders of silk goods, dressers and dyers of woolen and worsted goods, loom fixers, spinners, wool sorters - Tobacco product manufacture, 1860-1900
Wages for cigar makers, tobacco stemmers and strippers
Note: We have access to teacher salaries and wages for all the other states. If you would like a certain state added to this list, simply send us a request.
- School teacher wages - 1870s
- California - Average statewide teacher wages, 1871, 1872 and 1873
- California - Teacher wages by county and sex, 1872 and 1873
- Illinois school teacher pay by gender, 1855-1874
Table shows the high, low and average pay received by school teachers in each year from 1855-1874. Source: Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction 11th Biennial Report. - Minnesota - Average teacher wages by sex, 1872
- Texas - Average annual salaries of all white professional school personnel, 1872-1953
- Congressional salaries, 1789-present
Historical chart shows salaries of members of the U.S. Congress, along with dates of enactment and statutory authority for each pay increase. - Federal cabinet and supreme court justices salaries, 1876
Source: Annual Statistician, p. 63. - U.S. State and territorial governor salaries, 1876
Source: Annual Statistician, p.71.
WAGES -- GENERAL SOURCES
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Wages for hundreds of occupations by state - 1870Lists wages for apothecaries, book binders, bakers, barbers, brick makers, cooks, dressmakers, fishermen, florists, gardeners, grave diggers, hatters, jewelers, leather tanners, locksmiths, nurses, plumbers, watch makers, distillery workers, ship builders, seamen, deck hands, shepherds, tailors, waiters, factory workers making carriages, pianos and organs and much more than can be listed here. Wages for jobs in cotton mills, woolen mills and paper mills, iron foundries and machine shops which could include carpenters, engineers, blacksmiths, firemen as well as spinners, dyers, etc. Lists wages by state and territory for certain mechanical occupations. Wage tables extend from p. 201-223 so be sure to scroll forward in the volume. Source: Information for Immigrants, published 1871.
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Unskilled occupations - Average wages, 1840-1891Shows average daily wage earnings for laborers, yard hands, watchmen, teamsters, quarrymen, coal-heavers, helpers, unskilled factory operatives, without any geographic breakouts. Source: Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 13 (1905).
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Female servant wages by state, 1870The average monthly wage for female servants was $9.04. This included board. The highest pay was in Montana at $50/month. The lowest was in North Carolina at $5 per month. Source: Special Report on Immigration, U.S. Dept of Treasury, Bureau of Statistics, pp. 216-217.
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Average daily wages in the US, Britain, France and Belgium - 1870-1898Very simple table compares average wages in the US, Great Britain, Paris France and Liege Belgium for each year from 1870-1898.
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Daily wages by city in the United States and Europe, 1870-1898Lists daily wages in dollars for many occupations including blacksmiths, bricklayers, cabinet makers, carpenters, railroad conductors, railroad engineers, street laborers, machinists, house painters, stone masons, teamsters, plumbers, and more, in the U.S. cities of Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Richmond, St. Louis, St. Paul and San Francisco. The last column provides an average across all of these cities. Wage data tables for cities in Great Britain, France and Belgium begin on page 683. Source: Bulletin of the United States Department of Labor, no. 18, published September 1898.
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Navy (U.S.) - Pay chart, 1870This is not a government website. For original government documents showing pay, contact us.
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History of Wages in the United States from Colonial times to 1928Extensive tables show average wages paid each year for a variety of occupations, reported by state and sometimes by city, often broken out by sex, in the following industries:
- Building trades, 1840-1900
New York roofers earned $2.50 to $3.50 per day in the 1870s
Listed wages for bricklayers, carpenters, stationary engineers, stationary firemen, hod carriers, building laborers, marble cutters, stone masons, painters, plasterers, plumbers and stone cutters. - Iron and steel workers, 1840-1899
Listed wages for furnace keepers for pig-iron blast furnaces and other jobs in iron and steel. - Laborers, 1840-1900
- Metal trades other than iron or steel, 1840-1900
Listed wages for blacksmiths in railroad shops, machine shops and other places, boiler makers in foundries and machine shops, core makers, horseshoers, foundry laborers, lathe hands, machinists, millwrights in flour mills and other places, iron molders, pattern makers, tool and die makers. - Mining -- Coal mine and iron mine industries, 1840-1900
Wages for coal mine drivers, loaders, coal miners, iron miners, drilling machine operators, timbermen for the mines - Printing and publishing, 1842-1900
Wages for bookbinders, press feeders, proof readers, compositors for newspapers and other shops, pressmen (operators of the printing press), stereotypers - Transportation industry wages, 1840-1900
Wages for railroad brakemen, conductors for passenger railroads, conductors for freight railroads, locomotive engineers and firemen, longshoremen, 1-horse teamsters, 2-horse teamsters and teamsters non-specified. - Woodworking trades, 1845-1900
Wages for cabinet makers, coopers, sawyers, loggers, lumber laborers, woodworkers
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Monthly wages by occupation and sex, 1840-1891 (not averaged)Reports monthly wages paid to individual, unnamed male and female employees in a variety of jobs at selected establishments in the northeast U.S. Industries covered: agricultural implement manufacture (MA), ale, beer and porter (NY), book and newspaper publishers (CT, NY, MD), building trades (CT, MD, MA, NJ, NY, PA, RI), railroad car and ship building (DE), wagon and carriage manufacture (NY), city public works (MA, NY, PA) and cotton milling (MA). Source: 1893 report of the U.S. Congressional Committee on Finance titled "Wholesale prices, wages and transportation."
