Prices and Wages by Decade: 1890-1899
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, 1890-1899
- Wages by occupation and city, 1870-1898Lists daily wages for common occupations in a dozen U.S. cities. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor Bulletin no. 18, pub. 1898.
Machinists made $2-3/day - Wages by occupation and city, 1890-1900Shows average wages by occupation for selected cities in MA, GA, PA, NY, NC, SC, IL, OH, NJ. Table spans pages 766-812 in this source.
Wages by race, 1890-1899
The most common Black occupations in 1890 and 1900 are listed in the U. S. Census report Negroes in the U.S. (1904) p. 58, and in Negro labor in the U.S. 1850-1925, pp. 315-319.
- 1890-1920: The Negro Wage Earner
- This 1930 book cites government data. Use the table of contents to find pages.
- Wages by occupation in 1896: Includes clergyman, teacher, seamstress, washerwoman, barber, shoemaker, tinsmith, nurse, well digger, coachman, waiter, railroad porter and more. Mainly covers Atlanta, Nashville and Cambridge, Mass and other cities with groupings defined here. Source: Condition of the Negro in Various Cities, U.S. Dept of Labor Bulletin #10.
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- Discusses wage disparity in northern and southern states. Source: "White and Colored Labor" in the 1896 Special consular report on money and prices, p. 259-260.
- Teacher salaries by race and state, 1889-1890
- Includes AL, DE, DC, KY, LA, MA, MS, NC and TX. Source: U.S. Dept. of Ed.
- Teacher wages by race - Delaware, 1890
- Compares wages of teachers of colored children and teachers for white children.
- Waiters, Black - Earnings in Kansas, 1896
- Look for "Afro-American" or "African" under "Nativity of Parents" column. This source also shows value of home or monthly rent, number of additional workers in family and more.
Black family income and expenditures
- Source: The Philadelphia Negro: a social study, 1896
- Income and expenditures on pp. 168-178.
- Income by family size, p. 170
Wages by sex, 1890-1899
- Domestic servants' weekly wages and hours - Boston, 1898Pay for chambermaids, cooks and housekeepers on page 2; nursery maids, governesses, parlor maids, seamstresses and laundresses on page 4. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin #8. U.S. Labor Bulletin #19 figures that wages and value of room and board provided to cooks and housekeepers provided them about 8¢ - 9¢ per hour.
- Domestic servant wages, 1889-1890Source: Domestic service, by Lucy M. Salmon (1901), pp. 96-97.
- New Jersey - Female wages by industry, 1892Shows average monthly wages and annual earnings. Source: NJ Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries 16th Annual Report, pp. 99-112.
- Massachusetts and North Carolina - Women's wages, 1896Shows average daily wages for men, women and children, skilled and unskilled. Also shows wages of machinists, engineers, and firemen. Source: Mass. Labor Bulletin no. 5, p. 9.
- Missouri - Women's wages, 1897-1899Shows average daily and annual earnings of male and female workers of various skill levels. Source: Missouri Bureau of Labor Statistics & Inspection, 22nd ann. rept., p. 389.
- Ohio - Women's pay by occupation, 1892Source: Ohio Bureau of Labor Statistics, report for 1893, pp. 844-860.
Cooks worked 78-83 hours/wk. and earnedWages by industry and occupation, 1890-1899
- Agricultural labor wages and earnings
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1890 earnings by U.S. region
Farm laborers averaged 99¢/day in 1899
Shows average monthly earnings with board; includes explanation. - 1890-1899 national average earnings
This is part of a larger table showing wage data from 1866-1922. - 1866-1909 earnings by state
Show average wages with and without board in tables 11-15 on pp. 29-33. - 1780-1937 farm wages in Vermont
Source: Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station, Table 26. - Farm labor, 1841-1899
- Farm labor wages, 1866-1920.
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- Baker wages, 1880-1900. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 604.
- Building trades
- Building trade wages by year and state, 1840-1900
Lists wages for bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, stationary engineers, stationary firemen, hod carriers, building laborers, marble cutters, stone masons, painters, plasterers, plumbers, stone cutters, granite cutters and tile layers. Scroll forward in the source to see additional occupations. Source: History of Wages in the United States from Colonial times to 1928. - Building trades - Wages and hours in the U.S. and Europe, 1890-1903
Compares wages for blacksmiths, boiler makers, bricklayers, carpenters, compositors, hod carriers, iron molders, general laborers, machinists, house painters, plumbers, stone cutters, and stone masons in U.S., Great Britain, Germany, France and Belgium. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 53, published July 1904. - Wages for city employees, by occupation and city - 1890s
Wages for all the typical building trades are represented (carpenter, stone mason, bricklayer, electrical inspectors) as well as other jobs working for city governments. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 7, published November 1896. - Building trade wage microdata (not averaged),1890-1891
Reports monthly wages paid to individual, unnamed male and female employees in a variety of jobs at selected establishments in the states of MD, MA, NJ, NY, PA and RI. Occupations include carpenter, carpenter's helper, hod carrier, mason, mason's helper, painter, bricklayer, bricklayer's helper, steam and gas fitter, plumber, tinsmith, machine hand, teamster, roofer, plasterer, watchmen, foreman, apprentice and engineer.
- Building trade wages by year and state, 1840-1900
- Carpenters
Source: Wages in the United States and Europe, 1870-1898, pg. 673 -
Cigar makers, 1860-1900
Cigar makers worked 48-60 hours/wk., usually for less than $2/day
Wages for cigar makers, stemmers, etc. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no 604. - Clothing manufacture, 1851-1898
Shows wages for dressmakers and sewing machine operators. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 604.
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Domestic servants - Pay by occupation, 1898
Chambermaid
Also compares pay in regions of the U.S. See source: Encyclopedia of social reform, entry for "Domestic service," pp. 509-515. - Domestic servants - Boston, 1898
Shows weekly wages and hours for chambermaids, cooks and housekeepers on page 2; nursery maids, governesses, parlor maids, seamstresses and laundresses on page 4. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin #8. - Farm labor -- SEE -- Agricultural labor under the "A" tab above.
- Glass and clay products, 1841-1898
Wages for glass blowers and more. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 604. - Government official salaries
- 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. - State and territorial governor salaries, 1890
As reported in the World Almanac. See other editions for other years, for example this table shows governor salaries for 1899.
- Congressional salaries, 1789-present
- Iron and steel workers, 1840-1899
Wages for furnace keepers for pig-iron blast furnaces and other jobs in iron and steel. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 604. - Laborers, 1840-1900. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 604.
- Leather products, 1855-1900 Listed wages for shoemakers, leather cutters, stitchers, vampers, lasters and tanners. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 604.
- Maids -- SEE Domestic servants
- Manufacturing wages
- Manufacturing industries - Wages and hours, 1890-1907
Bulletin of the U. S. Bureau of Labor, No. 77, Volume XVII. Published July 1908. - Wages in cotton, woolen, and silk industries, 1890-1912
These workers engaged in spinning, weaving, printing, dyeing and otherwise performing tasks for the manufacture of fabrics. Shows hourly wages and typical hours per week. - Wages in lumber, millwork, and furniture industries, 1890 to 1912
Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 129. - Wages in automobile manufacturing, 1899-1955
Shows average weekly earnings. Although this is not a government source, it cites government data.
- Manufacturing industries - Wages and hours, 1890-1907
- Military
- Painters
Source: Wages in the United States and Europe, 1870-1898, pg. 680 - Plumbers
Source: Wages in the United States and Europe, 1870-1898, pg. 681 - 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, etc. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 604.
- Railroad employee wages
- Railway employee wages by occupation, 1896-1907
Shows average daily compensation for station agents, conductors, telegraph operators, enginemen, firemen, track men, switch tenders, crossing tenders, machinists, carpenters and more. - Wages by occupation and railway company, 1892
Source: Rates of pay and regulations governing employees in train and yard service...in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. - Railroad wages by occupation, 1892-1902
Shows the daily wages for 18 railroad occupations. Source: U.S. Interstate Commerce Commission. - Railroad cars, building and repair - 1890 to 1912
Shows wages per hour and hours of work per week for the years 1907 to 1912, with breakouts by state. Includes a comparison from 1890 to 1912. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 137
- Railway employee wages by occupation, 1896-1907
- Textiles - Cloth manufacture, 1842-1900
Wages for doffers, cotton dyers, loom fixers, cotton spinners, weavers, etc. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no 604. - Textiles - Hosiery and underwear manufacture, 1842-1900
Wages for knitters of hosiery and underwear, weavers and winders, loom fixers, spinners, wool sorters, etc. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no 604. - Tobacco product manufacture, 1860-1900
Wages for cigar makers, stemmers, etc. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no 604. - Transportation industry wages, 1840-1900
Wages for railroad brakemen, conductors on passenger and freight railroads, locomotive engineers and firemen, longshoremen, teamsters, etc. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no 604. - Woodworking trades, 1845-1900
Wages for cabinet makers, coopers, sawyers, loggers, lumber laborers, woodworkers, etc. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no 604.
- Wages by occupation, 1840-1928Shows data by occupations in industries, reported by state (or city) and sex.
