Smyrna times., 1884-04-02
What it Costs to Live.

What it Costs to Live.
PHIA AND NEW YORK.
In recent article in the New York
World Mrs. Crody discusses at some
length on the cost of living in New
York, and decides that an income of
$4,000 year is too small to enable two
people to live in good style, vet not ex-
travagantly, in that city. To prove
this, she gives facts and figures thus:
Flat or house, 81 200 Ia low esti-
mate); table expenses for five, 81 900 |
Ia low estilnatel; wages for three, fuel,
gas bills, breakage, 81 900 "a low esti-
mate); leaving $500 per year only for
the clothing and personal expenses of
both, amusements, books, travelling ex-
penses, charities, savings and incident
ais of all kinds; ending finally by con-
Guiding that two people who wish to
either make up their minds to board or
to find home in some of the suburbs,
using the city only as Il bread-winner.
In Philadelphia the same income
would be considered quite sufficient to
allow the marriage, and there are
many people who live comfortably and
mingle more or less freely in society
on no more. True, they are not able
to keep fairly up with the fashionable
world; do not give expensive enter
tainments, and the ladies of the family
: are obliged to econOmize in dress-still
. the thing can be and often is done.
E PHILADELPHIA RENTALS.
: In the matter of rents, Philadelphia
g has greatly the advantage of New
: York. Flats are unknown, but 81 200
! is the rent of a handsome house in a
e fashionable neighborhood, such an one
/. as in New York would cost over 80, 600.
t Even within the charmed limit bound
:, ed north by Market, south by Pine,
d and east by Broad street, good house
l. for small family may be had on q
e cross street for six or seven hundred
IL dollars, and outside of this rents are
IS still lower until out north on Diamond
e street, one may find pretty little
y house, with modern improvements, as
IS low as $18 per month
E. The item of house rent may then
Is safely be set down at $3.50 per annum
Of gas and fuel ought not to exceed
ID 5000, even allowing for "little din.
in ncrs' now and then. This amount
n may be somewhat reduced by buying
ly all groceries at wholesale, and if the
of lady of the house does her own mark
il citing in place of sending a written ordel
De to the provision store round the corner
TX The question of servants wages is al
k elastic one, still 1912 should suffice fo
yh the two lcOok and hOusemaid) making
is the sum total for living expense
lie 81, 162, and leaving balance of 81 ,83
X for all other purposes.
us BUTTONS" NOT OBLIGATORY.
"e The buttons" for the door, which
NV is, it seems, u necessity of "gentet
!" living" in New York, is not obligator
in Philadelphia. A neat maid servan
40 usually answers the hell and waits q
"S table in households OF moderate mean
:, a waiter being hired upon specia
an occasions when desired. 1t is hard [
NV find boys who are not more worry tina
'eu help, except, perhaps, in a doctor
ei' family, where the dOor-bell keeps the
'so constantly busy, and many good man
''eeS' gers assert that, despite the different
~ in wages, a man servant is a less e
uc pensive luxury in the long run. b
09 this is hardly to be thought of on lie
than $4,000.
'p The peculiar charm of Philadelph
y" ~. is that it is a city of homes. In l
other town in the world do so large
p0u proportion of citizens with Tnodera
or even small incomes dwell in the
own houses. Thanks to the buildi
fund associations the majority of we
to-do mechanics own their hOm
S'o' while very few substantial tax-pay,
i0'o dwell in rented houses. We hs
nothing which answers to the 1st
a., u'eS May in New York, and people W
"e move every year or two are regard
'''"U with suspicion by their more settl
'"S0 neighbors.
p" The Philadelphian has another gr'
- 40 advantage Of the New Yorker in {
''" excellent markets within easy acc
= ~" of every part of the city. Moreov
W there are the buttermen "a dist
AN lively peculiar Philadelphia insti
70 y. tion-country farmers, each one
"iaii whom has his special customers, VIII
'use' he supplies weekly the year ror
ASH with butter, eggs and poultry bel
y On market rates, making yet fair pre-
iireu since the produce passes directly fl
'opie producer to consumer.
entity