Wages Reported at State and Local Levels, 1870-1879
WAGES reported at the STATE and LOCAL LEVEL, 1870s -- Multiple States
These are state government sources rather than federal sources. See tabs above for individual states.
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Wages in Cheyenne, ca. 1878"Wages average about as follows: carpenters, $2.75 per day; bricklayers, $4; plasterers, $3; salesmen, $75 to $125 per month; laborers $25 per month with board." Source: To the Rockies and beyond... by Strahorn (1879).
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Wages - Index of all reports issued by bureaus of labor statistics, 1870-1900This is an index to topics covered in all labor statistics bureaus, both state and federal and even some foreign countries. There are ten pages of entries under "Wages" listing wages shown in state and federal reports. Find report abbreviations spelled out here. The strategy for using this source is to identify a report you want to track down and then look for it in Hathi Trust's online digital library. Contact us if you would like assistance with this.
WAGES in California, 1870s
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California wages, 1850s-1902This index to California state government publications shows where one can find wages for various occupations such as teachers (1850s-1880s), railroad employees (1870s-1880s), farm workers (1890s), miners and lumbermen (1902), sailors (1904) and more. If you need assistance tracking down publications listed in this source, do not hesitate to contact us.
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Health Officer in LA, 1873-1876This publication tells the monthly salary of the Health Officer of the Board of Health of the City of Los Angles for 1873-1876.
WAGES in Connecticut, 1870s
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Connecticut (New Haven) city employee salaries, 1873-1921This series of Municipal Year Books from New Haven, Connecticut, show salaries for police, firemen, school teachers, principals, building inspectors, clerks and other jobs working for city government.
WAGES in COLORADO, 1870s
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Wages by occupation and price of living in Colorado, 1872Lists typical wages for the most common occupations as well as the prices of food and building materials and the cost to rent. Source: Colorado Territorial Board of Immigration Statement of Facts, pp. 33-34.
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Wages in Leadville, CO, 1879The gold rush in this vicinity inflated both prices and wages. Source: To the Rockies and beyond... by Strahorn (1879), p. 216.
WAGES in Massachusetts, 1870s
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Unskilled labor wages - Massachusetts, 1873Detailed breakouts by occupation, without board. Also tells the number of hours per week typically worked.
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Massachusetts - Wages by occupation, 1860-1897Shows average weekly wages for 1860, 1872, 1878, 1881 and 1897 for hundreds of detailed occupations. This is an extensive table, scroll forward to see it all. Source: Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor 28th annual report.
WAGES in Missouri, 1870s
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Kansas City MO wages for common occupations, late 1870sThis report from the Missouri Immigration Society showed average wages paid to bookkeepers, bartenders, teamsters, laborers, plasterers, painters, carpenters, bricklayers, stone masons, dry goods clerks, clothing house clerks, grocery clerks and drug store clerks. Published in 1880, it probably drew from 1870s data. This is not a government document.
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Farm labor wages in Missouri, 1866-1930Shows average farm labor wage in Missouri with and without board, during harvest time or at other times. Source: Missouri State Dept of Agriculture.
WAGES in Montana, 1870s
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Wages in Montana, ca.1878Shows typical wages for 34 occupations. Source: To the Rockies and beyond... by Strahorn (1879), p. 196.
WAGES in New Hampshire, 1870s
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New Hampshire wages and board, 1871The 1872 Report of Commissioners on Bureau of Labor Statistics to the [New Hampshire] Legislature is an incredibly rich source of wages. It contains employment statistics gathered by circulars sent to manufacturers and employees in 1871:
- Manufacturers - Paper manufactures on pages 64-66, cotton on pages 67-68, woolen on pages 69-73 (wages and board on page 72), and other types of manufacturing on pages 73-83.
