Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-10
CHEAP LIVING F0R WOMEN.

Those That Work Could Live Very Cheap1y
MThty Only Would.
WRITTEN FOR THE pIspATcH.1
The general average o. persons who be-
long to what are called "the working
classes" spend one-half Of their income or
more for their food supply. One need not
spend more than one-quarter Of q customary
income, even small one, if rightly in
structed in buying and in cooking food, pro-
vided each person is furnished with suitable
apparatus and has the intelligence to use it.
The investigations Of the Massachusetts,
Bureau of Labor Statistics show that the
average earnings OF women in cities are IS
per week or $3.50 year, from which We will
deduct two weeks for vacation, leaving
net income of $3.50 Such women cannot
consume the quantity of food listed in the
well-known life and work rations. That
full quantity can be bought in Boston at the
present time for 81 week. Wemay there
fore assume that 81 per week may be spent
for somewhat less weight of food. but of
little finer quality, and with milk added.
To this we may add $40 so, which will
supply tea or coffee and little fruit every
day. This makes S62 so in all to be spent
for food during the year and this comes to
one-quarter instead of one-half of the in
come of $3.50.
Now let us consider shelter. We will as
sumo that there may be five women who can
agree to live together in an apartment of
five rooms; three sleeping rooms, kitchen
and one room for parlor and dining room.
There are excellent apartments to let in
many parts of Pittsburg at five times 81
week, or at $3.50 year. These apartments
not al hnf fOr ia
clean, airy and sufficient. Add to this 50 a
year for each person, or $40 in all; that sum
would supply kerosene oil enough to serve
for lighting and for cooking the whole food
supply required for five persons for one
year. Thus we apply one quarter of the in
come to shelter, heat, light and cooking.
If a woman will be content with plain
garments of a serviceable kind, or with
fancy goods of last years fashion, she will
find it not difficult to clothe herself in full
comfort at the rate of 81 week, or S52 a
rainy weather, and we apply one-quarter
of the income to clothing and transporta-
tion.
We have covered adequate nutrition,
comfortable shelter, fuel, a supply of cloth
ing and transportation, and there still re-
mains one quarter of The income, or s62 so,
for the sundry expenses, which need not be
enumerated.
1t is held that it is useless to expect to
find groups of five single women who will
cooperate in this way, sharing the work Of
preparing food and other matters. With
that question do not deal 1 merely show
what can be done by any five women who
choose to help each other to live comfortably
upon an income OF IS cents day earned by
each one.
The plan may be varied with very little
additional costs, provided ten can agree to
live together, combining to hire cook. It
is more likely that there would be ten
women, earning each a dollar day, who
could and would combine, than among those
who earn only IS cents. since common sense
has some relation to the rate of earnings
When people possess the gumptiou to live
in this way, that faculty itself will entitle
them to earn more and to spend more.
We hear great deal about cooperation.
'Why don't people co-operate?" Well,
why don't they? No one can hinder them
except themselves
EDWARD ATKINSON.