The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-02-04
NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 1876.
The WOES OB THE POOR.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 1876
THE WOES OF THE POOR
Why do not the poor of New York get
on betterl Why is it that man on
salary of SIS a week cannot support his
family 6ecentIyl SIS week would be
very comfortable subsistence in a
country town. 1t would support him
and leave him something over to lay up
for rainy day True, it would, but in
New York it is the merest nothing-it
means starvation which is not even gen
teel. Why is it? The answer is easy
enough. The poor artisan or laborer on
SIS a week might live OH it and save
money, if he could get what ne lives on
at any decent price-but he don't. If
potatoes are worth, We will say 81 90 a
bushel, by the bu>hel, what do you sup.
pose the laborer pays for them? Ee
can't buy a bushel at once, for his little
SIS won't go far enough. He has to pay
81 for rent of his rooms. which is nearly
half of his income, for place for him
and his to live and sleep, aving him So
a week for food and clothing. This
would answer if he could only buy his
food in such quantities, and at such
places as food can be procured at reason
able prices. But he cannot do this, for
he has not money enough. A barrel of
potatoes costs, We will say, So so, should
he buy barrel he would have nothing
left for other articles of food. So he
buys a hal1 peck of potatoes, for which
he pays forty cents, or at the rate of
So 60 a bushel, instead OF about dollar.
His coal would cost him only about ST
ton, if he could buy ton, but he can't;
he can buy a bushel, though, just
enough to last him a day or two, and
for that the dealer makes him pay 4G or
so cents, and when he has to get peck
instead of a bushel, the extortion is still
more.
And as it is with his coal and potatoes,
SO it is with everything. He never has
money enough to buy anything in guam
tity- he lives from hand to mouth, and
is consequently, compelled to pay four
prices for everything. 1t is decent
fortune to have a retail store in a poor
neighborhood, for the profits made from
poor people are immense. And as there
is no credit given, the trade is sure
There is no such thing as getting up in
the world for a laboring man in New
York, unless a streak of luck comes.
This season has been exceptionally hard,
for labor has been scarce and wages cor
respondiEgly low. How they live at all
is more than can understand
AN INCIDENT.
The lives of the poor are hard enough,
but they are sometimes followed by so
miserable a death that it appears the
crowning mockery of a relentless desti-
ny. Who realizes the pitifulness of the
short and simple annals of the poor?
Short and simple? Long and bitter
rather, for the hours of toll are thrice as
long as those of ease, and life weighs
heavier as it drags its years along. One
of those sad cases which often happen
was told last night at a happy tea table
by city physician. A poor woman
who had been servant, went to doc
tor for help when far gone in consump-
ton. He gave her medicine and told
her to come again the next day. She
came with the rest of the poor patients,
but while waiting was taken with hem
orrhage, and died in the hail. The doc
tor knew nothing of her but her name,
not even her family or where she lived,
and the policeman sent for to take
charge of the remains decided, with the
lstuteness of his class, that it was a case
for the coroner, and the body must be
eft where it lay, untouched, till the
lext day. There the poor ghastIy blood |
stained creature lay in the rigor of death, |
)ne would think not the object tor a
pleasant home. Think of it! The corpse |
ost to recognition, the woInan's friends, |
{ she had any, unconscious of her fate, |
he lying an unwelcome and horrid spec |
acle, the very spectre of poverty thrust |
lpon the kindness and comfort of
veil -to-do household. One cannot for
,ear sympathy for the housekeeper
whose dining room will always be haunt
q by so shocking a memory. And yet
ne of the physicians called in to see the
'oor creature, looking at the corpse,
aid, with a burst of genuine feeling,
Poor woman, can't pity You; you are
'etter off than l am" He was happy
nd successful-too happy to make such
speech out of idle feeling. Yet no one
Tho heard it could doubt he spoke the
incere feeling of his soul.
SPRI2G FASHIONS.
With the mild days about the first of
'ebruary, the counters show light Cam
rics and wool goods, for prudent peo-
le who take time by the forelock in
latters of dress. They must do so, for
l these days it takes, by moderate CON-
two weeks for woman work
lg all the time to make dress. This
the allowance by the most skilful
and it not seldom takes
lat time TO do the trimmings alone.
or the comfort Of ladies who do their
WI work, am happy to say that the
ID style of dress, with long plain skirt
nd waist attached 10 it, will be worn the
,lning spring. Such models are now dis
aged in the windows as leajing styles.
be prettiest fabric out, is fine check
black and white, crossed by a single
light color, which gives it fresh
ring like look, while it is quite modest
lough for the street. As it comes in
# wool goods, plain woven, both light
ID durab bic, and very wide, it will be a
vorite with ladies, as it is sure to be
ith men because it is SO bright and
city.
MONEY on REAL PROPERTY. {
To the man in the western part of
sw York, who wrote to Inc, eskiDg the
Idress of the old lady told of in these 7
tiers, who cried because she didn't I
low where to invest her money, that l