The Standard of Living in 1860 - American Consumption Levels on the Eve of the Civil War

The Standard of Living in 1860. THE Standard of IN 1860 American Consumption Levels on the Eve of the Civil War by EDGAR W. MARTIN. Contents include: TABLE OF CONTENTS , PAGE LIST OF TABLES ix CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION i II. THE PRODUCTION OF FOODSTUFFS 11 III. WHAT PEOPLE ATE 45 IV. ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR DECORATION 83 V. HOUSING AND HOUSEHOLD OPERATION 106 VI. BOARDING AND LODGING 148 VII. CLOTHING AND PERSONAL CARE 181 VIII. MEDICAL CARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 220 IX. TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATION 248 X. GOVERNMENTAL AND PHILANTHROPIC CONTRIBUTIONS . . . 278 XI. EDUCATION, READING, AND THE CHURCH 295 XII. LEISURE AND RECREATION 343 XIII. CONCLUSION THE STANDARD OF LIVING IN 1860 .... 393 APPENDIXES 405 INDEX 439 LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 1. CONSUMPTION OF FOODSTUFFS IN THE UNITED STATES AT SELECT ED PERIODS 72, 2. TYPES OF DWELLING HOUSE, NEW YORK STATE, 1855 AND 1865 . 120 3. SQUARE YARDS OF MATERIAL REQUIRED FOR COSTUMES OF THE WELL-To-Do IN VARIOUS YEARS 186 4. THE GROWTH OF THE AMERICAN WOOL MANUFACTURE . . . 189 5. EXPECTATION OF LIFE AT BIRTH, MASSACHUSETTS, 1789-1929 . 220 6. NUMBER OF DOCTORS IN 1860 226 7. MORTALITY RATES IN SEVEN CITIES, 1860 AND 1930 .. . . 246 8. EXPENDITURES OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, 1860 AND 1932 279 9. NEWSPAPER COVERAGE, 1860 AND 1929 315 10. WORKINGMANS BUDGET, PHILADELPHIA, 1851 394 11. STANDARD WORKINGMANS BUDGET, NEW YORK CITY, 1853 . . 395 12. TYPICAL BUDGET, NEW YORK BUSINESSMAN, 1857 , 395 13. PERCENTAGE ALLOCATION OF EXPENDITURES BY AMERICAN FAMI LIES, 1850-60 AND 1935-36 397 14. POPULATION IN 1860 BY STATE AND SECTION 405 15. WAGES IN SELECTED OCCUPATIONS, 1860 ........ 409 16. WAGES IN SELECTED FACTORIES AND MILLS, 1860 410 17. WAGES OF UNSKILLED LABOR IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES, 1860 . .411 18. WAGES OF FARM LABORERS, 1859-60 412 19. WAGES OF SERVANTS AND FARM HANDS, 1860 413 20. WAGES IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES, 1860, BY WAGE GROUPS . , 414 21. WAGES IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES, 1860, BY WAGE GROUPS . . .415 22. INDEX NUMBERS FOR REAL WAGES, 1820-1900 415 23. CONSUMPTION OF MILK IN THIRTEEN STATES, YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1860 4 1 24. RETAIL MEAT PRICES, MASSACHUSETTS, 1860 418 x LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE 25. RETAIL PRICES OF DAIRY PRODUCTS AND EGGS, MASSACHUSETTS, 1860 419 26. RETAIL PRICES OF CEREAL PRODUCTS, MASSACHUSETTS, 1860 . . 419 27. RETAIL PRICES OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES, MASSACHUSETTS, 1851-60 419 28. RETAIL FOOD PRICES, ILLINOIS, JANUARY, 1856 419 29. RETAIL FOOD PRICES, LAWRENCE, KANSAS, SEPTEMBER 22, 1855 4 2 30. RETAIL FOOD PRICES, DENVER, JULY 9, 1859 4 2 31. RETAIL FOOD PRICES, CHINA TOWN, NEVADA, JUNE n, 1859 . . 420 32. RETAIL FOOD PRICES, SALT LAKE CITY, 1860 421 33. AVERAGE MONTHLY HOUSE RENT IN MANUFACTURING TOWNS, 1860-61 422 34. MONTHLY HOUSE RENT IN VARIOUS CITIES, 1860 423 35. ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS FOR COUNTRY HOUSES, 1851 . 424 36. ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS, 1857 425 37. RETAIL PRICE OF COAL PER TON IN VARIOUS CITIES, 1860 . . , 426 38. RETAIL PRICE OF WOOD PER CORD IN VARIOUS CITIES, 1860 . . 426 39. PRICE OF BOARD PER WEEK TO LABORING MAN, BY STATES, 1860 . 428 40. PRICE OF BOARD PER WEEK IN VARIOUS CITIES, 1860 .... 429 41. ADVERTISED PRICES, MENS FALL AND WINTER QLOTHING, OCTO BER 24, 1860 430 42 ADVERTISED PRICES, MENS SUMMER CLOTHING, JUNE 27, 1857 . 431 43. LENGTH OF WORKING DAY IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, 1860 . . , 432 44. LENGTH OF WORKING DAY IN 350 FIRMS, BY STATES, 1860 ... 433 45. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE IN 1860 434 46. LIBRARY FACILITIES IN 1860 BY SECTION AND STATE .... 435 47. SUMMARY OF LIBRARY STATISTICS, EIGHTH CENSUS, 1860 . , ., 436 48. RHEESS ESTIMATE OF THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF LIBRARIES, 1859 43 49. PUBLIC LIBRARIES LENDING TWENTY THOUSAND OR MORE VOL UMES ANNUALLY, 1859 437 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STANDARD OF LIVING The nature of economic history...