Wages by state, 1890-1899
- Monthly wages by occupation and sex, 1890-1891 (not averaged)Reports monthly wages paid to individual employees in a variety of jobs at selected establishments in the northeast U.S., dating back to the 1840s. Source: Congressional report Wholesale prices, wages and transportation, pub. 1893. Industries covered:
- Agricultural implement manufacture (MA)
- Ale, beer and porter production (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)
- Cotton milling (MA)
WAGES in ALABAMA, 1890s
- Railroad occupations - Daily wages, 1892 and 1895Shows wages for engineers, firemen, conductors, switchmen, flagmen, machinists, carpenters and more. Source: 1897 Year book of railway literature, p. 244.
WAGES in CALIFORNIA, 1890s
- California wages for selected occupation, 1893-1895Shows the average wages by county for farm hands, blacksmiths, and carpenters with and without board. Wages shown are daily except for the first two columns of farm hands. Source: Transactions of the California State Agricultural Society for the year 1895, pp. 109-111
- California - Wages by occupation, 1894-1902Shows the prevailing daily wages for various occupations in California in 1894, 1896, 1900, and 1902 (source).
- Daily wages by occupation - California, 1884-1900This table shows the rate per day for various jobs and occupations across California over a 16 year period. Source: 9th Biennial Report of BLS of California, pp. 59-60
WAGES in COLORADO, 1890s
- Colorado wages by occupation - late 1890sSee average weekly wages by occupation in the Colorado Bureau of Labor Statistics 7th Biennial report:
- Women's wages by occupation in Colorado, 1891-1892See table at bottom of page, "Schedule of wages in leading occupations of female wage-earners in Colorado." Occupations include milliners, dressmakers, chambermaids, domestics, factory girls, sales women, confectionery workers, etc. Taken from Colorado State Bureau of Labor Statistics volume 3 (1891-1892)
- Wages by industry and occupation - Colorado, 1892Pages 8-10 show the typical wages for various workers in trades, clerical work, agriculture, street transit, and other industries. Source: 3rd Biennial Report of the BLS of Colorado, pp. 8-10
- Industrial wages by industry - Colorado, 1893-1894Pages 152-174 shows the daily wages and annual earnings for various classes of workers in 11 different industrial industries in throughout Colorado. Source: 4th Biennial Report of the BLS of Colorado, pp. 152-174
WAGES in CONNECTICUT, 1890s
- City government employees - Salaries in New Haven, CT from 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.
- Factory wages in Connecticut, 1896-1902Shows the average yearly and daily earnings of factory operatives in Connecticut at the turn of the century (source).
- Rate of wages for union workers - Connecticut, 1898Pages 127-135 show the average daily wages of organized labor in the state by occupation, also classified by town and union. Source: 14th AR of the BLS of Connecticut, pp. 127-135
WAGES in FLORIDA, 1890s
- Railroad occupations - Daily wages, 1892 and 1895Shows wages for engineers, firemen, conductors, switchmen, flagmen, machinists, carpenters and more. Source: 1897 Year book of railway literature, p. 244.
WAGES in GEORGIA, 1890s
- Railroad occupations - Daily wages, 1892 and 1895Shows wages for engineers, firemen, conductors, switchmen, flagmen, machinists, carpenters and more. Source: 1897 Year book of railway literature, p. 244.
WAGES in IOWA, 1890s
- Iowa - Earnings by occupation, 1894Tables show annual earnings of Iowans working in various occupations, with breakouts by sex. Note that by paging backward from any of these tables, one can find additional detail such as average hours worked per day and average number of weeks worked per year. Pages are arranged as two-page spreads. Jump directly to counties:
WAGES in ILLINOIS, 1890s
- Farm hand wages - Illinois, 1880-1904For each year, this source shows the average wages paid to farm hands with or without board. Source: Statistical report of the Illinois State Board of Agriculture for 1904, p. 9.
- Railroad wages by company - Illinois, 1890Shows the average daily wages of employees of Illinois railroad companies for 16 different railroad occupations in 1890. Source: 20th report of the Railroad and Warehouse Commission of Illinois, pp. 96-97.
- Government salaries - Illinois, 1893Shows salaries for government leaders in Chicago, Cook County and at the state level. Source: Chicago Daily News almanac and yearbook for 1893, pp. 187-189.
- Illinois wages, 1850s-1900sBibliography of Illinois state government publications tell which reports show wages for various occupations: farm labor, mill workers, factory workers, teachers, miners, railroad workers, and more. See pp. 251-253 of this source. Contact us for assistance tracking down any of the listings in the bibliography, concannonm@missouri.edu.
WAGES in INDIANA, 1890s
- Wages by occupation and city - Indiana, 1899The first column of this 16-page table shows the daily wages for journeymen in various occupations and throughout the state. Observations are organized alphabetically by the town the come from. Source: 8th Biennial Report of the Indiana Department of Statistics, pp. 177-193
- Funeral directors and undertakers' earnings - Indiana, 1899The typical cost of a funeral in 1899 seems to have ranged from $60-80, and this presentation reviewed how much a funeral director might earn in a year, compared to his business expenses. Source: Paper read before the Indiana Funeral Directors Association in 1899.
- Wages by industry and occupation - Indiana, 1897-1898This 56 pages series of tables on labor statistics details the average daily wages of Indiana worker by occupation in various industries. Industries that employed children and/or women show the wages information for them below the main table. The chapter
covers 57 include:
- Breweries
- Candy making
- Clothes manufacturing
- Coal mines
- Ice and cold storage
- Leather industries
- Stone quarries
- Earnings by occupation - Kansas, 1896Shows average annual earnings for barbers, railroad employees, police and firemen, coal miners, hotel waiters, retail clerks and more. Also shows the average value of dwellings by resident's occupation and more. Source: Kansas Bureau of Labor and Industry 1896 report, pp. 86-87.
WAGES in KENTUCKY, 1890s
- Railroad occupations - Daily wages, 1892 and 1895Shows wages for engineers, firemen, conductors, switchmen, flagmen, machinists, carpenters and more. Source: 1897 Year book of railway literature, p. 244.
WAGES in MASSACHUSETTS, 1890s
- Wages by occupation - Massachusetts, 1860-1897Average weekly wages by occupation in 1860, 1872, 1878, 1881 and 1897. Source: Mass. Bureau of Statistics of Labor 28th Annual report, pp. 4-12.
- Earnings, average annual - Massachusetts, 1890Shows earnings for a variety of industries throughout the state. Source: Massachusetts Bureau of Statistics of Labor
- Wages by occupation and country, 1870-1898Shows the comparative daily wages for workers in 18 different occupations in Boston, London, Paris, Liege, and other locations throughout the US and UK. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin no. 9 pp. 1-3
- Wages by industry - Massachuetts and New Jersey, 1895Shows the average yearly earning in 27 different industries throughout both states. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin no.3, pg. 39
WAGES in MARYLAND, 1890s
- Maryland - Wages by occupations, 1890-1902Shows the average daily rates for various occupations in building trades, railway shops, and iron works (source).
WAGES in MINNESOTA, 1890s
- Minnesota - Average income by sex, 1899 and 1900Shows the percentage of male and female employees who fell in various income categories. Source: MN Bureau of Labor, 1899-1900 report.
- Minnesota - Average earnings by industry and sex, 1899-1900Extensive tables span pages 188-237 in this report. Industries are arranged alphabetically. Source: MN Bureau of Labor.
WAGES in MISSOURI, 1890s
- Wages by occupation, nationality and sex - MO, 1898Report shows average wages in Missouri for a number of typical occupations in the building trades, manufacturing, baking, barbershop work, brewing, etc., and also provides cost of living data. Scroll forward in the source to see extensive tables and further occupations such as jobs with railroads. Source: MO Bureau of Labor Statistics biennial report, 1899.
- Factory wages by industry - St. Louis, 1893Provides a brief summary of each industry along with a table showing average wages by trade. Starts with agricultural implements on p. 53 and ends with willow-ware and basket-workers on p. 108. See full list of industries in the table of contents. Source: MO Bureau of Labor Statistics and Inspection annual report, 1893.
- Street railway wages, 1893Includes wages for conductors, gripmen, blacksmiths, cable tenders, engineers, and many more. Scroll forward to see more occupations, or see full list in the table of contents. Source: Missouri Bureau of Labor Statistics and Inspection annual report, 1893.
- Coal miner wages - Missouri, 1893This report contains tables of the actual earnings of 1139 miners taken from the pay-rolls of different operators. Scroll forward through the report remarks to view tables by county or see the table of contents for a list of all counties represented. Source: MO Bureau of Labor Statistics and Inspection annual report, 1893.
- Coal mining wages in Missouri, 1890-1922Shows the hourly, daily, and biannual earnings of different occupations in the Missouri coal industry between 1890-1922. Source: 43rd Annual Report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics of Missouri, pp. 887-889
- Farm wages - Missouri, 1866-1920With or without board, during harvest or at other times. Source: MO State Board of Agriculture.
- Wages by sex - Missouri, 1897-1899Page 389 of this report shows the average daily and yearly earnings of male and female workers of various skill levels over a three year period. Source: 22nd AR of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Inspection of Missouri, pg. 389
WAGES in MISSISSIPPI, 1890s
- Railroad occupations - Daily wages, 1892 and 1895Shows wages for engineers, firemen, conductors, switchmen, flagmen, machinists, carpenters and more. Source: 1897 Year book of railway literature, p. 244.
WAGES in MONTANA, 1890s
- Wages and hours by occupation, sex and local area - Montana, 1893In the links below, the occupation title leads to statistical averages. "Additional detail" leads to data for each individual employee, including place of residence, hours worked daily, whether they rented or owned their homes, how much they paid for rent, board, and more. Source: Montana Bureau of Agriculture Labor and Industry 1st Annual report (1893).
