The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-02

SNOW, my weekly expenses ten years ago,
exclusive of fuel and rent, amounted to S2'0l;
the same articles to-day cost me S3'67; general
Average advance, 81 per cent. Wages in 1859,
$40 week; in 1869, $l2; advance, 20 per cent.
In round numbers, then, my expenses; per
month in 1853 were $l6'50; income $40; balance
for clothing and incidentals, $780, or $27O per
annum for FIVE of us. My expenses now are
$33 '76 per month, or more than 100 per cent.
advance, leaving me but S4'25 per month, or
about $51 year for clothing and incidentals.
81. MACDONALD, New York"
The condition OF tailors in large cities en-
ployed on clothing intended for sale, "ready
report of the New York World, February /. 1869:
"a large meeting of that class OF tailors who
make clothing sold ready made was held at the
Harmonic Rooms, in Essex street. yesterday,
to secure if possible, an advance on the present
wages paid those tradesmen. The audience
must have numbered more than thousand,
were substantially to the effect that the
tallors condition was worse than that of the
pauper on Blackwelps Island, having, after
sufficient to procure food for his family. The
brIcklayer only worked ten hours per day, and
he received frequently, S5; while the tailor
would have to work nearly week for that sum.
This class of tailors was even more unfortunate
than the shop or custom tailors, who, in many
cases, could make $40 per week, while the
wages of tailors who made the clothing sold
ready-made seldom amounted to over $l2 per
week. They could live comparatively like
princes ten years ago. but their wages have not
II is also to be here noted, that the above
evidence respecting the condition of the work.
ing people in the large cities of the eastern
section of our country receives the full indorse.
ment Of Mr. Horace Greeley. Thus, in recent
published communication on the condition of
labor in New York. Mr.. Greeley says:-
".The supposed excess Of wages in cities is
fallacious and misleading. The inevitable cost
of living in cities, especially this one, is far
higher than is or well can be realized in the
country. A family OF four persons can hardly
In4a rral lnpo fhnT krnn Nha
rent of three tolerable rooms here would absorb
the entire wages of an average mechanic in the
country. When everything eaten, drank lex
cept water), or worn must be bought pecemeal
at high prices, the cost of living becomes enor-
NOUS and saving by men of family very diff
cult. Our mechanics who are single, and have
least third of their wages In some savings
bank each pay day, though very few of them do
so. They might save, but do not; those who
to ther % able Sery
getlc, or very frugal persons save money IN a
great CITY,"
EXPERIENCE OF THE COUNTRY.
1t will be observed that the above evidence
relative to the comparative prices OF wages and
commodities is based upon the record Of expe-
rience In large cities mainly. To prove, no W.
ever that the condition of affairs is the same in
the sparsely populated districts of the eastern
sections Of our country; the detailed results OF
an investie alton recently instituted in the town
of North Brookfiel Massachusetts,, are here
with submitted. This town, situated in the
central portion OF the State, and at distance
from any railroad or dense centre of popula.
tion, is the seat of some what extensive boot
and shoe industry, employing about thousand
hands, male and female, and constituting, apart
from agriculture, the main dependence for oc
cup alton to the local population.
The investigation was made for the purpose
of testing the conclusions of the Commissioners
by a well known citizen of the town, the Hon.
Amasa Walker, whose name is sufficient
guarantee for the entire fairness and accuracy
of ali the statements contained in the following
letter.
$40 the Special Commissioner of the Reuenue.
''Sr:-The following table, based on the
record of ordinary and actual sales, will show
you the comparative prices OF twenty leading
commodities of domestic consumption in the
town OF North Brook deld Mass, in the sum
mers of 1860 and of 1861
hn ID h