Prices and Wages
Prices
These are base prices. Prices are higher away from wagon routes or river routes and in mining communities, and generally increase with distance from Yuma or El Paso.
Food
Staples
Wheat Flour
$14.00 per bbl.
Corn Meal
$5.00 per bbl.
Rice
$.30 per lb.
Beans
$.08 per qt.
Tea, good black
$1.25 per lb.
Coffee, Rio, roasted
$.40 per lb.
Sugar, brown
$.25 per lb.
Molasses
$2.70 per gal.
Sorghum Syrup
$3.10 per gal.
Meat
Beef, roasting pieces
$.12 per lb.
Beef, soup pieces
$.09 per lb.
Beef, rump steak
$.10 per lb.
Beef, corned
$.14 per lb.
Veal, quarter
$.12 per lb.
Veal, cutlet
$.14 per lb.
Mutton, leg
$.10 per lb.
Mutton, chops
$.12 per lb.
Pork, roasting pieces
$.32 per lb.
Pork, salted
$.32 per lb.
Pork, bacon
$.36 per lb.
Pork, smoked ham
$.38 per lb.
Pork, shoulder
$.36 per lb.
Pork, sausage
$.33 per lb.
Lard
$.30 per lb.
Fish, dried
$.28 per lb.
Fish, pickled
$.28 per lb.
Dairy
Butter
$.80 per lb.
Cheese
$.75 per lb.
Milk
$.25 per qt.
Eggs
$.50 per doz.
Dry Goods and Fuel
Soap
$.25 per lb.
Laundry Starch
$.40 per lb.
Fuel, hardwood
$4.50 per cord
Fuel, lamp oil
$1.50 per gal.
Cloth, cotton, brown
$.20 per yd.
Cloth, cotton, bleached
$.25 per yd.
Cloth, flannel
$.38 per yd.
Cloth, cotton ticking
$.42 per yd.
Cloth, sateen
$1.00 per yd.
Clothing
Wool Socks
$2.00 per 12 pairs
Extra Heavy Wool Socks
$4.50 per 12 pairs
Fair Muslin Shirt
$1.25
Good Muslin Shirt
$1.75
Tailored Trousers
$7.00
Tailored Suit
$25.00
Levi's Denim Pants
$20.50 per doz.
Off the Shelf Boots
$5.00
Custom-fit Boots
$7.50
Panama Hat
$1.25
Fair Felt Hat
$1.50
Fine Felt Hat
$2.50
Metals
Gold
$21.00 per oz.
Silver
$1.30 per oz.
Animals
Saddle Horse
$60.00
Pack Horse
$40.00
Saddle Mule
$72.00
Pack Mule
$50.00
Oxen
$90.00 per pair
Calf
$2.50
Yearling Steer
$12.50
2-Year-Old Steer
$22.50
Cow
$26
Breeding Bull
$90.00
Wagons
Buggy
$90.00
Two-Horse
$125.00
Four-Horse
$150
Saloons
Beer
25 ¢ per mug
Cheap Whiskey
12½ ¢ per 3 oz. glass
Average Whiskey
25 ¢ per 3 oz. glass
Good Whiskey
25 ¢ per 3 oz. glass
Average Whiskey
$2.00 per bottle
Brandy
50 ¢ per 3 oz. glass
Cigar
10 ¢
Saloon Girl at the Table
25 ¢ per half hour
Restaurants
Coffee
10 ¢
Soup
15 ¢ per bowl
Beans
15 ¢ per bowl
2 Eggs
15 ¢
Bread or Rolls
15 ¢
Tortillas
10 ¢
Roast Beef or Pork
20 ¢
Steak
25 ¢
Beef or Ham Sandwich
25 ¢
Lodging
Flop House
$3.00 per week
Boarding House (6 meals)
$12.00 per week
Standard Hotel
$2.00 per night
Deluxe Hotel
$3.50 per night
Transport and Communications
Telegram to San Fran.
$2.25 per ten words
First Class Letter
3 ¢ per ½oz.
San Francisco to Yuma
$55.00
Yuma to Tucson
$15.00
Tucson to El Paso
$18.00
Wages
(per day unless otherwise noted) Note that most jobs worked six ten-hour days per week.Unskilled Jobs
Laborer
$2.00
Teamster
$2.50
Farmhand
$35.00/month plus board
Drover
$45.00/month plus board
Housekeeper
$30.00/month plus board
Skilled Jobs
Saddle Maker
$7.50
Harness Maker
$5.50
Blacksmith
$6.00
Wain- or Wheel-wright
$6.75
Cabinetmaker
$5.75
Ordinary Carpenter
$4.25
Tailor
$6.00
Mining Industry Jobs
Miner
$4.00 per 8-hour shift
Carpenter
$5.00
Millwright
$5.00
Stonemason
$6.00
Engineer, 2nd Class
$6.00
Engineer, 1st Class
$7.50
Rock-breaker
$2.50