- Bakers and confectioners, plus additional detail
- Barbers, plus additional detail
- Blacksmiths, plus additional detail
- Bookkeepers, plus additional detail
- Brewers, plus additional detail
- Bricklayers, plus additional detail
- Bartenders, plus additional detail
- Boilermakers, plus additional detail
- Butchers, plus additional detail
- Carpenters, plus additional detail
- Cigar makers, plus additional detail
- Coal miners, plus additional detail
- Domestic help, plus additional detail
- Dressmakers, plus additional detail
- Drivers, plus additional detail
- Druggists
- Electric railway and light employees, plus additional detail
- Engineers, stationary, plus additional detail
- Farm hands
- Firemen, stationary, plus additional detail
- Foundry men, plus additional detail
- Granite and stone cutters, plus additional detail
- Herders
- Jewelers, plus additional detail
- Laborers, plus additional detail
- Laundry employees, plus additional detail
- Machinists, plus additional detail
- Milliners, plus additional detail
- Millwrights, plus additional detail
- Painters and decorators, plus additional detail
- Printers, plus additional detail
- Quartz miners, plus additional detail
- Quartz mill men, plus additional detail
- Railway employees
- Restaurant employees (cooks, waitresses, dish washers, etc.) plus additional detail
- Saddlers and harness makers, plus additional detail
- Salesmen, saleswomen and clerks, plus additional detail
- Sawmill and lumber yard workers, plus additional detail
- Shoemakers, plus additional detail
- Smelter men, plus additional detail
- Stenographers
- Stonemasons, plus additional detail
- Tailors, plus additional detail
- Teamsters and hostlers, plus additional detail
- Telegraph operators, plus additional detail
- Telephone operators, plus additional detail
- Watchmakers, plus additional detail
WAGES in NEW JERSEY, 1890s
- Wages by industry - Massachuetts and New Jersey, 1895Shows the average yearly earning in 27 different industries throughout both states. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin no.3, pg. 39
- Wages by sex and industry - New Jersey, 1893This page of a larger table shows the range of weekly wages for men, women, and children in 41 different industries across the state. Source: 16th Annual Report of the Bureau of Statistics of Labor and Industries of New Jersey, pg. 136
WAGES in NEW YORK, 1890s
- Brooklyn - Wages by occupation, 1890sLists about 200 occupations, including barbers, bartenders, waiters, musicians, firemen, grave diggers, tailors and more. Source: Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac editions.
- Manhattan - Building and construction trades, 1883-1903Daily wages for construction trades, stone cutting and street paving in source, pp. 451-452.
- New York City - Wages by occupation and borough, 1897Daily wages for jobs in the building trades, stone cutting, metal working, electrical, street work, ship building, printing/publishing jobs and more in this source, pp. 251-253.
- Ship wages - Lake Champlain (NY and VT) - 1890Lists wages for captains, seamen, first mates, second mates, engineers, chambermaids, deck hands, lookouts, watchmen, wheelmen, cooks, firemen, stewards, and boy helpers.
WAGES in OHIO, 1890s
- Coal mining wages - Ohio, 1894-1901Shows the wages of a variety of occupations in Hockey Valley coal mines. Source: Ohio Chief Inspector of the Mines report, pp. 56-57
WAGES in PENNSYLVANIA, 1890s
- Black family income and expenditures in Philadelphia, 1896The section on income and expenditures is in The Philadelphia Negro: a social study by W.E.B. Du Bois (1899), pp. 168-178.
- Average daily wages in Pennsylvania, 1896Shows the wages of a variety of industries and occupations. Observations do not separate by sex, age, or skill. Source: Bureau of Industrial Statistics of Pennsylvania
- Earnings by industry - Pennsylvania, 1894-1901Pages 677-686 shows the both the yearly earnings and daily wages of workers in 39 different industries in Pennsylvania manufacturing. Source: 29th AR of the Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania
- Daily Wages in Pennsylvania, 1896Pages 613-641 shows the daily wages of employees in various manufacturing industries across the state. Each observation is categorized by occupation within their given industry. Source: 24th AR of the Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania
- Building trades wage rate - Pennsylvania, 1890-1894This table shows the hourly wages of persons engaged in the building trades. Occupations observed include bricklayers, painters, carpenters, and more. Source: 22nd AR of the Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania
- Earnings in a mixed mill - Pennsylvania, 1870-1890This table shows the daily or monthly earnings of employees of various occupations in a Pennsylvania mill over a 20 year period. This mill produced, among other products, rugs, ingrains, and body-brussells. Source: 17th AR of the Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania
- Wages by industry - Pennsylvania, 1896Pages 384-391 details the daily wages and yearly earnings in industries throughout the state. Following a general layout of wage by occupation, each industry has its earnings and wages broken down by gender and age. Source: 31th AR of the Secretary of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania
WAGES in RHODE ISLAND, 1890s
- Wages in Rhode Island by occupation and town, 1893Shows wage range by occupation, as well as rents. Many towns and occupations are included. See pages 83-200 in this source.
WAGES in TENNESSEE, 1890s
- Coal mining wages - Tennessee, 1896Contract shows wages and hours in the Jellico district. See also prices for food, fuel and provisions at Tennessee coal mines company stores (p. 293). Source: Tennessee Bureau of Labor, Statistics and Mines, 5th annual report.
- Railroad occupations - Daily wages, 1892 and 1895Shows wages for engineers, firemen, conductors, switchmen, flagmen, machinists, carpenters and more. Source: 1897 Year book of railway literature, p. 244.
WAGES in TEXAS, 1890s
- Texas school personnel salaries (white only), 1872-1953Chart shows annual salaries for all school personnel in Texas without breakouts for occupation, years of training, years of experience, etc.
WAGES in VERMONT, 1890s
- Workers on boats on Lake Champlain (NY and VT) - 1890This lake is in the New York/Vermont area. Lists wages for captains, seamen, first mates, second mates, engineers, chambermaids, deck hands, lookouts, watchmen, wheelmen, cooks, firemen, stewards, and boy helpers.
WAGES in WASHINGTON, 1890s
- Ship workers in Washington state - 1897-1898The 1st Biennial Report of Washington state's Bureau of Labor shows wages for many occupations based on ships, including deck hands, mates, boatswains, watchmen, engineers, coal passers, stewards, cooks and "flunkies."
WAGES in WISCONSIN, 1890s
- Wisconsin - Wages by occupation, 1895-1896Wisconsin's 7th Biennial Report of the Bureau of Labor and Industrial Statistics included a lengthy section showing wages earned by people in a variety of occupations. These were not averages but lists of individuals along with how much each made as well as each individual's housing, fuel and clothing/dry goods expenses.
Wages by country, then occupation - 1890s
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Wages in AUSTRIA, 1890s
- Wages in Austria, 1896Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, p. 99.
- Earnings of Austrian state railway employees, 1898This brief summary of an Austrian report from 1903 discusses the 1898 salaries, including a table of average family income by district, of watchmen, gatekeepers, switchmen, and track walkers employed by the Government railways in Austria. Source: Investigation relative to wages and prices of commodities Vol. 3, pages 1667-1669.
- Austria - Wages, 1890sData and discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 727 (source)
Wages in BELGIUM, 1890s
- Average daily wages in Liege, Belgium, 1870-1898Contains no occupational breakouts. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor Bulletin, Sep 1898, p. 668.
- Wages by occupation and country, 1870-1898Shows the comparative daily wages for workers in 18 different occupations in Boston, London, Paris, Liege, and other locations throughout the US and UK. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin no. 9 pp. 1-3
- Wages in Belgium compared to other countries, 1890-1903Compares Belgian wages to those for similar occupations in the U.S., Great Britain, Germany and Paris. Occupations include iron molders, general laborers, machinists, blacksmiths, boiler makers, bricklayers, carpenters, compositors, hod carriers, painters, plumbers, stone cutters, and stone masons. These tables are also available in the FRASER digital library.
- Belgium - Wages, 1890sData and historical discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 726-727 (source)
- Wages in Belgium, 1895Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, pp. 46-47.
- Average daily wages by country, 1870-1896This table shows the average daily wages shown in US gold dollars of five different occupations in the US, UK, Paris, Lyon, and Liege over a 27 year period. Source: Bulletin of the US BLS no. 38, pp. 124-216
Wages in CANADA, 1890s
- Canada (Montreal) - WagesAlso shows incomes and rent. Source: U.S Bureau of Labor Bulletin #14, vol. 3, Jan 1898.
- Canada (Ottawa) - Wages, 1897 and 1907Shows wages and hours for dozens of occupations, including job titles in the agriculture, building and timber industries; as well as bartenders, restaurant workers, domestic servants, policemen, bookbinders, and more. Source: U.S. Consular report titled Cost of Living in Canada.
- Wages in CanadaShows wages for: Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, pp. 37-44.
Wages in CENTRAL AMERICA, 1890s
- Wages in Central America, 1896Shows wages for: Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, pp. 150-160.
Wages in DENMARK, 1890s
- Denmark - Wages, 1890sData is provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 729 (source)
Wages in FRANCE, 1890s
- Wages by occupation in France, 1890sData and discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 724-726 (source)
- Wages by occupation and country, 1870-1898Shows the comparative daily wages for workers in 18 different occupations in Boston, London, Paris, Liege, and other locations throughout the US and UK. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin no. 9 pp. 1-3
- 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.