- Employees -- Responses on pages 86-93 came from a blacksmith, shoemaker, watchman, a woolen mill hand, cabinet maker, machinists, common laborer, flannel manufacturer, flannel weaver, clerks in grocery stores, wool sorters, spinner, spinner and carder, and a stationary engineer.
- Farm laborer wages in 1871.
WAGES in North Carolina, 1870s
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Black men and women's wages in North Carolina, 1877A letter written by former slaves lists their low wages as one reason why they wanted to move to Kansas ( as part of the southern exodusters). Congressional hearing To investigate the causes of the removal of the Negroes from the southern states to the northern states, Part I, p. 90. The majority report for this hearing indicated that overall, "the average rate of wages [for former slaves]... was from eight to fifteen dollars per month, including board, and house to live in, garden and truck patches around the house, firewood, and certain other privileges, all rent free." The minority report however stated that the majority report was inaccurate because committee had not heard from a representative sample of the southern Black population.
WAGES in New York, 1870s
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New York City women's wages by occupation, 1870Shows weekly pay and hours worked per day for women employed as tailoresses, seamstresses, operators, cloak makers, dressmakers, lace makers, hat makers, shoe fitters, glove sewers, and more. These figures were collected by a journalist and published in the New York Tribune on Feb 26, 1870 and later quoted in a federal report.
WAGES in Wyoming, 1870s
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Wages and prices in Wyoming, ca. 1876Shows typical earnings for salesmen, men in building trades, ranch hands and herders. Also lists prices for common items to indicate the cost of living. Source: Hand-Book of Wyoming and Guide to the Black Hills and Big Horn Regions (1877) p. 158.
Wages in Foreign Countries, 1870-1879
Wages in MULTIPLE COUNTRIES below, 1870s
Click the tabs above for single countries
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Daily wages by occupation for selected European cities, 1870-1898Lists average daily wages (in dollars) for common occupations in London, Manchester, Glasgow, Paris France and Liege Belgium.
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Wages by occupation and place, 1870s-1880sShows average wage for occupations beginning with the letters H, I, J, K, L, M, N and O. each year and each place, whether it be an American state or European country. Source: 28th Annual Report, U.S. Bureau of Statistics of Labor (1898).
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Wages in European countries, 1878Includes concise table showing wages (in dollars) for selected occupations in various countries, compared to the U.S. Source: State of Labor in Europe, 1878: Reports from the United States Consuls...," pp. 30-31.
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European countries - Average daily wages in Britain, France and Belgium - 1870-1898Very simple table compares average wages in the US, Great Britain, Paris France and Liege Belgium for each year from 1870-1898. Source: Bulletin of the Department of Labor, Sep 1898.
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Wages and cost of living in foreign countries, early 1870sSource: British publication titled "Further reports from Her Majesty's diplomatic and consular agents abroad respecting the condition of the industrial classes and the purchase power of money in foreign countries," published in London, 1872. Use the Table of Contents to find page numbers for each country report.
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United Kingdom - Wages, 1810-1886Extensive, 437-page government report indicates detailed wages by occupation in many locations throughout the UK. Wages are reported in British currency.
Wages in AUSTRALIA, 1870s
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Australia (Melbourne) Wages ca. 1873Wages expressed in pounds, shillings and pence for agricultural laborers, shepherds, masons, bricklayers, carpenters, blacksmiths, cooks, grooms, gardeners, laundresses, maids, nursemaids, household servants, ocean seamen, and more. Source: 1873 edition of the Victorian year-book, an Australian government publication.
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Australia, Melbourne - Wages, 1878Lists wages in pounds, shillings and pence for the above occupations and also for workers employed in printing and publishing, watchmakers, jewelers, tinsmiths, ironworkers, plumbers, gasfitters, carriage makers, painters, saddlers, workers on boats, ship carpenters, cabinet makers, coopers, tailors, milliners, dressmakers, boot makers, hatters, carpet salesmen, butchers, bakers, teamsters, tanners, brickmakers, miners, engineers, legal managers in mining industry, and more.
Wages in BELGIUM, 1870s
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Belgium - Wages, prices and cost of living, 1870sAlso shows figures and discussion for Ghent. Source: U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... (1878)
Wages in CANADA, 1870s
Wages in DENMARK, 1870s
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Wages, prices and cost of living in Denmark, 1870sThe U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... provides data and discussion.
