The Republican journal., 1875-09-23
1t is getting to be quite impossible for p

1t is getting to be quite impossible for per-
sons of moderate income to live in Boston.
Rents are enormous. 1t is impossible to get
house of six rooms in a decent locality for less
than 5000 a year. Some families, by taking
large house together, get rent of $400 and
$500; but the house is not suited to their wants,
it being ill arranged for two tenements These
prices are impossible for clerks on $1,000 and
$1,000 salary. A great many young people 60
out of town, but there are some employments
where trains will not accommodate the en-
ployees. The consequence is that great many
people are boarding who have kept house, and
would much prefer it, but they cannot afford
such eXorbitant rents. There seem to be va
cant houses enough, but they are not of the
right class, and the holders, too, would prefer
holding them rather than take moderate rent.
Before the fire there was house in the section
of the burnt district, which had been unoccu-
pied seven years. The owner asked SO high a
rent that nobody would pay it, ard year after
year his agent had it painted and kept in re-
pair, but would not abate penny of his
charges. 1t is this spirit that seems to ANIMATE
| real estate owners still, but something has got
to be done. The opportunity seems waiting for
| somebody to prove himself the benefactor OF
his age by putting up small and economical
ing big house with the hope of letting out
| rooms is often a bad investment. 1t requires
Il sharp person who will be up to the tricks OF
| sharpers, but that is providing that the rooms
| are let, which they often are not. | have re-
Gently heard of man who left one house fol
| which he was under lease, and took Il larger
one, thinking to let adyantageously the whole
| Of the former and part of the latter. The re-
| suit is, he has been for two or three months
| under the full rent of both houses, which con
| >umes more than one half of his salary. Rents
| at the South End range between $500 and $1,000
| and $1,000 is an ordinary demand. Add to that
the expenses Of living, and no one will wonder
that Boston is fast becoming, like New YORK
| city, place of residence for only the poorest
| and richest.
| | have saved for the last a sweet tid-bit. Il
is about the good work of woman She is I
singer, and has occupied the highest position
| here rs 4 choir, oratorio and concert vocalist
| for the past twelve wears. About five years
ago she married Since that time she has en-
| ployed part of her individual income to the
education of a nephew. She is now engaged
in the not inexpensive task of putting him
through college, and when he graduates, She
intends to restrict her professional duties to the
choir only. That is what woman can do will
Il voice and noble heart.
''Seep the great want of the age" That i,
the saying now become trite, which invariably
comes from the lips of almost everyone in speak
ing of the restless life of our great cities. The
other day gentleman, and an old and facetiou,
one, was talking with a clergyman in boob
| store, when the latter took up :, book and real
the above sentence to his companion, with i'll
air of conviction as to its truth. YES re
turned the other, and then added, Us though il
4 soiloquy, Il thought | was doing right
"How," asked the clergyman. Il thought
was doing right" repeated the Old chap, will
Il twinkle i'll his eye. "when I went to sleep il
| church last Sunday" ''Ah," retorted the cler
| gyman, laughingly, "but remember there's &
| time for everything" GOSSIP.