- Daily wages in Paris and other cities, 1896Table shows comparative wages of various occupations in 1896 and 1901 in Paris and other cities of France.
- Wages in printing and lithographing, 1896Tables show the average daily wages of employees in French printing and lithographing establishments (by age group, occupation, and sex) in 1896.
- Average daily wages in France, 1870-1898Contains no occupational breakouts. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor Bulletin, Sep 1898, p. 668.
- Wages in Paris compared to other countries, 1890-1903Compares Parisian wages to those for similar occupations in the U.S., Great Britain, Germany and Belgium. Occupations include iron molders, general laborers, machinists, blacksmiths, boiler makers, bricklayers, carpenters, compositors, hod carriers, painters, plumbers, stone cutters, and stone masons. These tables are also available in the FRASER digital library.
- Wages in Paris, 1896Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, p. 58.
- Average daily wages by country, 1870-1896This table shows the average daily wages shown in US gold dollars of five different occupations in the US, UK, Paris, Lyon, and Liege over a 27 year period. Source: Bulletin of the US BLS no. 38, pp. 124-216
- Daily wages by occupation and sex - France, 1840-1893These two tables show the average daily wages for various occupations from 1840-1845, 1860-1865, and 1891-1893 for both male and female employees. The first table deals primarily with Paris and its suburbs while the second outside of the Seine (Paris). Source: Bulletin of the US BLS no. 21, pg. 326
Wages in GERMANY, 1890s
- Germany - Wage trends, 1898 to 1907Shows wages for miners in coal, copper and iron mines, stone masons, carpenters, painters, plumbers, gas fitters, steam fitters, stone cutters, metal workers, printers, railway employees (including mechanics, engineers, conductors, section hands, office workers, etc.), and workers on ships in the Baltic and North seas. This extensive article spans pages 793-812 in the Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Labor, #88, published May 1910.
- Agricultural and coal mining wages in Bavaria, 1890Shows wages for men and for women. Source: Bavarian Palatinate, published in London, 1920.
- Wages in Germany compared to other countries, 1890-1903Compares German wages to those for similar occupations in the U.S., Great Britain, Belgium and Paris. Occupations include iron molders, general laborers, machinists, blacksmiths, boiler makers, bricklayers, carpenters, compositors, hod carriers, painters, plumbers, stone cutters, and stone masons. These tables are also available in the FRASER digital library.
- Germany - Wages, 1890sData and discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 725-726 (source)
- Average wages in Germany, 1892-1902This table shows the average customary wages in various cities throughout Germany over a 10 year span. Wages are sorted by sex and age (source).
Wages in GREECE, 1890s
- Greece - Wages, 1895Data are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 728 (source)
Wages in HOLLAND, 1890s
- Holland - Wages, 1890sData and discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 728 (source)
- Wages in the Netherlands, 1894Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, p. 54.
Wages in ITALY, 1890s
- Italy - Wages, 1890sData and discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 727-728 (source)
- Wages in Italy, 1896Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, pp. 110
Wages in MEXICO, 1890s
- Wages in MexicoShows wages for: Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, pp. 111-150.
- Wages by occupation - Mexico, 1896This table shows the minimum, medium, and maximum daily wages of various occupations in five Mexican cities as well as how many hours were worked per day at each occupation. Source: Bulletin of the US BLS no. 38, pg. 60
Wages in NORWAY, 1890s
- Norway, annual earnings by sex, 1894Norway discussion is on pages 1082-1085. Tables show categories of earnings levels, and indicate how many men and how many women had income in those categories.
- Norway - Wages, 1890sData is provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 729 (source)
Wages in RUSSIA, 1890s
- Russia - Wages, 1890sData and discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 728 (source)
Wages in SPAIN, 1890s
- Spain - Wages, 1890sData and discussion are provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 728-729 (source)
Wages in SWEDEN, 1890s
- 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.
- Sweden - Farm hand wages, 1899Data is provided in the "Wages" entry in the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 10th edition, vol. 33, p. 729 (source)
Wages in SWITZERLAND, 1890s
- Wages in Switzerland, 1895Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, p. 106.
Wages in TURKEY, 1890s
- Wages in Turkey, 1896Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, p. 209.
Wages in the UNITED KINGDOM, 1890s
- United Kingdom - Wages by occupation, 1893-1913As reported in UK government publication Wages and hours of labour.
- Average daily wages in Great Britain, 1870-1898No occupational breakouts. Source: U.S. Dept of Labor Bulletin, Sep 1898, p. 668.
- Wages by occupation and country, 1870-1898Shows the comparative daily wages for workers in 18 different occupations in Boston, London, Paris, Liege, and other locations throughout the US and UK. Source: Massachusetts Labor Bulletin no. 9 pp. 1-3
- United Kingdom - Agricultural wages and earnings, 1890sDescribes and discusses wages by type of work and by place within England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. There is an excellent appendix showing additional wage charts with some wages reported back to the 1850s. Gives some indication of rent and other costs, as well. This is a UK government publication: Earnings of agricultural labourers... Report ...on the wages and earnings of agricultural labourers in the United Kingdom, with statistical tables and charts.
- England - Cotton mill job wages, 1892Weekly wages paid to spinners, weavers, bookkeepers, mechanics, clerks, and more. Wages are shown in dollars. Printed in a fact book published by an American manufacturer of textile machinery.
- Female domestic servants' money wages in the U.K., 1894-1898British report lists annual wages in pounds and shillings for domestic servants in England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, with breakouts by age and class of servant. Job classes are listed in wage tables starting on page 32, including: cooks, housemaids, parlour maids, nurses, nurse housemaids, lady's maids, kitchen maids, scullery maids, between maids, laundry maids, stillroom maids, cook-housekeepers, housekeepers, and general servants. This report also discusses non-monetary compensation as well such as housing and meals for these live-in house servants.
- Women's occupational wages in Great Britain, 1898In this fascinating little book titled A dictionary of employments open to women, with details of wages, hours of work, and other information, one finds wages and working conditions for both the common and the more unusual occupations for women such as accountant, actress, agent/broker, agricultural laborer, apartment manager, appraiser, auctioneer, architect, art dealer, artificial eye maker (!) and much more.
- Female domestic servant wages by age in the UK, 1899Wages are reported in US dollars. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Bulletin, May 1900, pp. 605-607.
- Wages in Great Britain compared to other countries, 1890-1903Compares British wages to those for similar occupations in the U.S., Germany, Belgium and Paris. Occupations include iron molders, general laborers, machinists, blacksmiths, boiler makers, bricklayers, carpenters, compositors, hod carriers, painters, plumbers, stone cutters, and stone masons. These tables are also available in the FRASER digital library.
- Wages in the United KingdomSource: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, p. 18-25.
- Great Britain - Weekly farm wages, 1850-1899Shows the average weekly cash wages of ordinary labor on 33 farms throughout England and Wales (source).
