Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-05
SEVEN CENTS SAVED.
How Three-Cent Pieces Are Frequent
ly Given Out for Dimes.
A LACK OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISE.
Cheap Living in Florida at the Expense of
Energy and Enterprise.
MORE ACTIVITY In OIL AND STOCKS

A Fourth avenue bank keeps the financial
accounts of three prominent churches. Sun
day collections are deposited every Monday.
Though amounting to considerable in the
aggregate, they consist largely of small
coins, Scent pieces being the most numer-
Gus. After spending about an hour in
counting and making the necessary entries
in the church and bank books yesterday, the
cashier said: "It is singular where all of
these Scent pieces come from. They are
comparatively scarce. 1 seldom see them in
large numbers except in these church col
lections, from which they are never
absent. I have no personal knowledge
of the truth of the statement, but have been
informed by persons who ought to know, that
they are put into the contribution baskets and
boxes for dimes. They are about the same
size, and the difference could not readily be
seen without closer observation than the digni-
| fed collectors would feel like making in the
presence of the donors. Notlong ago a shrewd
collector tried to break up lessen the evil by
scanning the contents of the basket as he
passed from pew to pew. but the innovation LED
| to unpleasant remarks on the part of some of
the flock, and it was dropped. don't say that
all of the Scent pieces we handle in connection
with church funds are given for dimes, but
have good reason for thinking that good
many of them are. The elders of suburban
church, understand, have adopted plan of
their own to prevent the cause from suffering
from this evil. They make UP the difference
between Scent pieces and dimes out of their
own pockets
hou hoop in, %ba h1c;p IN
this city for many years." remarked Fourth
avenue agent yesterday evening, land have
never known so great a demand for small
houses as there is this season. Notice the
crowd in the front room. 1t is composed al
most entirely of renters. The near approach of
moving time makes it necessary for them to
take decisive action. A large number OF them
say they are paying too much rent, while
others want to get better houses for the same
money, or are dissatisfied with their surround
ings. The indications are that there will be
larger number of changes next month
than usual. But it is the lack of proper
accommodations for the masses of the people
that want to call your attention to. don't
think it exists to the same degree in any other
city. The trouble is our wealthy citizens won't
build. They invest their money IN bonds and
stocks, which bring them about per cent on
the average, but they refuse to put any of it in
houses which would bring them much larger
profits This is not only short-sighted but
selfish policy. The men of Drawn and muscle
who keep the wheels of our factories revolving
are entitled to some consideration: their claims
should not be entirely ignored. The most of
them earn good wages, but they can't support
their families and pay out S25 or $50,
or even more, every month for rent.
They want houses of four or five
rooms, and can't afford to pay for
larger ones. 1t is comfort at moderate cost
that they look to, and not style. could rent
several hundred such houses if I had them, but
they are not to be had. They are gobbled up
as fast as emptied, and strangers or persons
not well acquainted stand no chance in the an
nual rush for them. This lack of the most de-
sirable class of houses has always been great
drawback to the city. It has discouraged
thousands from coming here to live. The
matter is beng talked about considerably in
financial circles, and 1 am hopeful that the
evil will be remedied in few years."
A Pittsburg gentleman who has spent severaI
years in Florida, said the other day that he
could keep his family comfortably there on
half the food and clothing that they require in
the North. Very little meat is required in
Florida, and clothing costs next to nothing.
Fruit. fish and potatoes are the staple articles
OF 1000, ana Inese are very cneap. But, he
added, 81 soon found that what I saved in
household expenses lost in energy. It was
saving at the bung and losing at the spigot My
ambition became dulled was in a manner
incapable OF devising and carrying out great
business projects. l began to look upon bare
subsistence as enough. This was not only nv
own experience, but ascertained that it was
almost universal The warm climate and the
light food are not calculated to develop
energy, such as we feel in the North, and to
this fact attribute the lack of enterprise not
only in Florida but in all of the Gulf States.
I don't blame the people. 1t is a physical i'm
possibility to hustle around under burning
sun for ten months in the year. While living
is expensive in Pittsburg, where nearly every
body eats meat three times a day, and dresses
in woolen clothing the year round, there is
something to show for it. We do more busi
ness than the State of Florida. Everybody is
full of energy, There is very little loafing
Every branch of industry is pushed for all
there is in it. Cheap living would be all right
if it had no such drawbacks as have men,
toned, but when it disqualifies people for the
activities of life conclude that the good old
Pittsburg way-three square meals day--is
the best. 1t is strong food, and plenty of it,
that rules the world"