Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-08-21
Cost Of Living IN Mexico.

A writer IN the Philadelphia Record
says: / notice in an article in your paper
that the United States is the most expen-
sive place in which to live If the writer
will examine prices of living in the West
India islands, or Mexico, he will find it
costs much more to live there than in the
United States-that is, to live well.
A few days ago returned from Mexi-
co, where l had been for the last eighteen
months prospecting for minerals, and
part Of the time working for the Mexican
Central railway. I am familiar with
prices along the line Of the road from Ell
Paso to the city Of Mexico, /, ,22O miles.
Most of the land is barren desert. Beef
is the only article that is cheaper there
than here, and that only for the best
pieces. as they sell all at the same-ten cents
per pound-rump, neck. shin or sirloin.
Cattle on the hoop can be purchased for
about one=third less than here, but except
the cattle are near the border they cannot
be driven through the country for want
of food, and it would also require large
force to protect them from raiders, who
would kill the drivers and steal the cat
tie. The contractors ON the Mexican
Central railway purchased hay for their
stock from the United States and freight
ed it as far south as Zacatecas. Corn
they purchased in Mexico at $3.50 to
$1.75 per bushel, and wheat, $2.25 to
$3.50.
Mexican pork is Of the worst kind.
Hams from the States sell from S5 to AZ
cents per pound; bacon, the same; lard,
80 to 40 cents per pound; butter, rs
cents to 81 per pound; coffee, 80 cents;
tea, 81 to $1.60. Sugar, such as we pur-
chase here for cents, is 25 cents per
pound retail in chihuahua, Zacatecas and
in the city of Mexico; good cheese, 80
cents per pound, milk, 10 to 10 cents
per quart, and it will, perhaps be mix
ture of COW, goat, sheep and burro-
Wood is expensive, SIS to s25 per cord;
coal about the same per ton; charcoal, 2
to cents per pound; common boards
that are selling in Philadelphia ct $40
per !, 900 feet will sell for $40 in Mexico.
From Ell Paso to the city of Mexico, as
far as the eye can reach, you cannot see a
tree that would make saw log.
Many Mexicans mainly live on corn.
ground between stones and baked with
out salt or yeast; dark beans, red pep
pers, cactus pears andthe young sprouts
of the cactus. Meat is a great rarity.
Often, when planters stock becomes
large, SO that he cannot feed it, he will
await "a fete day and kill his beef and
hogs; sew up the hog skins and pour the
hot tallow or lard into them. In that
way it is shipped to market. The meat,
while raw, is cut into pieces the size of
hand, and, after the fat is boiled out Of
it, is sent on burro back to be sold.
On clothing the duty is 1872 per cent.
In addition to this there are other charges
that would make it about 15O per cent.
The duty on shoes is SIS per dozen; on
boots, $27 per dozen. 1t is true that not
over 20 per cent. Of the people have
shoes; they wear sandals or go barefoot
The clothing of the working people is
made of say, five yards of muslin at
cents; hat 25 cents; blanket, 81,
and sandals, IS cents. Soyou can count
the cost of outfit for so to 70 per cent.
of the Mexican nation, and this includes
his bed.
Nv attention was called to the, high
walls south of Zacatecas. The ground
was so poor that not blade of grass
would grow upon it. was informed
that they fenced it in to keep intruders
from pulling the pears and the young
sprouts of the cactus, which those peo-
pie had to live upon. To think of man
and wife with four or five children work
ing for thirty cents per day, and water
three cents per oyerl Is it any wonder SO
many lie and steal9 They claim that two
and one-half per cent. Of their people
can read and write. They are like chill
dren in many ways, fond of pictures. OF
the men whom ! have met during my
time in Mexico do not remember but
one or two who could read.
The city actuaI-of New Orleans