The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1884-04-03
COST or LIVING ABROAD.
4 oo1txast Detvosa IoaAon and American
3x1oo0.
London Correspondence Of the Philadelphia
peonl

4 oo0teast 0otvooo IoaAon and American
Prices.
London Correspondents Of the Philadelphia
Press
"There is no city in which you can
get more for sixpence or less for q gui-
nea than in London. This was what
Richard Rush, the American diplomatic
representative to England, said away
back in the twenties. These words are
as true to-day as they were when the
shrewd, observant Americans gave ut
terance to them. Bread to-day is
cheaper in London than in New York,
Paris Vienna, Berlin or Brussels: You
can get suit of clothes made to meas
ure from real Scotch Tweed for $15.
fashionably cut and well finished.
Hundreds Of tailors will be glad to take
your measure and furnish a well-fitting
suit of common, but still fair material,
for $40. I can buy ready made shoes
for 81. 50 every bit as good as I can pur-
chase in New York for s., while for
that sum I can get IS good . pair of
hand sewn Understandings" as I wish
to wear. A good silk hat may be
bought for s., and derby of the latest
fashion for trife over 50. Shirts and
underwear are less than two thirds the
price asked for them in New York, and
the gloves wear cost me IS cents
q pair, and l have never yet found
them to split or tear. Ladies' attire is
proportionately cheap. Houses or
rooms may he had within two and one
half miles of the city, with gardens four
times as large as the area the residence
stands on, for rental of $50 to 5000
per annum return fare by rail to the
city costing from to 6 cents, daily.
Vegetables are about half the price
they are in the states. Butter is five
cents pound cheaper, and meat only is a
dear commodity. Not nearly so much
dearer though as is generally supposed.
Yesterday I bought leg Of excellent
mutton for 20 cents per pound, and for
prime joints of beef the butchers are
asking "a cents per pound. Then,
again, fish is rediculously cheap. I
read in an Exeter paper that herring
were sold in that town one day last
week at the rate of twenty-four for 3
cents, and that sprats were retailed at 2
cents per quart.
But Mr.. Rush was as right about the
purchasing power of the guinea as he
was in his estimate of the liberal equiva-
lent obtainable for the nimble sixpence.
In the west end of London the most ex-
tortionate prices are asked by the trades
men. Fifteen dollars for a pair of
trousers and $35 for coat and vest are
by no means exceptional prices, and
there are plenty ofknights of the shears
who would charge $50 for suit of even
ing dress that one could readily match
at a city tailor's for $55. know sever
al ''snips" that are glad to array Gus
toners in all the glory of "clawhammer
coat, low cut vest and pants en- suite for
$l5. Lond-n boarding houses are an
abomination and a snare. One can get
infinitely better accommodation and
food in Philadelphia, Baltimore or Bos-
ton for S. per week than can be pro-
cured in London for double the money.
Railway travelling, too. is much more
expensive in England than in America.
Even the third-class is, I think,
quite as expensive as the uniform fare
charged in the states, and to
make a journey of few hundred miles
in tirst-class carriage will cost at least
SO per cent. more than in covering q
like distance of ground in the state
journeying in luxurious ease in Pull
man car.