The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-08-27
A Cheap Place Of Living.


ton is rendering some excellent service
in the publication of consular reports
from time to time showing the condition
of the working people in other coun-
tries. These publications give the basis
for comparison with our own country,
and it is no exaggeration to say that of
all countries upon the face of the globe
the working people OF the United States
have the most comforts and enjoy the
highest degree of intelligence.
Some highly interesting facts are
given by Thomas M. Dawson. United
States Consul at Barranqullla, which
| is situated near the mouth of the Mag
dalena River, in the United States Of
Colombia, South America. Wages
of every kind, except that highly
skilled, are very low. The average
weekly wages for bricklayers are STA;
blacksmiths, 1896; draymen, $3.8
engineers in factories, 1890; firemen,
| $3.50; foremen in sugar mills, cotton
ginning, saw mills, ETC., $7.74 The
foreman in mine gets $50. %; engineers,
$24. 18 week. Farm hands are paid
from $4.84, the lowest, to $20.1 the
highest, per month, with board in both
instances. Cooks command an average
of $12.09 per month, and washerwomen
and nurses the same. The cost of living
to the working people is about equal to
their wages in towns. They are said to
be steady and trustworthy for a time.
but owing to the facility with which
their domestics are supplied they are
not much disposed to systematic habits
of industry.
Their homes are very simple and des-
| titute of every convenience and comfort
except in the larger cities, where there
is better class than in small towns and
the country. The laborers' home in the
country is usually built in one day of
brush and weeds and covered
with palm leaves. Around such house
a small clearing is made, and upon the
exceedingly fertile soils in that tropical
| country three crops of corn may be
grown within twelve months. The par
rots and wild animals are very destruc-
tive to crops, and their depredations are
usually guarded against by the children
of the family.
The plantain and banana are largely
planted and will produce fruit within
eight months from the seed, and there
after, without much care, yield con-
tinual harvest. The yam and a species
of potato called the yuca are very hardy
and yield quickly. Sugar cane is a
perennial, and has to be planted only
once. Fish are abundant in the streams,
| and wild animals are numerous, upon
| which the native relies for animal food.
He has but little use for money. The
children usually go without clothing
until they are able to earn money
enough to buy it. The men wear hats,
shirts, pantaloon and shoes. The hat
is plated from the reeds of the swamps,
the shoes are cut from the tanned hide
of any animal they may kill, and con-
sists simply of sole cut in the shape OF
the foot, and fastened to the ankle by
strings, one of which passes up between
the big and secod toes. The shoes are,
indeed, nothing more than sandals, and
are not equal to the moccasins of the
Indians. Such protection for the feet is
| in universal use among the lower classes
of Mexico and Central America.
The clothes are made of coarse cotton
or linen goods. Two suits will last a
man year. They are usually made
actual cash required to supply an ordi-
udIy laooilhS Admily III VIC county as
follows: Actual necessities, So; rum
and tobacco S10.40. Of course all food
is produced by the family. There are
many of this class in the country and it
is doubtful if there is a place on earth
where human being can subsist on a
smaller amount of work. Board in
Barranquilla for laboring man can be
got for 1920 per month. They are sup
piled with meat at least three times a
week, and house servants expect it twice
a day. Salt fish. however, is the main
support.
Laboring men will not work fol
money only, but require kind treatment
from their employer. The relations be-
tween employer and employe are those OF
amity and good will.-NashuiiIe Amer.
icdn.