Wages in ENGLAND, 1870s
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England - Wages, prices and cost of living, 1870sSource: U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... (1878).
Wages in FRANCE, 1870s
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France, Lyons - Wages, 1870 to 1896Lists wages for occupations such as blacksmiths, bricklayers, cabinet makers, carpenters, street laborers, machinists, house painters, stone cutters, teamsters, and more. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 22, published May 1899.
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France - Wages, prices and cost of living, 1870sThe U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... provides data and discussion for these areas in France:
Wages in GERMANY, 1870s
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Germany - Wages, prices and the cost of living, 1870sThe U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... provides data and discussion for these areas in Germany:
Wages in INDIA, 1870s
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India - Wages by place and occupation, 1873-1890Shows wages in rupees by provinces and districts for every year from 1873-1890 for occupations such as agricultural laborer, mason, carpenter, horse-keeper and blacksmith. Scroll forward; this is a multi-page table.
Wages in IRELAND, 1870s
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Ireland - Farm laborer wages, 1850 and 1870Article in the Royal Statistical Society Journal (p 153-157) reprinted Irish farm laborer wages as they were reported in the Pall Mall Gazette. Page 156 shows prices of food and other items commonly needed by laborers.
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Ireland - Wages, prices and cost of living, 1870sSee detail for Belfast, Cork and Londonderry. Source: U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... (1878).
Wages in ITALY, 1870s
Wages in the NETHERLANDS, 1870s
Wages in SCOTLAND, 1870s
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Scotland - Wages, prices and cost of living, 1870sSource: U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... (1878). See additional detail for the following areas:
Wages in SWITZERLAND, 1870s
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Switzerland - Wages, prices and cost of living, 1870sSource: U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... (1878).
Wages in SPAIN, 1870s
Wages in SWEDEN, 1870s
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Sweden - Farming wages for male and female workers, 1866-1900Shows average yearly salaries (besides room and board) for servants, the value of tenement laborers entire pay (including wages and provisions), summer and winter wages per day, and the wages earned in 300 days in Sweden for the years 1866-1900. Figures shown are in Kronor, but conversion rates for shillings and dollars are included. Source: Sweden: its people and its industry; historical and statistical handbook published by order of the government, Stockholm, 1904.
Wages in WALES, 1870s
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Wales - Wages, prices and the cost of living, 1870sSource: U.S. federal document State of Labor in Europe: Reports from the United States Consuls... (1878).
Wages, 1870s - Analysis of Trends
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Nineteenth Century Wage Trends30-page booklet reviews overall wage trends from 1800-1899. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Staff Paper #2.
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Online calculator: Present-day purchasing power of historic monetary amountsThe MeasuringWorth.com website provides online calculators, guides and tutorials to help researchers understand historic monetary purchases and payments in present-day terms, for the United States, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom.
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"How Much is that in Real Money? A Historical Price Index..."Provides explanations and charts to help users calculate the current value of historic dollar amounts. Source: Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Association, Vol. 101 #2. Source
Prices in the United States, 1870-1879
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Average retail prices of necessities of life in 15 states, 1851-1880The 1890 U. S. census shows changing retail prices over time in about 65 towns for items such as fabrics and men's heavy boots. Flours, meats, fish, cheese, butter, beans, eggs, rice, milk and other provisions are in a separate section; click "more..." to get links directly to towns:
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Coffee, tea and sugar prices by town in 15 states, 1851-1880Shows a progression of changing retail prices over time in about 65 towns. Also includes price of molasses and syrup. Source: 1890 Census. Click "more..." for direct links to towns.
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Food, grocery and provision prices in Massachusetts, 1872 and 1878Shows food prices by the pound, quart or gallon. Also shows the cost of soap, fuel wood and coal. Source: Massachusetts Annual Report on the Statistics of Labor, 1884.
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Ohio food prices by city, 1870sPrices in Cincinnati start on p. 809; prices in Columbus start on p. 823; prices in Cleveland start on p. 836. All are part of a longer table that shows annual price data from 1825-1892. Source: Ohio Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17th Annual Report.
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Provisions - Prices in Wyoming, 1876Shows price of flour, bacon, bean, syrup, corn, oats, coffee, tea, sugar and baking powder. Source: Hand-book of Wyoming..., published 1877, p. 159.
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Board rates by city for men and women, 1851-1880A report of the U.S. Census Bureau lists weekly boarding rates by selected towns in CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MO, NY, OH, PA, TN, and WV. The rates to board in Cheyenne WY are listed in Hand-Book of Wyoming..., published 1877.