- Average daily wages by country, 1870-1896This table shows the average daily wages shown in US gold dollars of five different occupations in the US, UK, Paris, Lyon, and Liege over a 27 year period. Source: Bulletin of the US BLS no. 38, pp. 124-216
Foreign wages by occupation (A-Z), then country - 1890s
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Boat builders (1866-1897)
- Boatmen (1854-1898)
- Boatswains (1870-1900)
- Bobbin boys (1833-1896)
- Boiler makers (1839-1900)
- Boiler maker foremen (1844-1898)
- Boilermen (1840-1897)
- Book bindery occupations:
- Bookkeepers (1855-1899)
- Boot and shoe making occupations:
- Bottlers (1874-1900)
- Boxmakers (1850-1900)
- Box nailers (1851-1896)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Brass finishers (1839-1898)
- Brass founders (1839-1899)
- Brass molders (1839-1900)
- Brass workers (1845-1898)
- Brewers (1840-1898)
- Brewery drivers (1855-1900)
- Brewery foremen, not-specified (1857-1898)
- Brick makers (1840-1898)
- Bricklayers (1725-1900)
- Bricklayer foremen (1859-1896)
- Bridge builders (1875-1898)
- Broom makers (1872-1898)
- Brush makers (1860-1900)
- Butchers (1839-1899)
- Butlers (1873-1898)
- Button sewers, clothing (1880-1896)
- Buttonhole makers, clothing (1872-1899)
- Button cutters (1830-1900)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Cabinet makers (1810-1900)
- Cabinet makers foremen (1873-1898)
- Cabs, carriages, etc. - Drivers (1871-1898)
- Calkers (1856-1897)
- Candle makers (1852-1897)
- Candy making
- Canned goods packers (1851-1898)
- Card grinders (1832-1900)
- Card strippers (1839-1896)
- Carpenters and joiners (1735-1900)
- Carpenter foremen (1854-1900)
- Carpeting weavers (1845-1899)
- Carriage and wagon making
- Cash boys and cash girls (1871-1899)
- Cashiers (1850-1899)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Clay and pottery product manufacture
- Clerks (1843-1899)
- Cloak makers (1863-1898)
- Clock makers (1872-1893)
- Clothing manufacture
- Cloth inspectors (1850-1896)
- Coat makers (1839-1898)
- Corset makers (1835-1899)
- Cutters (1840-1900)
- Dressmakers (1851-1898)
- Examiners (1855-1898)
- Finishers (1874-1898)
- Folders (1881-1898)
- Foremen, not-specified (1871-1898)
- Forewomen, not-specified (1870-1898)
- Pants makers (1839-1898)
- Pressers (1870-1900)
- Seamstresses (1836-1898)
- Sewing machine operators (1861-1900)
- Shirt makers (1860-1898)
- Tailors (1725-1898)
- Vest makers (1853-1899)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Coach makers (1821-1899)
- Coachmen (1869-1898)
- Coal occupations
- Coffee and spice grinders (1861-1898)
- Coffee roasters (1869-1896)
- Coffin and casket makers (1859-1897)
- Collectors (1857-1896)
- Comb makers (1850-1898)
- Compositors (1833-1900)
- Compositors foremen (1846-1898)
- Cooks (1852-1899)
- Coopers (1725-1900)
- Coopers foremen (1870-1898)
- Copper engravers (1839-1896)
- Coppersmiths (1821-1899)
- Core makers (1840-1900)
- Cranemen (1872-1899)
- Cutlers (1840-1898)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Dairy hands (1768-1898)
- Delivery wagon drivers (1841-1899)
- Dishwashers (1872-1896)
- Distillers (1840-1899)
- Dock hands (1815-1899)
- Doffers (1839-1900)
- Door, slash, and blind makers (1839-1898)
- Draftsmen (1848-1899)
- Drawing-frame tenders (1833-1899)
- Draymen (1850-1898)
- Dressmakers (1851-1898)
- Drug prescription clerks (1840-1897)
- Drugs and chemicals foremen (1840-1898)
- Drugs and chemicals packers (1863-1897)
- Dyeing-room hands (1845-1896)
- Dyers foremen (1839-1900)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Electricians (1878-1900)
- Electrotypers (1867-1900)
- Elevator hands (1864-1897)
- Embroiderers (1853-1898)
- Engine cleaners (1870-1898)
- Engine fitters (1857-1898)
- Engine wipers (1872-1899)
- Engineers, railroad locomotive (1840-1900)
- Engineers, stationary (1824-1900)
- Engravers (1840-1898)
- Errand boys (1861-1899)
- Etchers (1879-1898)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Factory sweepers (1847-1898)
- Farm laborers (1725-1899)
- File cutters (1832-1898)
- Filers (1840-1900)
- Filling carriers (1850-1897)
- Fireworks makers (1889-1895)
- Fishermen (1869-1899)
- Flax, hemp and jute manufacture
- Flour millers (1725-1899)
- Flour mill foremen, not-specified (1868-1898)
- Foundry and machine shop occupations
- Freight handlers (1876-1898)
- Fur sewers (1871-1898)
- Furniture and mill product joiners (1850-1898)
- Furniture making
- Furriers (1860-1898)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Gas fitters (1840-1900)
- Gas makers (1830-1899)
- Gas purifiers (1863-1896)
- Gas works foremen, not-specified (1849-1898)
- Glass blowers, bottles (1841-1898)
- Glass blowers, not-specified (1841-1898)
- Glass blowers, window glass (1841-1898)
- Glass cutters (1860-1898)
- Glass flatteners (1860-1898)
- Glass foremen, not specified (1869-1898)
- Glass grinders (1868-1898)
- Glass packers (1860-1898)
- Glass pot makers (1871-1898)
- Glaziers (1839-1899)
- Glove makers (1841-1898)
- Gold and silver engravers (1850-1897)
- Gold and silver polishers (1840-1898)
- Goldsmiths (1846-1897)
- Granite cutters (1855-1900)
- Gunsmiths (1857-1896)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Hair dressers (1853-1898)
- Hammer men (1847-1899)
- Harness and saddle makers (1840-1899)
- Harness and saddle makers foremen (1860-1898)
- Harvest hands (1725-1898)
- Hat makers (1839-1898)
- Hat and cap finishers (1810-1900)
- Hat and cap sewers (1839-1898)
- Hat and cap trimmers (1839-1900)
- Herders (1839-1897)
- Hod carriers (1789-1900)
- Horseshoers (1839-1900)
- Hosiery and knit goods finishers (1861-1899)
- Hostlers (1851-1900)
- Housekeepers (1876-1899)
- Housemaids (1850-1899)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Illuminating gas firemen (1840-1898)
- Iron, pig
- Iron and steel occupations
- Bundlers (1849-1899)
- Catchers (1840-1899)
- Chippers (1860-1900)
- Cupola tenders (1850-1898)
- Door hands (1850-1892)
- Dragouts (1843-1899)
- Dressers (1841-1899)
- Finishers (1874-1899)
- Foremen, not-specified (1872-1899)
- Melters (1798-1899)
- Product cutters (1842-1898)
- Product forgers (1835-1899)
- Products riveters (1860-1899)
- Rollers (1840-1899)
- Roughers (1843-1899)
- Shear men (1866-1899)
- Stockers (1844-1899)
- Straighteners (1840-1899)
- Weighers (1825-1899)
- Iron founders (1810-1899)
- Iron mining drillers (1840-1891)
- Iron molder foremen (1853-1898)
- Iron workers (1866-1898)
- Iron miners (1840-1899)
- Iron molders (1839-1900)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Labelers (1851-1898)
- Laborers (1725-1900)
- Laborers foremen (1854-1899)
- Lace makers (1853-1899)
- Lacquerers (1840-1896)
- Lamp tenders (1861-1899)
- Lamplighters (1855-1898)
- Laundry occupations
- Leather occupations
- Linemen (1875-1900)
- Lithographers (1849-1898)
- Lithographing pressmen (1863-1898)
- Locksmiths (1840-1898)
- Locomotive, mine, and factory yard engineers (1861-1899)
- Longshoremen (1859-1898)
- Loom fixers (1839-1900)
- Lumber and lumber products sawyers (1810-1900)
- Lumber foremen, not-specified (1863-1898)
- Lumbermen (1858-1895)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Mechanics, master (1870-1898)
- Messengers for factories and stores (1874-1896)
- Metal occupations
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Milliners (1853-1899)
- Millwrights (1834-1899)
- Mine bosses (1873-1899)
- Mines and factory yards brakemen (1841-1900)
- Mining occupations
- Mining occupations, coal
- Mining occupations, iron
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Porters (1828-1899)
- Potters (1840-1898)
- Prescription clerks (1840-1897)
- Printing and publishing occupations
- Proof readers (1840-1900)
- Puddlers (1837-1899)
- Pumpmen (1871-1899)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Rag sorters (1858-1899)
- Reporters, newspaper (1853-1898)
- Retort men (1839-1895)
- Riggers (1856-1900)
- Riveting holders-on (1857-1899)
- Rolling mill heaters (1837-1899)
- Rolling mills hookers-up (1863-1899)
- Rope and twine foremen (1868-1898)
- Roofers (1810-1900)
- Rope makers (1853-1897)
- Roving carriers (1853-1897)
- Roving frame-tenders (1850-1897)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Railroad occupations
- Baggagemen (1840-1900)
- Brakemen (1840-1900)
- Conductors, not-specified (1850-1900)
- Dispatchers (1875-1898)
- Flagmen (1875-1898)
- Foremen, not-specified (1870-1899)
- Freight conductors (1840-1900)
- Locomotive engineers (1840-1900)
- Locomotive firemen (1840-1900)
- Messengers (1877-1899)
- Oilers (1870-1898)
- Passenger conductors (1840-1900)
- Road masters (1877-1898)
- Section men (1850-1900)
- Section foremen (1875-1900)
- Signalmen (1850-1900)
- Station agents (1850-1899)
- Station masters (1850-1899)
- Railroad car occupations
- Railway street conductors (1871-1900)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Shepherds (1843-1896)
- Ship building occupations
- Ship carpenters 1812-1900)
- Shippers (1861-1899)
- Shirt makers (1860-1898)
- Shoemakers (1810-1899)
- Silk goods weavers (1833-1900)
- Silk spinners (1839-1900)
- Silk winders (1833-1900)
- Silver platers (1833-1896)
- Silversmiths (1846-1898)
- Slubbing-frame tenders (1833-1897)
- Smelters (1841-1898)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Soap makers (1860-1897)
- Soap and candle maker foremen (1852-1898)
- Solderers (1842-1897)
- Speeder tenders (1840-1900)
- Stablemen (1855-1899)
- Stablemen foremen (1882-1899)
- Starchers (1850-1898)
- Stationary engineers (1824-1900)
- Stationary firemen (1839-1900)
- Steam fitters (1871-1900)
- Stenographers (1880-1899)
- Stereotypers (1840-1900)
- Stevedors (1855-1896)
- Stewards (1859-1899)
- Stitchers (1853-1900)
- Stonecutters (1789-1900)
- Stove mounters (1860-1898)
- Street car driving (1871-1898)
- Sulphur miners (1862-1897)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Tailors (1725-1898)
- Tanner occupations
- Teamsters (1824-1900)
- Telegraph operators (1860-1899)
- Timekeepers (1840-1900)
- Tinsmiths (1840-1900)
- Tinsmith foremen (1871-1899)
- Tobacco occupations
- Tool makers (1840-1900)
- Truckmen (1830-1899)
- Trunk makers (1873-1898)
- Type founders (1846-1898)
- Typewriters (1884-1898)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Cotton textile manufacturing occupations - Wages
- Wool textile manufacturing occupations - Wages
- Other textile occupational wages, non-specified
- Balers (1845-1897)
- Band boys (1856-1896)
- Beam hands (1839-1900)
- Bleachers (1839-1900)
- Brusher tenders (1866-1896)
- Bundlers (1863-1897)
- Burlers (1833-1898)
- Calendrers (1810-1897)
- Card cleaners (1850-1897)
- Carders (1832-1898)
- Carding department overseers (1833-1900)
- Cloth department overseers (1840-1896)
- Color mixers (1839-1896)
- Creelers (1850-1896)
- Designers (1839-1896)
- Doublers (1806-1898)
- Drawers (1839-1899)
- Drawers-in (1842-1897)
- Dressers (1816-1898)
- Dressing department overseers (1840-1896)
- Driers (1833-1897)
- Dyers (1839-1900)
- Dyeing department overseers (1850-1896)
- Examiners (1862-1896)
- Finishers (1839-1900)
- Finishing department overseers (1850-1896)
- Folders (1840-1897)
- Fullers (1833-1896)
- Giggers (1850-1898)
- Handers-in (1850-1896)
- Harness hands (1843-1896)
- Inspectors (1875-1897)
- Lap carriers (1855-1877)
- Lapper tenders (1853-1896)
- Makers-up (1833-1896)
- Measurers (1850-1896)
- Menders (1836-1897)
- Openers (1833-1896)
- Overseers, weaving department (1833-1900)
- Packers (1824-1897)
- Pickers (1810-1900)
- Picking department overseers (1824-1897)
- Piecers (1804-1898)
- Pressers (1836-1898)
- Printers (1810-1897)
- Railway hands (1850-1896)
- Reelers (1806-1898)
- Repairers foremen (1842-1896)
- Rollers coverers (1833-1896)
- Scourers (1836-1896)
- Second hands (1834-1897)
- Section hands (1834-1896)
- Sewers (1863-1897)
- Shearers (1833-1897)
- Sizers (1839-1896)
- Spare hands (1851-1896)
- Spinning department overseers (1824-1900)
- Spoolers (1845-1900)
- Spooling department overseers (1857-1896)
- Stampers (1863-1896)
- Tackers (1870-1896)
- Third hands (1840-1896)
- Trimmers (1862-1899)
- Twisters (1833-1898)
- Washers (1836-1896)
- Waste hands (1851-1897)
- Weaving department overseers (1833-1900)
- Weavers, silk goods (1833-1900)
- Weighers (1850-1896)
- Winders (1833-1900)
Shows average daily wages for males and females by occupation, state and country. Source: A Compilation of Wages in Commercial Countries from Official Sources, Volume I and Volume II. Issued as the 15th Annual Report of the U.S. Commissioner of Labor (1900).
