, 1872-10-14

hundred boarding places were Of all classes, but
there were enough third and fourth rate 0nes,
taken in connection with the saloons. to accom-
n1odate about fifteen thousand people, figure
number Of houses, but easily explain
arc packed in them. OF working1nen, very few
room in one place and eat in another That is
left to persons OF higher standing, generally
clerks, who have rooms and breakfast in part
of the city at q distance from business centres.
and dine down town, or who room IN the busl~
ness blocks and get all their meals at restau-
rants or boarding g.houses. shop~girls, too, are
much given to hiring rooms in common, and to
doing their cooking there i'll whole Or in part.
It is often more economical, aud, at all events,
moro independent, for girl in q boa1t1lng-
house is subjected to an amount Of snubbins
which no men would endure: sl,.l,s: AS +,,tos tor
columns Of TIE rn1BuSE prove. When any
family feels little hard-up, and it's members
can be 80 packed together as to leave vacant
the lodger being generally asked aB much as iii
thought he will give. # lie jews, he will getit
for comparatively little, for, whatever he does
pay, is generally clear gain. The rooms in busi-
ness blocks have not yet been fully replaced.
Those now rented bring prices rather higher
than before the fire, which is but natural, since
the rooms are new and clean, and the buildings
more expensive than before.
When the fire swept across the South Division,
it dealt no more tender1y with boarding-houses
sons it elected the Cages as unceremoniously
as it did the Widow Smith and Saloonkeeper
Schmidt. At the time OF that memorable calam-
ity, the Burnt District contained q great num-
ber of cheap lodging-houses. They abounded
on Market street and on Fifth. avenue. The
rooms above the numerous saloons on the last
named thoroughfare were generally rented,
often to disreputable individuals. Adams
and Jackson streets had their second and third
rate boarding houses, and tue rooms on the mp
rented out. The North Side had but few board
ing houses Of the poorer class, and they we're
chiefly on Kinzie street and North Market. 1t
90 happened that while nearly all the hotels we're
5 sSs Gn ths lsq S neyar bent eg
concentrated on the South Side. The high rents
there, had a tendency to drive them across
the South Branch. Besides, what ia more
universal than q boarding house They existed
on West Randolph, Lake, Washington, Adams,
and Monroe streets, on Halsted, Sangamon, Ca
nal Jefferson, and Clinton streets, and M1weu-
kee, Blue Island, and Archer avenues. It is
easier to state where they were not than where
they were. So, after, the fire, those who bad
crossed to West Side lodging or boarding-houses,
and found accommodation there, for 80 many
left the city ut first as to diminish the pressure
upon the remaining houses.
In the course of q month, however. the num-
bers who had left the city were more than re-
placed by the army Of workmen WHO began to
pour in, and OF whom as few as possible brought
their families, when they had them, owing to
the high rents which began to prevail here.
This created an enormous demand for boarding.
house facilities, which was very promptly met.
Nothing is established more easily than board
ing-honse. It requires only credit for q little
furniture, and sign. To start Il hotel requires
8 large preliminary outlay in carpets, in cur
l.t L., t~tI l;~n4r. 1,,3 43s sStHn
Numerous servants have TO be kept, aud
many are men, who will leave if not
promptly paid. So all who had q spare room
rented it, and every person who could get
house, q few cheap bedsteads, some plates. and
a much-enduring servant, went to work to keep
boarders. Requiring go little capital, numbers
have gone into it, 30 many that the business
would be rather, oyerstocked, were it not for the
occasional failures, generally among the women,
who slip behind in their house rent, are turned
out, and compelled to try their luck at something
else Since the fire, numbers Of the boarding.
houses in the Second Ward have been restored,
and what population there is there is to great
extent housed in them.
When it comes to speaking Of the cost Of
board and lodging. it is almost as difficult to
give correct figures as it is for the price Of g
piece Of corned beef. At one ehop it is cents,
at another g. at another 10. It varies according
to tile whim Of the seller. A prescription put up
at one place costs SO much; at another place tho
p1AG6 IL NEC44E11f uaA0A6At3 tAG4C 40 A4O HAUL
rule There las never been any harmony among
these furnishers Of food and shelter as to scale
of prices. They have as yet formed no unions.
Some OF them did once try to get up an Anti
Non-Paying Boarder's Association, scheme
never came into practical operation: So the re-
suit is that prices within certain limits, are as
inconstant as the fancy Of pretty woman.
They have been affected by the fre, not SO mucn
owing to the greater number to be lodged as to
the increase in rents which has to be distributed
over those who are fed, as well as those who are
merely bedled, although provisions have not
gone up. II the bosrding-house Keepers rent
Is doubled, she does not therefore double the
charge for each room. She increases it, and at
the same time, where it is possible, puts more
into room, and thus makes up the deficiency
The lowest rates ever asked in this city were
discovered some years ago. during . murder
sum of thirty cents week, allowed fellow
Italian, whom he subsequently killed with a roll
ing-pin, to sleep in one corner Of h1s room, to
stow his chest there, and to cook Lis musl, or
stance, even among frugal people, but it serves
to show how little . man can live on, it he so
pleases. In all these boarding-houses, nothing
is as valuable as space. proprietor has so
many square feet Of room; the question is, to
make them hold as many people as
possible. Since room is intended
Tor sleeping PURPOSES merely, and not for loung-
ing, it is but scantily furnished. It has no
stove; there are bed-clothes to keep one warm.
It has no wardrobe, for the boarders, if respec-
table, have chests or trunks. It has looking
glass, which hangs from nail in the wall, and q
wash-stand. It also generally contains two cheap
bed-steads in wood which is stained black,
and the heads Of which may be seen throughths
window, which they commonly touch. Frequent
y in going along a street which has been raised
to grade, while the houses have remained where
they were, it is possible to get interesting
interior views. The white cotton cur
tains are pulled up, and tho contents
of the room are plainly revealed. Where there
is but one bed it is almost invariably double, and
it is understood that two people must occupy it.
To have q room entirely to ones self, is to be an
aristocrat. It shows the possession of much
money, or Of feeling Of superiority. The results
Of this crowding are frequently unpleasant, and
lead to Police Court complications. There are two
people in room. One is given to the vice of
waking early Looking across the room, he sees
his mate, who is sleeping soundly, has cast g re-
markably fine pair of pantaloons across the foot
Of the bed. The devil, who is also an early riser
tempts him. He gets up, puts on those panta-
looms. and possibly superior pair Of boots, and
then walks off gently, so gently, in order not to
disturb his companion. Notwithstanding these
drawbacks the desire of the keepers to make all
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