Prices

A resident of Montague, who has been a clerk in his uncle's store over fifty years ago at Orwell Head, writes the following information concerning the different prices farmers get for their produce, eggs, milk, and poultry today, to fifty years ago. The writer says that the farmer's wife had to give eight dozen eggs for one pound of tea and four bushels of oats for the same quantity. Flour was then from ten to twelve dollars a barrel, sugar 7 ¢, Molasses 50 ¢, Cottons and prints of all kinds were from 16 to 25 95 per yard, boots and shoes dearer than they are now, and the farmer was only getting 16 ¢ per buShel for his oats and potatoes, one dollar for a lamb, $2.00

for a sheep, $10 to $15 for his best cow, &68 to $70 for his best horse. The only article that was cheap then was Scotch whiskey, which was sold for 80 ¢ per gallon, and is now sold in Montague for 80 ¢ per pint.

Now, on P.E.Island, the farmer can get 8 lbs. of tea for 8 doz. eggs and 8 lbs. of tea for 4 bushels of oats, and 60 56 for his potatoes and if you don't grow wheat, you can get a barrel of flour at the Montague Mills for $4.50. No better flour a person wants in their house. Cottons, prints, and all kinds of dry goods at half the price they were 50 years ago. And now, I think the farmer should be rich when he gets $5 for a sheep, $3 for a lamb, $30 to $60 for a cow, $150 to $250 for a horse, $1 for a hundred pounds of milk to be made into butter or cheese. Now the farmers should prosper as they are doing when they get such prices to what the farmer of fifty years ago was getting. Great contrast between the year 1857 and year 1912 when I pound of tea can be bought now for 12 eggs, then for 96 eggs. Year 1857 eggs 8 ¢ per dozen, tea, 64 ¢ per 1b. -M.

Obituary

Roderick Munroe a widely known and well beloved friend and citizen departed this life at his

home, Lyndale, Thursday, Feb 15", 1912, in the 75th year of his age, after a lingering illness of nearly two years which was born with Christian patience.

He was born in the Isle of Skye, Scotland, in the year 1837 and emigrated to this country in 1840 with his parents and settled in Lyndale, there remaining on the old homestead all his life-time. He married Flora McDonald, Montague Head, in whom he found a true help-mate who brightened life‘s pilgrimage by her hopeful Christian spirit and womanly grace and soothed life's close by her devoted attention and strong faith in the happy reunion of death divided friends in the better land where parting is unknown.

A family of twelve children blessed their union. These are: John Allen of Colorado; Mrs. W. D. Mcleod, Orwell Cove; Mrs. D. J. McLean, Quincy, Mass; Alexander, deceased; Mrs. N. G. McPherson of Newton Cross; Alexander, Alberta; Donald, Deceased; Murdock W. on the homestead; Mrs. D. A. McPherson, Grandview; Laura C., Boston, Mass; Mrs. J. A. Ross, Ocean View; and Angus F. in Alberta.

11/07/00 11:04 PM

W