Summary, METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING NATIONAL InpusTriAL CoNFERENCE BoarRp INDEX NUMBERS OF 
THE CosT or Livin 1x THE UNITED STATES 
Number of 
articles ...... 
Localities 
covered. ..... 
Sources of in- 
formation. ... 
Method of 
gathering in- 
formation... 
The retail 
Foods 
1913-1920, 22, 
1921—date, 43. 
g1 
Retailers serv- 
ingworking 
class trade; 15 
to 25 quota- 
tions. 
Juestionnaire. 
rood price ser: 
Shelter 
Clothing 
Fuel and Licht 
General estimate. 
20 
All cities 50,000 or 
over; some smaller 
places; average, 170. 
Varying, average, 79. 
Coal: Varying, average, 59. 
Light: 143 cities of 50,000 or over 
population. 
Brokers and others fa- 
miliar with rents of 
low and medium 
price housing; 1 to 
10 reports. 
Retailers selling inex. 
pensive grade of mer- 
chandise; 1 to 10 re- 
ports. 
Coal: Retail dealers; 1 to 5 re. 
ports. 
Light: Public service commissions 
city mayors, individual com- 
panies, 1 to 3 reports. 
Duestionnaire., 
uestionnaire. 
Questionnaire. 
that constructed by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics 
Sundries 
Carfare: 288. 
Furniture, etc.: Some reports same 
as clothing, others, general esti- 
mates. 
Candy: National distribution. 
Tobacco: National distribution. 
Recreation: Varying, general. 
Reading Material: National dis 
tribution. 
Medical Care: Varying, general. 
Dues, insurance, coniributions: Per- 
centage estimate based on index 
number of cost of living. 
Retail stores, national distributors, 
theatre owners, physicians, vary- 
ing number of reports. 
Duestionnaire and special agents.