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Sugar prices in New York and San Francisco, 1870-1885Source: Source: Quarterly reports of the chief of the Bureau of Statistics, 1885-86, no. 2.
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Montgomery Ward catalogue, 1875Mail order catalog shows prices for fabrics and sewing supplies, clothing, hats, boots and shoes, soap, stationery, watches, jewelry, trunks, valises, satchels, traveling bags, pocketbooks, lead pencils, and more.
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Women's clothing and hat catalog, 1870Lord & Taylor catalog shows styles available for mail order. Customers were instructed to provide 14 different measurements.
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Macy's catalog, 1877-1878Mail order prices for women's and children's clothing, also for ladies' furs, parasols, toiletries, jewelry, makeup, household linens, china, furnishings, books, stationery and more.
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Clothing pattern prices (mail order catalog) - 1876Well-illustrated mail order catalog shows paper pattern prices for men's, women's, boy's and girl's clothing, coats, underwear, pajamas, caps and bonnets.
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Railroad passenger fares by RR company, 1850-1897Average passenger fares expressed in cents per mile. The tables extend from pages 65-77. See title page of this source.
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Passenger train fare in the U.S., 1871-1933Average railroad passenger fare (ticket price) expressed in cents per mile.
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Railroad travelers' expenses, 1878See the cost of sleeping berths and meals, overweight baggage and baggage handling, board rates at hotels. A Chicago hotel advertises rooms for $3-5 per day. Also, throughout this travel guide, one can find stage coach fares in the western states (tip: search for the word "stages"). Source: The Pacific Tourist.
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Fares from San Francisco, 1876This remarkable chart shows the total cost to get from San Francisco to hundreds of other towns, taking into account the miles that would have to be traveled by steamer or by rail, and finally by stagecoach to reach the final destination. See fares to reach: AL, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, OR, UT, WA, WY.
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Transportation to Wyoming, 1876Railway fare to Cheyenne WY from Chicago was $47; from Omaha NE, $31; from Denver CO, $7; from St. Louis MO, $47; and from New York City, $70. Stage coach fare between Cheyenne and Deadwood, South Dakota was $50. Source: Hand-book of Wyoming..., published 1877.
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Transportation to Montana, ca. 1878Lists fares to Montana from NYC, Chicago, Omaha and St. Louis. Source: To the Rockies and beyond... by Strahorn, p. 198.
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Stage-coach fare in the Pacific Northwest, 1874Shows passenger fare to Boise City, ID from Kelton, UT, Winnemucca, NV, and Umatilla, OR via stage coaches.
PRICES of CARRIAGES, WAGONS and TEAMS
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Horse car, carriage, ferry, etc. fares in selected U.S. cities, 1879See sections titled "Modes of Conveyance" under city descriptions throughout the text of this travel guide. It includes but is not limited to the cities of Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Louisville KY, Richmond VA and more. Source: Appleton's general guide to the United States and Canada... Part II: western and southern states (1879)
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Wagon and team prices - Wyoming, 1876A two-horse wagon cost between $100-$125. Source also shows the cost of 4-horse wagons as well as the prices of horse and mule teams on p. 159. Source: Hand-Book of Wyoming..., published 1877.
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Horse-drawn vehicle prices in NYC, 1871"New York Carriage Market of 1871" article shows the average price of various models, from no-top wagons to broughams, clarences, all the way up to luxury landaus for $3,000. Source: The Hub and New York coachmakers' magazine, March 15, 1872 issue, page 252.
No-top trade wagons cost $325 in New York in 1871 -
Horses and mules - Average price per head, 1867-1920Chart shows prices for farm animals. Source: USDA Yearbook, 1919 edition, p. 653.
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Carriage and buggy repair - Milwaukee, 1875Shows price list for various sorts of repairs, refinishing, etc. for carriages and buggies in Milwaukee. Source: The Hub, April 1875 issue.
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Cab and hack fares in San Francisco, 1876Cab fares were based on the number of travelers in the carriage and the distance. Source: Annual Statistician.
PRICES of OCEAN PASSAGE, 1870s
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Ship passage from America to Europe - 1875The 1875 traveler's guide titled Europe on $2 a Day quotes steamship ticket prices on pages 40-42.
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Ship passage from America to Europe - 1878The 1878 book, Practical suggestions to the American Tourist Visiting Europe for the First Time contains a chapter beginning on page 15 titled "Expenses of a tour."
HOTEL RATES, 1870s
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Roe's hotel guide for commercial travelers, 1876Use the Index to states to find page numbers quickly. The Key to abbreviations is essential to using this book; see pp. 118-119.
