Our School Tour Was Canceled. Bonus Day Off!

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Market report for retail food prices in South Pass City on April 26, 1871 from the South Pass News. 
 
Market report for retail food prices in South Pass City on April 26, 1871.

 Joe told us last night that today's school tour had been cancelled so we could take the day off to make up for last and, I guess, this Friday. Sweet.

Connie got up at her regular time. I stayed in bed a bit longer and read. Connie made coffee and I made shakshuka, a great breakfast on a cool morning.

At about 9:30, I walked down to the office/archives and worked until our scheduled staff meeting at 3:30, except for a brief break for lunch.

One of the things I have been working on in my spare time is looking at how good got to South Pass City and what they cost. The short-lived South Pass News regularly had a market report that gave retail prices for various foods. I have found similar reports from the same period in Salt Lake City, except those prices are wholesale. I am trying to estimate how much difference there was between wholesale and retail and what the transportation costs were. For example, eggs, in the table above, were 30 to 60 cents per dozen. The wholesale price for eggs in Salt Lake City was about 5 cents per dozen, the final price would have included transportation costs, losses in transport (broken eggs), and the retailer's mark up. I enjoy these puzzles.

We had our staff meeting- this week's schedule and preliminary plans for an October 2nd event, and Connie and I retrieved the salmon that I was dry brining in the refrigerator in the shop. I started up the pellet smoker and smoked that fish. I started this a bit too late for dinner tonight, so we had the remainder of the green chili pork stew. Once again, a great dish for a cool evening.

We read and worked on projects after dinner. I have been reading the Midwife's Tale as a possible model for my Walter Lovejoy project. I finished it this evening. An interesting read.

The day was cool, with periods of light rain. It's definitely fall. 

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