Value of a ruble

[Jules Levin]

This is rather late, but a few weeks (?) ago there was a discussion on 
comparing prices and costs in pre-revolutionary Russia and in America.  
In another list (Jewishgen) I came across the following:
The Jewish Encyclopedia (1901-1906) states that in the "Polish 
Provinces", tailors earned less than 6 rubles a week and shoemakers even 
less. In the "southwestern provinces" tailors earned from 150 to 300 
rubles a year, and shoemakers earned from 100 to 300 a year. In the 
"southern provinces" Jewish artisans earned less than 400 rubles a year 
and seamstresses rarely earned more than 100 rubles a year (as little as 
4 kopecs for making a shirt). "Wages and Buying Power, 1895-1905", 
according to JewishGen KehilaLinks, lists the wages of various types of 
workers which were significantly higher in heavy industry (eg. steel 
workers and miners) than light industry, workers more likely to be 
employed in small shops (eg. milliners and tobacco workers). The wages 
ranged from 12.5 to 576 rubles monthly. A pound of butter cost 33 
kopecs, a dozen eggs cost 18 kopecs, a dozen cabbages cost 72 kopecs, a 
chicken cost 50 kopecs, a duck cost 90 kopecs, a cow cost 45 rubles (1 
ruble=100 kopecs). By comparison, for example, the average business tax 
in Krekenava was 5 rubles 37 kopecs (Range  2 to 22 rubles) and in 
Zejemelis the average was  8 rubles 7 kopecs (Range  1 to 28 rubles).

Jules Levin
Los Angeles

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