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Hotel rates in selected U.S. cities, 1879See prices throughout the text of this travel guide. It includes but is not limited to the cities of Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, New Orleans, Denver, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Louisville KY, Richmond VA, Jacksonville FL, and more. Source: Appleton's general guide to the United States and Canada... Part II: western and southern states (1879)
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Western states hotel rates, ca. 1878Shows hotel rates in Denver (p. 68) Black Hills, Dakota Territory (p. 27), Cheyenne (p. 16) and Montana (p. 196). Source: To the Rockies and beyond... by Strahorn (1879).
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Physicians fees - San Fransisco, 1871The February 1872 issue of the Pacific medical and surgical journal includes this 1871 fee bill San Fransisco Medical Society, showing the scale of fees members agreed to charge for services such as visits, consultations, office advice, special examinations, obstetrical cases, and vaccinations.
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Fees for medical services in Illinois, 1875The Illinois state medical register includes tables of charges adopted by the Chicago and Morgan County medical societies in 1875. Published in 1877.
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Physicians fee in Massachusetts, 1873Published in 1873, the Medical register for the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Charlestown, and Chelsea includes fee tables showing what physicians of the time charged for their services in each town: Boston, Cambridge, Charlestown, and Chelsea.
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Medical care in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, 1870sThe medical register for New England by Francis H. Brown, M.D. (copyright 1879) includes fee tables for the following towns or medical associations: Boston City proper, South Boston and Charlestown, Cambridge and Chelsea, MA, Hampden District and Middlesex East Medical Association, MA and Providence, RI Medical Association.
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Board at New York hospitals - 1869-1871The historic sketches of New York hospitals found in this publication include rates per day or per week for patients: St. Luke's Hospital, Saint Vincent's Hospital, Women's Hospital of the State of New York, House of Rest for Consumptives (Tremont, NY), and the New York Ophthalmic and Aural Institute (includes three classes of patient).
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Medicine for Ague, Fever, Malaria, etc. - Prices (retail and wholesale) - 1876Shows consumer prices for bottled medicines, including Ayer's Ague Cure, Wilhoft's Antiperiodic Fever and Ague Cure, Christie's Ague Mixture, Peterman's Michigan Ague Cure, Jayne's Ague Mixture, Rhode's Fever and Ague Cure, or Antidote to Malaria. Source: American Journal of Pharmacy Sep 1876 issue.
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Opium price to druggists, 1878The monthly Druggists' Circular included a regular section titled "Prices Current," showing the wholesale price of ingredients used to compound medicines. See the price of opium in this list. Check other issues in different years to track price changes.
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Cost to mail a letter, 1863-presentChart shows postal rates for mailing a domestic letter. Source: the Historian of the U.S. Postal Service.
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Telegraph rates from New York City - 1873, 1883 and 1908Table shows the price to send a 10-word message from New York City to 70 major cities in the U.S. and Canada. Source, pp. 24-25.
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Telegraph rates from San Francisco, 1876Detailed chart shows the price to send a 10-word message by telegraph to hundreds of towns in the states and territories of AL, AZ, CA, CO, ID, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, OR, UT, WA, WY.
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Telegraph rates from Wyoming, 1876Cost to send ten words by telegraph from Cheyenne to Chicago, $1.00; to Deadwood CO, $2.50; and to Custer City in South Dakota, $2.00. Source: Hand-Book of Wyoming..., published 1877.
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Telegraph rates from Montana, ca. 1878A 10-word telegram from Helena to points east of the Missouri River would cost $2.50. Source: To the Rockies and beyond... by Strahorn (1879), p. 198.
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Telephone terms from Bell Telephone Company, 1877A circular issued by Bell telephone in 1877 offered their new means of communication to the public; it gives terms for dwellings and businesses.
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Telephone service in Connecticut, 1877-1879Bell telephones leased for $35 a year in 1877 in New Haven and Middlesex counties. In 1878, the District Telephone Co. charged $18 per year; by 1879, their rates increased from $18 to $22. From 1878-1882, a public telephone, or pay station, was available at Bridgeport - the rate was 15 cents a call.
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Price of a newspaper subscription, 1869-1920Look up by year, then state, then city, then title to find the cost of a newspaper subscription. Source: Rowell's & Ayer's American newspaper directories.
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House rent by city or town, 1851-1880Average monthly rents by number of rooms in selected small towns and large cities in the states of CT, IL, IA, KS, KY, MO, MD, MA, MO, NJ, NY, OH, PA and TN. Source: 1890 Census.
