The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-04-07
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
PnLAnELPnIA, March 27lh, 1888.
EDIrpR or THE GAzETTE:

Desr Sir:-Here
am in the city Of ..bro,her!y,love," ane
Notwithstanding they frequently get up !
riot here. and more frequently cut one an
others throats, the mass Of the citizens ap
pear 10 be quite as orderly and as in,elli
gent as the citizens of Davenport. Bat II
| IS evident that the wealthy portion Of the
population, as we'll as majority OF the
middle class, consider their principle mis-
sion on earth TO be, 10 dress fine and prom
enade before each other, in order to exhibit
their good looks and the merchandise they
carry on their hacks, in the shape Of silks,
satins, sclvets. broadclolhs, mud various ar
tcIes Of silver, gold and stone ware.
| have taken considerable trouble TO col
lect statistical information respecting the
actions Of. mud the manner in which these
people live; their ability 70 keep their lami
lies, and the preparations they are making
ier old age. etc. | have ascer,ained that
The children Of The wealthy are most sener-
slly brought up III extravaganza and idle
ness, tha, they receive but little Instruction
ths, tends to their future usefulness. ana
be example Of the parents Of a mi rity OF
The families, is rather n dlscoaragemenl
than an advantage 10 their offspring
These children are taught To consider thai
music, dancing, and dressing according 6
The fashion OF the day, are the IN 81 essen
tinl portion Of their educatloDs; the con>e
quence Is, ihat the third generation rln
through with their grandta,hers' estate
--hat is, provided their fathers did nj
spend il al before ,hem-and now tiGdI
The fourth and filth generations Of the once
wealthy families, boating oysters from the
hay and stitching hroadelo,h tor their now
more wesithy neighbors, who are descend
ed from good honest hard fs' ed blacksmith<
and brichiasers
1t NAV not be unlntcrestlng 10 you Il
know how that numerous class, the shop
keepers-big and lillie-@ofk their way
through The world. Dsess aud eAlrasa@
gsnce is the support Of many Q. this class-
lhey eat. ,hay drink, ihey dress and DIE a.
tbey began, With a stock OF goods parehas
= i =. 49,, -. / ,a.,tr,3 Tr,,, o.r ., &C.,.
throughout their lives. Bot, you may say.
are there not few OF this numerous class,
who surround with their neat fancy shops
one hundred squares OF this great city. VIII
better their condition by their business |?
Yes, there are few aud but few. /
have after much inquiry ascertained, that
n the wholesale department, seventeen
oIt Of each hundred fail without paving
their debts; that ,wenty-ane, out Of one
fail bnt pay their debts; that thir
u eight out Ct hundred are able la keep
their families, aud square with the world,
but nothing more; nineteen, out Of oue
hundred, retire and are clas<ed with the
upper ten; three out Of hundred are cIas>
ID with The enc hundred thousand aud up
wards; two or. Of enc hundred class witt
the half million aud upwards. In The retail
department twenty-five in hundred fall.
eighteen in hundred after paving reul
with every exertion and strict econ
omy, procure sutiiciency OF proper food.
bot subsist by deprising themselves q Ger
tain articles, such as butler, fruits, gfocc
ries, &c; nineteen 10 a hun3 red are en-
sbied TO keep their families respectable and
pay their debts; fourteen in a hundred
dress extravagzntly, visit the watering pll
ces and live up TO their income; seventeen
in hundred leave stock ot goods paid iur
aud home for their children; nine in d
hundred retire with he upper ten cre 10
a hundred rates with the half million and
upwards. Yours &c.
A q T.