St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-08-10
WHAT A MAN COSTS.
Diary of Householder VIII,
Spent $4,000 in &c Years.

Dldry Oh dOuSenOlUer WHO
Spent $4,000 in &c Years.
indianapolis News.
What does it cost to bring up a
family? A gentleman, whose expert
ence will be recognized as having points
in common with other householders,
has preserved an account of the
expense to which he has bee n IN rearing
family of four children. To-day he
entered the following statement in his
diary. 1t might be a valuable statisti-
cal fact for the census takers:
To-day | close my diary, Twenty
six years ago to-day undertook to keep
an accurate statement of all my earn
ings and expenses, so that | might
know actually how much it costs to live
in the married state. Then all was
anticipation. / and my young wife
counted our resources and our expec-
tatiOns. received SIS week, with
promise of more. l owned house
comfortable enough for frugal young
people to begin life in. We we're spared
house rent, therefore, and our expenses
have never included this item. Retro
Spectively see that we have brought
up four children in comparatively easy
circumstances. My health has been
good and my earnings have been con-
Stantly received. l now receive $50
week and we still own the homestead
without any great addition to its wealth,
except in an increased amount Of fur
niture. | have little more money than
l had when first married. Perhaps, all
told, have $500 now of assets; then
l had perhaps S2,500. We have never
wanted for bread. Sometimes we have
felt In need of more money. Three OF
the children are now making their own
way. Next week the fourth graduates
at the high school, having received the
same schooling that the others have
had, and will begin to look out for him
self.
II shall not necessarily be at any
more expense on account OF my chill
dren, and the diary properly ends now.
Would [ be willing to go through the
same experience again OF rearing
family? [ asked my companion. who
had borne the greater part, this question,
and l know that she spoke with heart
full of love. but was compelled to say:
Not for all that money could buy would
| go through again what has been
Necessary to rear family.
Expressed in dollars, the totals are
these: In twenty-siX years we have
received from my wages and incidental
moneys that came through my wife ana
the children, $40, 900-Or say $40, 1000
besides the amount of increase in the
permanent assets. Given plant OF
about 5000 and two employees, man
and wife, it has taken therefore about
$4,000 to each man produced. This of
course includes all employees expenses.
The plant is slightly enhanced i'll value.
but the employees have seen their best
days. The quality OF the goods is yet
to be demonstrated. Prospects happily
point to cessation of labor and an
increase of receipts, but there is no
certainty about this. The employees are
another job.
s'SOme of the items of expense have
been these: Doctors bills (27 years.
81, 100 (and record); groceries, average
per week first five years, 81; next three,
So; remainder of the twenty-SiX years.
$13 week. For ten years it has taken
on an average one pair ofshoes per week
for the family, including myself and
wife. The most annoying thing L have
ever known is the rapidity with which
children wear out shoes. Only one
thing approaches 1.-THE high price Of
children's shoes. l never could under
stand how, with all the civilization of
the age, and the demand for cheaper
results, children'S shoes have not been
reduced in price. The human shoe is
failure. No man not rich can afford to
buy shoes for family, aud if had it
to do 1 would go to Timbuctoo, where
neithe. horses, mules, camels or men
are ShOd.'