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Home plans with estimated costs to build, 1876Floor plans, images and estimated costs to build are shown in Hobbs's architecture: containing designs and ground plans...adapted to the United States.
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Average value of farm land and buildings per acre, 1870Average dollar value per acre for farm land (along with any buildings on the land), broken out by U.S. region. Source: 1930 Census of Agriculture.
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Land prices and farm rent by state, 1869-1870Prices by county for both improved and unimproved land, and also for farm animals. Data collected in the winter of 1869-1870. Source: U.S. Bureau of Statistics. Click "more" for direct links to each state...
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Colorado, Montana and Dakota Territory - House rents, land prices and more, 1870s
- 1872 source: Statement of Facts, Colorado Territorial Board of Immigration
- House rent (p. 32) price of land under the Homestead Act (p. 28) and building material prices (p. 33)
- 1879 source: To the Rockies and beyond... by Strahorn
- Denver house rent $25-$35 per month p. 68
- Leadville real estate values before and after 1878 gold rush, p. 216
- Cheyenne house rent $30-$35 per month, p. 16
- Black Hills (Dakota Territory) house rent $25-$40 per month, p. 27
- Montana house rent $25-$35 per month in Helena and Butte. Also shows building material prices, p. 196
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Minnesota - Cost to build a modest home in rural area,1879A home sized 16x18 feet, built of single boards, covered with shingles, un-plastered and having only two doors and windows, would have cost $45 in 1879. It could be constructed without hired labor. A cooking stove, crockery ware, six chairs, one table and two bedsteads, would require about $40. The claim to acquire government land would cost $17. Source: Minnesota State Board of Immigration report.
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Missouri - Land prices by county, late 1870sIn this 1880 publication "Handbook of Missouri" from the Missouri Immigration Society (not a government agency), a detailed section for counties begins on page 75. Most of the county entries include a section titled "Price of Land," such as these: Andrew County, Atchison County, Audrain County, Barry County, Barton County, etc.
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New York - Land prices by county, 1874Lists average price for farm land by the acre in selected New York counties.
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Household items and furnishings prices, early 1870sThe book The Home: Where it Should Be and What to Put in it (published 1873) includes a price list for typical items that early 1870s homes might have. Prices were likely gathered from retailers the New York City area that are credited in the preface. This is not a government publication.
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Furniture prices, 1870 and 1871 - BostonThis 1871 catalog from one Boston furniture maker shows images and prices for a variety of what appears to be upscale furniture. It is unclear whether the prices listed in this catalog are consumer prices, or wholesale prices. See an 1870 edition of this catalog in the Internet Archive.
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Household items in the Montgomery Ward catalogue, 1875Mail order catalog shows prices for fabrics, linens, dishes, silverware, curtains, carpet, beds, feather ticking, mosquito nets and more.
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Personal effects - Prices circa 1875-1885The Franklin Jewelry Company's Illustrated Catalog and price list (ca. 1880) is a commercial wholesale catalog. Yet by carefully checking the text, one can often find the suggested retail price for specific items. This company sold cuckoo clocks, silver tea services, autograph books, hand mirrors, perfume bottles, candle sticks, picture frames, etc. Men's razors and steel spectacles are listed on page 75.
GUN, TOOL and IMPLEMENT PRICES, 1870s
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Rifle prices, ca. 1870Firearm and cartridge prices are shown in a Sons of Veterans military goods catalog, p. 31.
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Gun and rifle catalog, 1877Illustrated catalog and price list for a gun retailer located in Pittsburgh.
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Prices of wagons, farm implements, machinery and hand tools, 1860-1900Shows prices of carriages, buggies, surreys, farm implements such as plows and cultivators, carts, engines, tools, equipment and supplies for 1860, 1880, 1890, 1895 and 1900. Provides breakdowns by item category and type. Tables extend from page 14-28 in this source.
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Farm implement prices, 1873 and 1889This source shows how many bushels of grain a farmer would have to sell in order to buy a plow, cultivator, reaper, shovel, spade, rake and other common farm tools and implements.
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Horses, mules and farm animals - Average prices, 1867-1920Shows average values expressed as price per head. Source: USDA Yearbook, 1919 edition.
- Horses and mules (p. 653)
- Milk cows and other cattle (p. 658)
- Sheep (p. 668)
- Swine (p. 675)
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Work animals - Wyoming, 1876Shows the price of oxen, horse teams, saddle horses and pack horses as well as mule teams, pack mules and saddle mules. Source: Hand-Book of Wyoming... (1877)
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College tuition/expenses in Illinois colleges, ca. 1875Lists every college and academy in Illinois and shows "average annual expense per student" at each. The introductory paragraph refers to it as "terms of tuition." Unclear how much of the expense may be attributed to room and board. Source: 11th Biennial report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Illinois.
