Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1901 — Old Invoice of Groceries. [ARTICLE]

Old Invoice of Groceries.

C. C. Starr the grocer is cur oldest man now in business in Rensselaer, in respectto length of of continuous following of one line of business. He began business in 1862, as a partner of William Austin, and in 1864, began by himself. He has on exhibition at the post office a large invoice of groceries bought Sept. 7th, 1864, of'J. L. Reynolds, of Lafayette. The total bill amounts to S9OB. It is mainly interesting as showing the altitudinous prices groceries cost in those days of depreciated paper money. A few of these wholesale prices we will mention. Powdered sugar, 45 cents per lb; ohewing tobaoco, 90 cents; fancy candy 45 cents, stick candy 40 cents, Rio coffee 54 cents, fine cut tobacco sl, rice 16|, brown sugar 25, tea $1.85. Kerosene or coal oil is not mentioned, and it was then only beginning to come into use. Caudles of some kind, however, are listed bn the bill. One item is one dozen manila bed-oords. Articles that have wholly passed out of use. Mr. Starr also has a small account slip showing where he had charged “Jaokson Gowdy” with a dozeu glass fruit jars, $3.50 and sealing wax 35 oents. “Jaokson” was none other than he who is now Hon. John K. Howdy, the distinguished and popular counsnl general of the United States, to France, “Jaok” then lived “down the creek” and if he dreamed of his future greatness he kept his dreams to himself. Bat mys what a price he paid for fruit jars! Along with this old time invoice Mr. Starr also exhibits a still older account book, kept before the war by Mr. Strode, a general merchant here in days before the war,