Omaha daily bee., 1885-10-20
LIVING At SMALL COST.
The Experiences Of Tradesmen and Artisans
in Chicago.
Why Economy in Ordinary Households
Can be PraCtiCcd by the Assist
ance of n Thoughtful WIFE,
Laying up for the Future,

Chicago News 1T takes all I make to
support my family, " dolcfully remarked
a hard.working carpenter. with four
little ones, IS he continued, land a wife.
my S!.25 a day doesn't 60 a great way.
There is so much for rent, 50 much for
thctablc, then shoes and clothing for the
children, and with something for wife
myself at the end of the week we have
nothing"
II get s3i n week, -" said a stained. glass
artist, 'and have four children. 1t costs
me SD month for rent. and it takes
$50 u week to set our table. We live
well, but save nothing"
The speaker was IN American who
dressed well, smoked good cigars, and
occasionally took his family to the
theatre.
II earn sig a week, " said a cane chair
maker, who is n German. 81 have four
children, - said he, and n wife to pro.
vide for, and it costs mo IS Il week TO set
u table. Since marrying, about i've
years ago, ] have bought and almost paid
for a house and lot on North avenue, so
now | pay no house rent. The property
is worth 81, 800. My other expenses VIII
not exceed g. u week on an average. and
every Saturday night / manage to put by
s. for n rainy day. We nave lots to eat,
and my children have never been sick a
day"
For the purpose of getting NIL the facts
regarding the cost of living in Chicago,
II Daily News reporter Yesterday talked
with Il number of artisans whose labor
brought them from $40 to S35 u week,
according to their skill and the desirable
4 ~ Af tbaiF work Tho nnt.yrArIlN f.,t
that it is not the amount earned so much
as the amount saved that brings indie
pendencc was developed in the first inter
view. When the secret OF saving wns
asked the answer was, at all depends
on the wife you've got.
Now, - said the speaker, who was Il
timer, Il earn $40 IA day, and out of
that | have to support my wife and two
children. pay $40 a month for house
rent and exactly $3.50 for the grOccr's
and butchers bills. 1t costs exactly
Sl.25 u week for our clothing, which in
cludes bedding and towels. Last year |
laid by 50 every week and ut the end of
the year was exactly $50 ahead"
The speaker thought a man could live
well on Sl!a week and support at least
one child and Il wife, provided the latter
is economical.
But" said he, 'if you amt got the
right kind of a wife the arrangement
won't work. have been married twice.
My first wife was too young aud didn't
know the value of a dollar, so | left her.
| courtcd my second wife three years,
and You can bet knew her well before |
married her. She proved to be Just the
kind of Il woman | needed, and we can
get along ali right and are as happy as
can be. We have all we want to eat; in
fact, | never stint myself, though of
course | manage as closely as possible.
| iptnnI tn ,rp into hDSipnSS p,,-S.lf coma
day; that's why I'm so saving"
"1ou can't get along unless you have a
good wife, " said the next speaker. who
was Il gas filter. Il nave nine children, -
said he, land II brother-in-law living
with me, and earn $3.50 Il day. 1t takes
about Sl5 a week to set our table, but |
W my house, so that not having 10 pay
rent | am able to save Il little"
This man said that shortly after the
great fire he purchased an eight-room
house on 9TH avenue, near 2Sth street,
and that out of his wages he paid for the
property and maintained his family in
good style. I'VE have all we want to
eat, " said he. land there has been no
sickness among us. Every Saturday
night | give my wife my wages and she
spends the money. During the week |
get Il dollar or SO, but | am lucky if she
gives me more. We are saving people,
but you've got to be saving these times if
you expect 10 gel ahead.
"A man ought to be able" said n
carpenter earning So II day. Ito set his
table for Mt least three children, himself,
and his wife, for S. IA week. The other
household expenses, not counting IN
sickness, should not exceed s. more
every week, 50 that Il man earning SIS Il
week could easily save s. or SIS OF it. In
that way he could use his first years say
ingS MS purchase-money for a house and
LOT and Mako pnnnthlV m ynlpnf- fall tb. 7
indebtedness was discharged
Again the virtues of the good wife"
were sounded. You must have "A good
wife, though, if you expect to save any
thing, - said he, Women are 50 funny. |
Some of them think ii they save anything
they are doing it for some one else, so If
they want II thing they buy whether
or not it does them any good"
Save nothing" exclaimed a brick
layer, who earns $3.50 IA day eight
months in the year, and who has to sup |
port eleven children, his wife her moth |
cr and himself. II have nothing left at
the end OF the buildingSeuson A" he d
clarcd, and in the winter | work in the
packing houses. Drink! OF course | do;
| take Il glass of beer now and then,
and treat the boys once in Il while; !
but am economical enough, for all OF
that"
II never drink at all" said the fore.
man OF a carpenter shop, VINO earns $50
a week and has a wife and three chill.
drcn. lie continued. Il have been mar.
ricd four years and nave three children.
Ii costs me about so Il week to live. The
first year after | was married bought Il
house at haywood worth 1909 and since
then | have almost paid for il. Our gro
GERS bill amount To about So Il week
and for meat and milk we spend S!
more. 1t costs us about So n week for
clothing W. nnNnr E,AanH a nnpt for ]