The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-29
CHEAP LIVING IN NEW york

nutritious meal for family OF several ncrsor.
can be prepared for fifteen cents Sma1l no ,ha,
sum may seem to the diners at Delmonicn's
three times repeated 1t becomes ut least a Third
part Of the daily wages Of worry large sboro
OF our population. and is all they can afford ,c
expond on tho days food. As prices ore a,
present fifteen cents will buy the materials fo,
pretty solid meal. and II the wives Of laboring
men could be taught how to use them to thebcs,
advantage. thcy could live for the same mona,
just about M wcll as their fellow workers in tho
French capital. so noted for the economy and
thrift Of its poorer inhabitants.
kprofcssiona man in Now York who had
pretty wide experience OF the European wnvs
OF living, WIS not long ngo driven By the no
cessitcs OF n very narrow income. which, 50 for
ms II could be relied on at all did not ercatly az.
| coed TINT Of day laborcr. to support himsol,
| and HIS wife on the smallest sum which Womb
buy them shelter. heat and sufficient food. Bs
therefore hired for SIS year two small room.
| high up over II store on one OF the east sido
avenues. furnished them purchased lirle
stove and few cooking utensils. and launched
| into housekeeping. BY careful marketing and
skilful cookery, in which he himself Is an adent
the pair have managed to live very comior,ablv
and In perfect matrimonial peace. on not mora
thnn 1--WE hundred dollars n year aud he ha.
had hard work to scrapo oven TINT sum together
| His experience, he reports. teaches him thai
! New York is about the cheapest city he has owe,
| lived IN. provided u man knows how and whore
| to buy and how TO utilize to tho hest advantage
| whit he gets. We hope our tn riity friend
| will some day grow rich. but even If he never
| does attain opulcncc he will keep his peace Of
mind just 20 long rs ne continues to make hs
expenses less than his income Moreover he
il very happy man. rs men go, and though he
| may not set the river ailre he burns himself as
n shining light for the guidance Of thousands Of
men in the METROPOLIS who have neither the wit
nor the opportunity 10 earn moro than few
hundreds n year. and who are in continual
trouble because they won't cut the garmentto
suit the cloth.
| All sensible efforts. therefore, which have in
view the teaching OF people how to best i'm.
| prove the advantages offered by our variously
and abundanily supplied markets, and their
| instruction In economical ways Of living. are
worthy OF ENCOURAGEMENT and whoever con-
tributes anything in the way Of suggestions
| to help his poor neighbors ignorant OF the art
| OF getting the most out OF q littu does n valu.
able service Tho city always IL crowded with
| families whose yearly incomes fall below five
| hundred dollars and even three hundred dol.
| lars n year. none Of whom need feel the pangs
OF bitter poverty. but many OF whom are pretty
! StfdtlD IN WANT. Oll't tllN nara lllutS. ino
number Of such families has OF course. greatly
increased. and II has been largely recruited by
people who formerly lived handsomely or in
comparative ease. At no time within the last
quagtcr Of n century have the necessities Of
| life. on tho average. been lower than they are
now, and II u man knows how TO do it. he can
get along in New York about rs cheaply as a
Frcnchman in Paris or n German Mt Berlin.
and enjoy fully rs many material comforts.
| even II he must lack some OF those nsthetic
| graccs and luxuries which arc within the reach
OF the Inhabitants Of the older capitals.
Some gentlemen Of the city have now in con-
| temptation the establishment here OF cheap pub
liccofrce houses after the fashion OF those which
have been so successful in Liverpool. both with
the Wow Of promoting temperance and meeting
the real wants of people who can afford only
few cents 10 satisfy their hunger and thirst In
Liverpool twenty-nIne such houses have been
| opened by corporation known MS tho British
! Workman Public House Company Limited"
| and thcy are all doing well and returning out
Of their profits II dividend OF ten per cent to the
| stockholders in the company. for the movement
was wisely started on business basis and not
rs patrOnizing charity, OF which self-respect-
ing workmen would refuse TO take advantage.
| The public houses are cheerful in their appoint
ments and convenient of access. They open al
in the morning and close ut 10 in the evening
Smoking is allowed but rooms for those who
do not use tobacco are provided Separate eat.
ing rooms for women are recommended. Nc
spirits or alcoholic drinks OF any kind are al.
lowed to be consumed on the promises. Coffee
and cocoon ut two cents pint mug and one cent
n gill are the drinks sold. and the articles OF
food provided nre limited To cut bread, rolls
buttcred and unbultered. cheese. and cold yea
and mutton pies, at prices ranging from two
cents to four cents. To make the houses places
ofevening resort. social meetings under caro-.
fu direction. arc held in one of the rooms where
music and singing are provided. and an oppor.
tunty for the exchange Of sentiments is given.
The balancc sheet Of the company for the last
year shows TINT the capital stock is 800 900
and. including what was brought over from the
previous year. the profits amounted to abou,
$1,000. though bocause Of the opening Of
eleven new cocoa rooms. rs they are called. they
were less than 81 900 for 1877 alone. There is
enough money accumulated in the treasury
however to Justify dividend Of ten per cent
which the directors recommend. The move.
ment. therefore. Is q complete success in Liver.
pool and 1900 people 10y reason OF ii. able to
sit down at once In the compnnys twenty nine
restaurants.
In other cities OF England similar establish.
ments have been started. with variations rs tc
the manner OF their conduct and all OF them
seem TO be prosperous. Thus. at Bristol a
dining hall was opened in 1868. where a dinner
consisting OF soup. broad the best beef and pc,
tatoes is furnished for ton cents, and 1t hos paid
from the start, At Leeds dinner is given for
twelve cents, and that. too. is profitable 10 the
caterers. The London CoiIoe Public Houses
run 10y company, charge the following prices
Cohce and Cocoa. per cup laf pinto ...... ic or &c
Nofte ANA tucni. per large pinu ....... or
Tea, pcr Gun hall mint ........,...
Bread md Butter or Jam 'halt round ......... ic
SAGE OF IurWnt ur Seed Cake ... .............. &c
Loaf aud Cheese .......... &c
Soup; per basin i'm some houses bread is In
EsG ......... ........ ....,., a.
Rishcrynf bacon ........... ........... a.
| Rect Sausage and Potato or Bread .....,,... ic
| fork sausage md Potato BREAD. ......,... sc
Anl hmled Beet snail plate .............
,dd Ham, per smnll Ulnte. ............ &c 10 :,
KEY naNl htti or Mutton per plate ...,...... i9c
iuddhl. plum. rice. &c. per slice ......... DC IN Ic
l@m"haue anu soda water ..,............ &c
All OF these prices would be possible in Nov
York, and tho variety OF articles offered coulc
be Increased Coffee and cake houses run boy
private persons make money by charging it'll,