The Cost of Living Among Wage-Earners Fall River, Massachusetts, October, 1919, Research Report Number 22, November, 1919   By: National Industrial Conference Board

National Industrial Conference Board

15 BEACON STREET, BOSTON, MASS.

BRANCH OFFICE

724 SOUTHERN BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.

The National Industrial Conference Board is a co operative body composed of representatives of national and state industrial associations, and closely allied engineering societies of a national character, and is organized to provide a clearing house of information, a forum for constructive discussion, and machinery for co operative action on matters that vitally affect the industrial development of the nation.

FREDERICK P. FISH Chairman

MAGNUS W. ALEXANDER Managing Director

MEMBERSHIP

AMERICAN COTTON MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION AMERICAN HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION AMERICAN PAPER AND PULP ASSOCIATION ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURERS' CLUB INSTITUTE OF MAKERS OF EXPLOSIVES MANUFACTURING CHEMISTS' ASSOCIATION OF THE U.S. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COTTON MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FINISHERS OF COTTON FABRICS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOOL MANUFACTURERS NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NATIONAL BOOT AND SHOE MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR INDUSTRIAL DEFENSE NATIONAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ASSOCIATION NATIONAL ERECTORS' ASSOCIATION NATIONAL FOUNDERS' ASSOCIATION NATIONAL IMPLEMENT AND VEHICLE ASSOCIATION NATIONAL METAL TRADES ASSOCIATION RUBBER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA, INC. SILK ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA THE RAILWAY CAR MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION UNITED TYPOTHETÆ OF AMERICA

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP

ASSOCIATED INDUSTRIES OF MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATED MANUFACTURERS AND MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK STATE ILLINOIS MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION MANUFACTURERS' ASSOCIATION OF CONNECTICUT, INC.

THE COST OF LIVING AMONG WAGE EARNERS

FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS OCTOBER, 1919

RESEARCH REPORT NUMBER 22 NOVEMBER, 1919

Copyright 1919

NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE BOARD

15 BEACON STREET BOSTON, MASS.

CONTENTS

PAGE

FOREWORD vii

PURPOSE OF THE INVESTIGATION 1

METHOD 1

FALL RIVER AND ITS PEOPLE 2

COST OF LIVING IN OCTOBER, 1919 3 FOOD 3 SHELTER 6 CLOTHING 6 FUEL, HEAT AND LIGHT 8 SUNDRIES 9 THE COMPLETE BUDGET 11