- Wagon makers (1853-1899)
- Waiters (1869-1898)
- Warehouse hands (1833-1899)
- Warpers (1810-1900)
- Watchmakers (1820-1898)
- Watchmen (1834-1900)
- Water carriers (1845-1899)
- Wheelwrights (1839-1898)
- Window glass gatherers (1841-1898)
- Wood box makers (1850-1900)
- Wood carvers (1839-1899)
- Wood choppers (1856-1898)
- Wood planers (1835-1900)
- Wood polishers (1839-1899)
- Wood turners (1840-1899)
- Woodworkers (1840-1900)
- Woodworkers foremen (1836-1896)
- Woolen goods sorters (1836-1897)
- Woolen goods weavers (1823-1900)
Food prices in the United States, 1890-1899
- Average retail food prices, 1890-1970One-page table shows average retail prices for flour, meats, bacon, milk, butter, eggs, potatoes, sugar, etc. for each year from 1890-1970. Data explanation on p. 193.
Grocer weighing food - Food prices and cost for nutritive value, 1894Source: USDA Farmer's bulletin #23, pp. 28-30.
- Groceries by mail order from Sears Catalog, 1898The grocery section of Sears' catalogs show items available for mail order, along with prices, pages 9-18.
- Retail food prices by state, 1890-1903This table (pages 664-845) has prices listed by state for each year from 1890-1903. Dried apples, beans, bread, butter, cheese, coffee, corn meal, eggs, flour, lard, fresh milk, molasses, potatoes, prunes, rice, sugar, tea, vinegar. Meats: beef for roasts and stews, steaks, salt beef, chicken, mutton and lamb, pork, bacon, ham, fresh fish, salt fish.
Coffee prices by city
- Alaska - Foods imported from China at wholesale(?) rates, 1890. Source: U.S. Census.
- Boston - Food prices by neighborhood, 1890
Source: American Statistical Assn. publication, p. 118-119. - Boston - Food prices, 1899
Shows the average retail prices of common food items at the Boston Market. Prices are available for Jan-March, March-June, June-Sept, and Sept-Nov of 1899. Source: Mass. Labor Bulletin, no. 10-13 - Massachusetts - Average retail food prices, 1871-1902
Also shows info on purchasing power, expenditures and budgets, and more. Source: Mass. BLS report, pp. 241-243. - Colorado - Retail food prices, 1891
Source: Colorado BLS, pp. 177-179. - Maine - Average retail prices, 1894
Source: US Bureau of Labor Bulletin no. 2, pg. 156 - Montana - Food prices by county, 1893
Source: MT Bureau of Agriculture, Labor and Industry report, pp. 9-13. - Rhode Island towns - Food prices, 1893
Shows retail price data for over 35 towns. Source: Rhode Island Commissioner of Industrial Statistics 7th annual report, pp. 201-257. - Tennessee - Food prices at coal mine company stores, 1895
- Central, western and southwestern states, 1877-1892
Each table spans two pages and row labels are on even-numbered pages. Shows prices paid by the Office of Indian Affairs for food items to be delivered to the Dakotas, Montana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Indian Territory, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and more. Source: Serial Set vol. 3074, pt. 4, pp. 1814-1833.
Housing and land prices, 1890-1899
- Home plans with costs to build, 1890
This booklet shows exterior drawings, floor plans and cost to build with or without plumbing. Ranges from a cheap cottage without plumbing for $476, a barn for $329 on up to larger and more elaborate designs. Most helpfully, itemized lists of material costs associated with each design begins on page 154. -
Luxury homes - Cost to build, 1899
Source: Modern dwellings: a book of practical designs. - City and suburban homes showing costs to build, 1897
Shows home plans with images, floor plans, descriptions and cost to build, from New Jersey architect William E. Lehman. - Kansas home values by resident's occupation, 1896
Also shows average monthly rents, broken out by occupation. - Wheeling, WV - Home prices, 1893
The local newspaper listed prices of homes for sale in 1893. See additional issues for more examples. - Chicago - Lot prices, 1890s
Gives locations and price per front foot. Many of the prices were from 1892. - Lumber and building materials - Wholesale prices, 1891-1892
Prices for various types of wood, glass, shingles, doors, cement, etc.
- Farm real estate - Average value by state and county, 1890
Shows average value for farm land and buildings from 1850-1982 in AL, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY. See data considerations for explanation. Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture report.
- Farm land and buildings - Value per acre by U.S. region, 1850
Average 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.
- Maryland land prices, ca. 1900
Average prices by county. Source: MD Board of Public Works, 1902, pp. 21-33.
-
Montana - Land prices, 1893
Cost to get government land, to homestead, or to buy improved land, pp. 25-27. -
New Jersey farm land prices, 1890
As reported in the Governor's annual message.
- Rent - U.S. and Europe rates compared by renters' job industry
Also shows average rent expenditure by family income. - African Americans' rental expenditures, mid-1890s
Focuses on Nashville TN, Atlanta GA and Cambridge MA. Source: Work and Wages of Men, Women, and Children by the U.S. Depart of Labor, p. 267. - Boston, Massachusetts
- Tenement rent, 1892
- Source: U.S. Dept of Labor report, Housing of the working people.
- Tenement rent, 1897
- Shows monthly rent for 4- and 6-room tenements, and cost to board. Source: Mass. BLS, 28th ann. rpt.
- Tenement rent, 1892
- Wheeling WV - Home rental prices, 1893
Local newspaper classified ads showed rents for homes of various sizes. See additional issues for more examples. - Colorado Springs - Rental prices, 1890
Source: Colorado cities and places, p. 11.
- Iowa - Average rent by occupation and county, 1894Also shows the average wage earned by people in the occupations. Click "more" for links to Iowa counties:
- Fuel and lighting costs, 1891-1892Lists the average cost of candles, kerosene, matches, hard wood (for heating) and coal in Chicago, Dubuque, and Fall River, MA. Source: Aldrich report, Part 3, pp. 2209, 2216, 2222.
Child dispensing kerosene into a lamp, 1891 - Gasoline for cook stoves - Price in 1896Gas for cook stoves retailed at 12.5¢ to 15¢ per gallon. "A gasoline stove will do all the cooking for a family of live by using an average of five gallons of gasoline a week, making the cost at present prices from $2.50 to $3.00 per month." Source: Stoves and hardware reporter Mar 19, 1896, p. 12, column 1.
- Household utilities (gas) prices - 1885 to 1907Shows prices by city for lighting and fuel gas in households.
Transportation prices, 1890-1899
- Motor vehicles - Cost to purchase and operate, 1899
According to the New York Tribune newspaper,"The best electric vehicles... cost from $1,000 to $3,500," and a smaller gasoline-powered wagon seating two passengers cost $750. Of electric vehicles, a Stanhope cost $2,500; a Surrey was $2,300; a Trap was $1,000, and a delivery wagon was $2,250.
Electric car, $1,000 in 1899 - Gasoline powered vehicles - Cost to purchase and operate, 1895 Newspaper article from September 1895 focuses on the costs to own and operate "horseless carriage" powered by gasoline.... "To buy a good horseless carriage seating four people... from $1,000 to $1,750 is necessary...."