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Tuition costs at schools and colleges, 1877-1881Schools and colleges advertised their tuition fees in issues of The Educational Weekly. Use the 'Search in this text' tool to search a volume of interest for the word "tuition". For example, tuition at the Illinois State Normal University was $25 to $30 per year in 1877.
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Medical school tuition and fees, 1870s
Image from Medical Department Annual Circular 1878-1879
BOOK PRICES, 1870s
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Book prices, 1869-1877Each issue of the monthly trade magazine The American bibliopolist includes lists of new publications and sales announcements that show prices of books.
Click 'more...' below for items from 1870-1877. -
New book prices, 1872-1922Each issue of the serial publication Publishers' Weekly shows prices of newly published books, music, and periodicals in both the United States and abroad.
Click 'more...' below for issues from 1872-1879.
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Prices for amusements in San Francisco, 1876Shows admission prices for boxes and seats at theaters, opera and concert halls. Hotel rates and cab fares are also listed. Source: Annual Statistician, p. 212.
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Musical instrument prices (military), ca. 1870This military catalog lists prices for fifes, cymbals, drums, sticks, bugles and more. Source: Sons of Veterans military supply catalog.
Prices in Foreign Countries, 1870-1879
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Retail food prices compared across countries, 1878Two-page table compares retail prices (in U.S. dollars) of common food items in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, England, Ireland, Scotland and the cities of Chicago and New York in the United States. Source: U.S. consular report, State of Labor in Europe, 1878.
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Australia (Melbourne only) - Prices, 1873Prices of food products (meat, vegetables, dairy), tobacco, soap, candles, salt, wine, rum, whiskey, brandy, and more. Prices expressed in pounds, shillings and pence. Source: 1873 Victorian year-book, an Australian government publication.
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Prices in Melbourne, Australia - 1878Source: 1888-1889 Victoria year-book, an Australian government publication.
Prices in CANADA, 1870s
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Wholesale prices in Victoria, Vancouver Island, 1873This is a price list issued by a business that sold foods, alcohol and provisions in bulk. Wholesale prices for flour by the barrel and whisky by the gallon, 50-pound boxes of soap, and much more.
Prices in GREAT BRITAIN, 1870s
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England - Food prices and rent for cottages and land - 1770, 1850 and 1878Table at bottom of page 531 compares the price of bread, meat and butter, as well as the rent for a laborer's cottage and rent of cultivated land per acre. Includes farm labor wages as well. All amounts expressed in shillings.
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Average house rent in Great Britain, 1821-1881Also calculates average house rent per house inhabitant. Does not include Ireland. Amounts shown in British currency. Source: Mulhill's Dictionary of Statistics, p. 236.
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England - Bread prices, 1847-1880Shows average prices of bread in England for each year from 1660-1899 on pages 27-35. Source: Three Centuries of Prices of Wheat, Flour and Bread (not a government document). The introduction to this table explains that these prices are for the type of bread consumed by lower middle classes, not the "fancy bread." Price sources are provided on page 21-22.
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Medicine prices, 1875 - BirminghamRetail prices shown in W. R. Hedges' price current of genuine drugs, chemicals, patent medicines, &c. &c. published 1875 in Birmingham. See also the Pocket Price List for 1876.
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Prices of cotton goods in the United Kingdom, 1867-1884Table shows the average annual prices (in cents) of cotton, cotton yarn, and cotton cloth in the United Kingdom from 1867-1884.
Prices in INDIA, 1870s
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India - Salt retail price, annual averages for 1861-1890Tells how much salt one rupee could buy in the various districts and provinces in India in each year from 1861-1890. The quantity of salt is given in seers. 80 tolahs = 1 seer.
Prices in ITALY, 1870s
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Prices of Wheat, Bread, Etc. in Milan, Italy, 1801 to 1908Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor, No. 87, Volume XX. Published March 1910.
Prices in SWEDEN, 1870s
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Cereal (wheat, rye, barley, oats) prices in Sweden, 1836-1900This table shows average prices for wheat, rye, barley, and oats in Sweden for 1836 to 1900. Yearly consumption per inhabitant for wheat and rye can be found in another table on page 156 of this book.
Timeline - Economic events of the 1870s
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis.
(Click image for detail)
"75 Years of American Finance: A Graphic Presentation 1861-1935"
Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis
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