Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-08-31
Life In New York City.

''N ''' ''N' A''N N''yN
OF families that spend between $685.,
600 and $50, 600 year, there are about
a thousand in New York 1t would be
impossible to ascertain the exact figures
but the above figure is the result of con
siderable research, and to be relied on rs
very near approximating the fact. En-
sier is it give close figure as to the fam
lilies spending between $50, 600 and $780,,
600 year. There are about sixty OF
seventy such families. Our figures
would stand thus 10000 or $4,000 fam
lilies that spend $4,000 year 1,00C
spend 800, 900 to $50, 600 q year, and &C
or 70 whom it costs $780, a year tc
live.
On Fifth avenue it costs 1915, 1000 to
live respectfully. In thus sum, we dc
not include the rent of the house, which
would certainly swell the amount ia
100000. A first-class establishment on
Fifth avenue has eleven or twelve ser.
wants; n man cook, with three female
assistants, scullery maid, etc. /; a man
that waits on the table n laundress, O
coachman anda footman-the latter may
help waiting on the table, as his duties
on the box are not very arduous-a sta
bic man, two or three girls for up-stail
work, and, if there are children in the
family, nurse. The outlay in carriages
and horses alone amounts to $4,000 q
year.
A poor fellow on salary of $4,000 a
year, for man is poor in New York
who receives that salary-who lives in a
nice brown stone front house on fash
ionable side street. He has to keep, at
the very least, four servants cook, n
scullery maid, who helps her and may
do at the same time the laundry work,
an upstairs girl, and-if he has chill
dren poor people mostly do have chill
dren IA nurse. He pays $4,000 rent
for the house, and, after he has paid his
servants, has nothing left to live on.
Nevertheless, it costs him $4,000 to
live. How can he do it?
There are ten hotels, kept on the ELL
ropean plan, in each Of which some 100
persons board. These families pay for
a suite of rooms, consisting of parlor
and bedroom, from $15 to $50 a day.
This price is paid, no matter whether
the guests stay week or two years. In
the Grand Hotel there are few suits
which are higher-$300 a week. But the
average is not so high. You can get two
good-sized rooms at most of the Euro
pean hotels for 5000 per week, or $l0,-
600 year. In regard to your meals,
you pay for what you eat. You pay for
peas SOC. for cup of coffee, Soc An
examination of the restaurant bills in
one of these hotels gave the following
result: Average for breakfast lone per-
som, So ; for dinner, $50 or 81 for
supper, about S. or Sc. A whole family
can live somewhat cheaper, for some of
the dishes, as for instance beef, an order
for one will bring enough for two. But
on the whole, the result is pretty much
the same. A family of three persons
will, living economically, spend easily
between $50 and $40 a day for their
meals, which would amount in the year
to $4,000. $4,000 for two meals day,
and $4,000 more for two rooms, makes
$4,000. Most of the families boarding
in these hotels keep carriages they
give little dinner parties-evening en-
tertainments they are excused from in
of these good dinners
they spend the summer in Europe, or at
Watering places; their girls have the
best masters and most fashionable dress
1t costs them $40, 900 or $780,
600 to exc ont their existence.