- Gasoline for automobiles - Tank wagon price in 1896Tank wagons generally sold gasoline to dealers or customers who had the means to store large quantities. Those who bought gasoline in barrels generally paid more. In response to federal investigators, Standard Oil reported tank wagon gasoline prices at 6 to 10 cents per gallon in Ohio and Michigan in 1896. See context of this price investigation.
- Price of gasoline, 1899-1900An ad for the Locomobile Company of America reads: "The fuel is available in almost any town at 7¢ a gallon." Further, in congressional testimony dated 1900, one witness reported that gasoline cost "7 or 9 cents a gallon."
- Gasoline price - 1899"In 1899, gasoline suitable for internal combustion engines sold for 7 cents a gallon while [in 1904] the retail price is 18 to 20 cents...." Source: "The rising price of gasoline," Horseless Age, Aug 13, 1902, p. 158.
- Horse-drawn vehicles in the Sears catalog, 1898
Buggies, surreys, farm wagons, sleighs, etc. are on pages 928-963. The catalog also shows the prices of harness and saddles.
-
Horse-drawn vehicle prices, 1860-1900
Buggies with tops sold for about $35-$60U.S. Dept of Agriculture report shows prices of carriages, buggies, wagons, trucks, carts and sleighs or bob sleds for 1860, 1880, 1890, 1895 and 1900. Tables on pp. 14-28.
- Horses and wagon costs, compared to motor vehicles, 1899
Newspaper article, "Motor carriages in favor...what they cost and what it costs to run them...," in the New York Tribune, Jan 29, 1899 issue Special Supplement, page 11, column 1.
-
Cost for horse, wagon and driver to haul material in NYC, 1899
Article compares cost of hauling by horse-drawn wagon to electric vehicle. Shows cost of stable rental, horse feed, shoeing horses, hiring a driver and boy helper, interest on the cost of wagon, harness, etc. Source: July 12, 1899 issue of Horseless Age. - Horses and mules - Average price per head, 1867-1920
Source: USDA Yearbook, 1919 edition, p. 653.
- Railroad ticket prices, 1891 and 1898
Fares between specific cities. Source: USDA Misc. series, Bulletin #15, pp. 75-77. - Fares from New York City to hundreds of places in the U.S. and Canada, 1892.
- Average passenger fare in cents per mile
- Private railcar hire, 1892
$50 plus 18 passenger fares would hire a private railcar sleeping 18. - Fares to Montana, 1893
- Passenger meal prices on the train
- 1894 - Meals cost 75¢ on the Northern Pacific Overland Train (source, p. 94)
- 1897 - Canadian Pacific Railway menu
- 1899 - C. & N. W. Passenger Station, Chicago - Thanksgiving menu
- Steamship fares - Fall 1895 ratesShows fares between the U.S., Europe and Asia. See more in other issues of the Gaze's Tourist Gazette.
- Steamship fares - January 1892Saloon, cabin and steerage rates in Cook's Excursionist.
- New York to Italy steamship fare, 1892Shows cabin rates by level of accommodation.
- Trunk prices in the Sears catalog, 1898Mail order catalog shows prices for trunks, traveling bags and suit cases on pages 569-571.
- Cab fare in New York City, 1898Shows hack and cab fare in Manhattan, New York City, 1898. Also shows porter rates.
Bikes cost around
$14 to $35 in 1898 - Bicycle prices, 1898Prices from Sears catalog.
- Luggage prices in the Sears catalog, 1898Shows prices for trunks, traveling bags, etc. on pp. 569-571.
- Insurance against travel accidents - Rates, 1892The Thomas Cook insurance company would pay $2,500 for the loss of a limb or $5,000 if killed during travel. Rates started at 25¢ per day or $7.50 per month.
Merchandise prices, 1890-1899
- 1898 Sears Roebuck catalogOver 1,100 pages including groceries, home furnishings, drugs and medicines, veterinary supplies and more. Includes an Index.
- Gifts, toys, bicycles, etc.Most of the catalog focuses on toys and novelties. Includes bicycles and parts, jewelry, watches, cameras, cutlery, musical instruments, and more. Possibly published in 1898.
- Toys and games (Milton Bradley catalog), 1889-1890Example items include fishing games, paper dolls, educational games, the famous Game of Life, card games like "Old Maid," chess, checkers, train-based games, and lithograph cards and viewers. Source: Bradley's Game and Toy Catalogue 1889-90.
- Silver goods, jewelry and personal effects catalog, 1897Jewelry, pocket watches, clocks, belt buckles, eyeglasses, umbrellas, fountain pens, silver tea sets, and more. See also the 1896 edition.
- Book prices (new), 1890sPrices for books, sheet music and magazines were listed in Publishers' Weekly.
- Cook stoves and ranges, 1890
Shows over one hundred models along with list prices. - Furniture ca.1890
Illustraded mail order catalog from Ludwig, Baumann & Co., New York - Refrigerators, 1895
Catalog of refrigerators and ice chests with price.
- Wagons, farm implements, machinery and tool prices, 1890 and 1895
USDA report shows prices of carriages, buggies, surreys, farm implements, carts, engines, tools, equipment and supplies on pp. 14-28. - Hardware: tools, sporting goods, household items, etc., 1891
1500-page catalog. See pages listing bicycles, silverwares and guns for example. Source: Hibbard, Spencer, Bartlett Co. - Agricultural implement prices - Pennsylvania, 1870-1890
2-page table shows prices for mowers, reapers, horse rakes, pitch forks and more. Source: Penn. state govt report, pp. A5-A6. - Sporting goods, 1890
Hunting, fishing, and camping gear.
- 1890 - Bloomingdale's catalog
Illustrated catalog shows women's clothing and household items. - 1890 - O'Neill's fashion catalogue
Shows fall and winter clothing as well as household items. - 1891 - Footwear catalog
Illustrated mail order catalog from Ludwig, Baumann & Co., New York - 1894 - Fur cape prices in Pennsylvania, including mink, beaver, seal, etc.
- 1895 - Jordan, Marsh & Co. clothing catalog
- 1897 - Jordan, Marsh & Co. clothing catalog
- 1898 - O'Neill's fashion catalogue
- 1898 newspaper article comparing the price of men's clothes in England and America.
Health costs and prices, 1890-1899
- Quinine, retail price by city, 1889-1891Quinine was used as a treatment for malaria. This source shows price data for individual stores in U.S. cities, but the data is not averaged.
Throat remedy, 50 cents. - Opium, retail price by city, 1889-1891The table spans two pages; see row labels on every other page. This alternate source might be more legible.
- Remedies by mail order - Prices, 1891Iowa newspaper ad lists remedies for many common ailments, with prices.
- Female pills, 1893Some "female pills" advertised to promote women's health contained herbs which would end a pregnancy. More info in: Pacific medical journal, Dec 1893, pp. 757-758.
-
Wheelchair prices, ca. 1893
Hearing aid, $2 to $6 depending on length of talking tube (1898)Catalog of physician's supplies and hospital furnishings shows prices for "invalid rolling chairs" on pages 926-932.
- Health products in Sears catalogs, 1898
Prices for medicines, remedies, hearing aids, etc. on pp. 27-47.
Physician's fees and medical service rates in:
-
Illinois - Chicago, 1892
Cartoon depicts doctor fees based on patient wealth Source: Puck, 1897 - Maryland, 1894
- Missouri - Jackson County,1891 (Kansas City)
- Nebraska - Omaha, 1891
- New York - North Parma. 1891
- South Carolina - Kershaw County, 1891
- Tennessee - Chattanooga, 1891
- Washington - Pierce County, 1891
- Dental care rates - Connecticut,1892Newspaper advertisement tells prices for tooth extraction (25¢) silver fllings (75¢ and up), gold fillings ($1 and up), dentures ($5 to $8) and more. Source: Waterbury Evening Democrat.
More prices in the United States, 1890-1899
- Long distance telephone rates, 1880s-1890sSource: American Telephone Journal, Dec 20, 1902, p. 396.
Phone charges
based on distance
and minutes - Telephone rates in New York City, 1887-1905Shows rates for business and residential customers. A message rate schedule was enacted in 1894.
- International telegraph rates from New York City, 1897Chart shows international rates only. See "Cable and Telegraph rates" in the Commercial Year Book for 1897 (source).
- Telephone rates - Columbus OH, 1898Residential lines cost $48/annually; business lines $96. Source: Congressional report.
- Cost to mail a letter, 1863-presentA 2¢ was required to post a one-ounce, domestic letter in the 1890s.
- Newspaper subscription price, 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.
- Tuition at colleges and universities, 1898-99Tuition was free at many public universities. Find rates by institution in the source: Where to educate, 1898-1899. Arranged alphabetically by state.
Public colleges often waived tuition for in-state residents - Harvard University - Student expenses, 1890-1892This collection of letters from students at Harvard University detail their expenses, including tuition, rent and board, books and stationary, clothing and washing, laboratory fees, furniture, and more. An 1892 Foxcroft Club price list is given in the introduction.
- Cost to attend a dairy school - 1896Tuition, room & board for each school is in the appendix to this USDA publication.
- Book pricesThe Publishers' Weekly magazine provided a list of all new books each week, along with prices, page numbers and description for each. Look for the section in each issue titled "Weekly Record of New Publications."
