Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-04-25
HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY.
rom the Boston journal.


The possibility of the support of man
with wife and two children upon $50
per week has met with much questioning
since the statement was made that the
problem had been solved. but an interest
ing experiment in New York has demon
strated the utmost achievement of econ
omy within the prescribed limit, For
family of four the rent was 81 per week,
fuel 80 cents and lighting II cents. The
food expenses were compressed TO S2-4S
per week by the most careful manage
ment A bill of fare contained two stews
for four square meals, each made OF ten
cents worth of meat and bones, a hand
full of rice and -four worth l cent. and a
little salt and peppar. Each stew eaten
with bread ana served for the next meal
in warmed-over condition. Four more
of the principle meals were provided from
fried salt pork at cost OF 10 cents;
boiled beans furnished two meals tor
II 1-2 cents: pot roast OF beef, three
pounds, So cents, and cents worth OF
potatoes made royal Sunday dinner.
Bread and molasSes formed the luncheon
in the middle of the day at a cost OF 80
cents, making the total expense for food
during the week $2.4S. Comfortable
clothing was provided at $3.50 per week,
and it is said that even with the addition
of few luxuries of food the family
were able to deposit S1S III savings
bank during the year. Whether the
story adequately fulfills the conditions
for wholesome living may be perhaps
questioned. since nothing Is provided for
the wear and tear in every household,
but it is useful as an illustration of econ
omy. Scientists have decided that the
average workingman requires daily IN
his food not less than four ounces OF
pretoids, two ounces of fat and eighteen
ounces of carbohydrates. Bread, oat-
meal, milk, sugar, potatoes. beans and
lard at cost of u 81 cents
will supply all the food abso-
lutely required by one person
for living. At the increased expense of
1886 cents, more elaborate diet can be
made with 26 ounces bread, ? ounces
Goldfish, ounces lard, IL ounces pota-
toes, pint milk, l ounce sugar and 3
cups tea. As food is the most expensive
factor of living. it is capable of the most
intelligent selection and depends upon
individual taste and Judgment than on
other condition of life, since rent and
clothes are fixed more for extraneous cir
cumstances and less yielding to choice.
The intelligent workingman gains by a
careful study of bill of fare. 1t is use
full for him to know that among vegeta-
BILE foods in common use, oatmeal, beans
and potatoes are the cheapest. that one
of the greatest dietary needs of the work
ingman is sufficient supply of an mex
pensive, wholesome fat and that cheap
meats may be as nutritious as costly cuts.
The prevention of waste by iudicious
cooking is an important matter for the
consideration of the workingman in
which he can be helped by his wife's
carefulness. 1t would be difficult to es-
innate the amount of waste in American
kitchens caused by ignorance of the true
value of food, but it is known to be
necessarily large. The average work
man is not ready to be convinced that
dinner of roast pork is more extravagant
than a meal of simpler and more digest
ible food, and that by diet of cake and
pie he will require more food to supply
the needs of his system than by a meal
of soup and bread. One of the mission
airy aims of the public cooking school is
the simplifying of the taste so that the
living of the workingman will be less ex-
travagant and more wholesome.