Public colleges often waived tuition for in-state residents- Horses, mules and farm animals - Average prices, 1867-1920
- Horses and mules (p. 653)
- Milk cows and other cattle (p. 658)
- Sheep (p. 668)
- Swine (p. 675)
- Veterinary medicine prices, 1890s
- Prices of patent medicines for dogs in 1890 sporting goods supply catalog.
- Mail order prices for veterinary drugs and animal health products in the Sears mail order catalog, 1898.
Major hotel directories
- U.S. Hotel rates, 1890Includes some hotels in Canada. Source: Hotel Monthly.
- U.S. Hotel rates, 1894Alphabetical by city. Includes many photos and drawings (source).
- Hotel rates - U.S, 1897Includes some hotels in Canada. Source: Hotel Monthly.
Hotel directories for specific localities
- Philadelphia hotel rates, 1896Also shows boarding houses and furnished rooms. Source: Rand McNally, pp. 17-22.
- Maine hotel rates, 1899Listed in the Washington Co. railway guide, May 1899, pp. 11-12.
- Montana hotel and boarding house rates, 1893Source: Montana state publication, pp. 9-13. See also Montana hotel ad: $3.50/day.
- Hotel rates in Europe, late 1890sThe Gaze's Tourist Gazette showed the costs of "coupons" which would cover both overnight hotel stays and meals. Page forward for hotels in additional regions. See more Gazette issues covering 1895-1899 in HathiTrust.
- Theater and opera ticket prices, 1897-1909Shows price range for theater tickets as well as hotel rates. Organized by state and city. Source: Julius Cahn's official theatrical guide. Click "more..." for ticket prices by city and theater in 1897:
- Toys and games (Milton Bradley catalog), 1889-1890Example items include fishing games, paper dolls, educational games, the famous Game of Life, card games like "Old Maid," chess, checkers, train-based games, and lithograph cards and viewers. Source: Bradley's Game and Toy Catalogue 1889-90.
- Books and music, 1872-1922Each issue of Publishers' Weekly shows prices of newly published books, music, and periodicals in both the United States and abroad.
Cost of living and consumer expenditures in the U.S. - 1890s
- Report on retail prices and wages. Part 1, 1892Tables show retail prices and relative prices (price indexes). There are also tables showing consumer expenditures and some family budgets. Comparisons with prices and wages in England are shown as well. Source: U.S. Congressional Serial Set vol. 2916.
- Report on retail prices and wages. Part 2, 1892Part 2 contains tables relating to clothing, fuel, and metals. Tables are also broken down by state in some sections. Source: U.S. Congressional Serial Set vol. 2917.
- Report on retail prices and wages. Part 3, 1892Part 3 shows price data on lumber and building materials, drugs and chemicals, house furnishings, prices in England, and farm products. Tables are also broken down by state in some sections. Source: U.S. Congressional Serial Set vol. 2917.
- Relative retail prices of food, 1890-1906Tells how much families were spending on food in general but does not tell the actual prices of foods. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 71, pages 175-328.
- Cost of living in U.S. and foreign countriesFamily expenditures with breakouts by occupation, residence, ancestry, children’s ages and more. Shows average amount spent on clothing, amusements and vacations and alcohol, tobacco, food, charitable donations, religious contributions, and books/newspapers. Source: Serial Set vol. 2958-2 (1891/92), Commissioner of Labor annual report part 3.
- Cost of living and retail prices in the U.S., 1890 to 1903Shows no actual retail prices. It does show price increases and decreases over time. Also shows family spending. Source: U.S. BLS Bulletin no. 54 (1904)
Foreign prices and cost of living, 1890-1899
- England - Bread prices, 1881-1917Shows 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. 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.
- Wholesale prices - Great Britain, 1801-1902Dates of prices vary by product. See sections listing coal and metals, textiles, grains, beans and vegetables, meat, fish and dairy, sugar, coffee, tea, alcohol and tobacco, soap, bricks, cement, and more. Source: UK House of Commons report, pub. 1903.
- Prices - Austria-Hungary, 1896Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, p. 100. Wages are on p. 99.
- Prices in Belgium, 1895From U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, pt.1, pp. 47-49.
- Canada (Ottawa) - Cost for rent and housing, 1897This page shows the cost to rent a 6-10 room house. Advance a few pages to see the cost to build or to rent a single room with meal privileges. Source: U.S. Consular report titled Cost of Living in Canada.
- Ottawa, Canada - Retail prices of staple commodities, 1897This table (from page 67 to 84) shows comparative retail prices of staple commodities in Ottawa, Canada in June 1897 and June 1907. It includes food, dry goods, clothing, furniture, kitchen utensils, hardware, leather goods, sporting goods, and more.
- Clothing catalog - Toronto, 189Mail order catalog lists clothing and other items, mostly for women and children. Source: John Catto & Son.
- Ottawa - Hospital fees and life insurance rates, 1897 and 1907Compares 1907 costs of hospital rooms and artificial teeth to those in 1897. Life and fire insurance policy rates also compared.
- Prices in Canada, 1894-1895From U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, pt.1, pp. 38-41.
- Prices in Central America, 1896Shows wages for: Source: U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, part 1, pp. 150-160.
- Opium price in Alaska, imported from China, 1890Employers in Alaska were able to purchase opium in quantity for their workers at $7.60 to $13.50 per pound. Source: U.S. Census report.
- Prices in France, 1896From U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, pt.1, p. 59-60.
- Market prices on provisions in German cities, 1899-1908Two pages of tables show market prices (in marks and pfennigs) on provisions including potatoes, butter, beef, pork, and flour at 14 German cities for 1899-1908.
- India - Retail prices for food grains and salt, 1892-1916Use Table of Contents to find start page. For example the salt prices begin on page 140. Source: Prices and Wages in India, published by the India government, Department of Statistics, 1918.
- Italy - Food prices in Milan, 1801-1908Lists prices of wheat, bread, wine, beef, pork, butter and rice. Source: Bulletin of the U.S. Bureau of Labor, Vol. 20 #87, pp. 599-607.
- Italy - RR fares, cable rates and dinner price, 1892Shows cost to send a cable to the U.S. (32¢ per word), the fares to travel by rail within Italy (p. 39), suggested price of a dinner with wine (3 lire), and more. Source: tourist guidebook.
- Prices in Mexico, 1896From U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, pt.1, p. 123-131.
- Prices in the Netherlands, 1896From U.S. Dept of State, Money and prices in foreign countries, vol. 8, pt.1, pp. 54-55.
- South Africa - Prices, wages, rent and cost of living, ca. 1895See table of contents in this Emigrant's Guide for entries under wages, prices, cost of living, rents, etc. Published in 1896.
- Grain prices - Sweden, 1836-1900This table shows average prices for wheat, rye, barley, and oats in Sweden for 1836 to 1900. Annual consumption per inhabitant for wheat and rye, potatoes, coffee, tea, sugar and alcoholic beverages, p. 156.
- Money and prices in foreign countries, early 1890sCovers the UK, Canada, Mexico, Central American and West Indies countries, European countries, and a few more. Use the Table of Contents to find the start page for each country.
- Railroad passenger rates in European countries, mid-1890sRates for each class of travel in England, France, Italy, Holland and Belgium. Source: 1897Year book of railway literature, p. 229.
- Average consumption of foods and drinks by country, 1891-1895Shows average annual consumption per person by country for intoxicating spirits, beer and wine, as well as grains, potatoes, coffee, tea and sugar. Gives data for Great Britain, Ireland, Russia, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Balkan states, and more. Note: This source does not provide retail prices.
Quotable facts for the 1890s
In the United States...
- In 1890, most families' income was around $500 to $1,000 annually. Source: Congress.
- In 1890, wage-earning families spent an average 41% of income on food, 15% on rent, 15% on clothing, 14% on fuel & light, and 22% on misc. purposes. Source: Congress.
- One writer suggested that by American living standards of the 1890s, the following possessions would fulfill all of a typical family's wishes:
- A home worth $2,000, free of mortgage
- $500 in the bank
- A horse and buggy
- A barrel of flour in the pantry
- Five tons of coal in the cellar
- A cottage organ
- New Sunday outfits for oneself and one's spouse
- Grave diggers were among the lowest paid at 16¢ per hour in Brooklyn, where general laborers were earning $9-15 per week (1892)
- Farm laborers could accomplish in 2 days in 1893 what would have taken 10 days in 1860 (source)
Analysis and calculators for the 1890s
- Nineteenth century wage trendsBrief booklet reviews wage trends from 1800-1899. Source: U.S. BLS Staff Paper #2.
- 1890s wage statistics - Concerns for reliability of govt sourcesThe Encyclopedia of social reforms by William D. P. Bliss (1897) points out ways in which wages statistics may be misleading due to skewed survey methodologies and more.
- Calculator: Present-day purchasing power of a historic dollar amountThe MeasuringWorth.com website provides online calculators, guides and tutorials to help researchers understand the current-day value of historic money in the United States, Australia, Spain and the United Kingdom.
- Currency converter, 1270–2017This calculator can be used to determine the historical purchasing power of currency in the United Kingdom from 1270 to 2017. Purchasing power is represented in its equivalence in horses, wheat, the yearly wages of a skilled tradesperson, and others.
- "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 Assn., Vol. 101 #2. Source
Timeline -- Major economic events of the 1890s
"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.
(Click image for detail)
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Marie Concannon, Government Information Librarian
Government Documents Department, Ellis Library
University of Missouri, Columbia
Email: concannonm@missouri.edu
Phone (573) 882-0748
