The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-20
ATLANTA AND THEExPOsITIoN.
Editorial correspondence.

New York Herald visited the Exposition
and wrote back to his paper that the peo-
pie of this city were practising extortion
of the worst sort, instancing that he had
to paw rs cents for shave and $40 a
day was charged gentleman for room
His story was promptly denied but not
before it had done damage. Usually
there is some basis for astatement of the
kind sent out by the Herald reporter and
upon inquiry learned that the CORES
pondent heard a gentleman whom he did
not know say that he had been charged
$40 day for rooms. 1t was true, but
he had the best for party OF
four. 81 day is pretty steep
price for rooms, but if man wants the
best rooms at the highest priced hotels
in any city he has to pay such prices for
them. exposition or no exposition. AS
to paying seventy-five cents for a shave,
the facts are that the correspondent
sent for barber to come to his room on
Sunday, when the shops in Atlanta are
all closed, and the barber charged him
seventy five cents for a shave and sham
poo. The usual price in barber shop
on week day is 40 cents, 10 cents for
shave and % for shampoo. The colored
barber only charged 35 cents for break
ing the commandment to keep the SAB
bath day holy and for violating the city
ordinance against shaving on Sunday
Upon reflection / think the New York
correspondent "got eff mighty light" to
quote the saying of a scared negro, re-
ferring to the lynching of another negro
by the Ku Klux in 1860. If the city au
thorities catch the negro barber and fine
him ten dollars for violating the city
ordinance, the Herald correspondent
will be compelled in honor to send him
50 25 more with which to pay the fine.
Aud then, suppose, he will write that
he was forced to pay ten dollars for a
shave in Atlanta.
1t must not be understood from this
that prices in Atlanta have not gone up
The hotel and boarding house proprietors
assure the Exposition managers and the
newspapers that prices have not been
increased. But it is true that many of
them do whip the devil around the
stump" For example, a hoJel charges
usually from $3 to S. per day. 1t does
not raise rates, but when you ask for a
three dollar room they are all occupied
and you can't get anything for less than
four or five dollars at the leading hotels.
But there are many good hotels and
boarding houses where excellent accom-
modations can be had at prices to suit
all corners. The editors stopped at new
hotel, and when two used the same room
the charge was IS cents each per day,
and it was 81 for single person
In a room. Rooms can be had at { ii
prices from so cents day up to $500
and meals from % cents to $1.00, or
even more. And any man can get ex-
cellent accommodation at 81. so to $3. 90
per day, as good as is gwen in any but
the swell hotels like the Waldorf and
such houses, and good enough for any
body. The baggage men carry up the
largest trunks to any part of the city
for the rate charged at ordinary times,
and the only concern that openly takes
advantage of the Exposition to double
its prices is the consolidated street
car company. The result Of its grasping
greed has teen the introduction of a
line of herdics from the Union depot up
Peachtree street to the Exposition
grounds and the charge is only five cents.
The hotels that are located distance
from the grounds carry the people
free of charge from the depot. Upon
leaving Il stopped a mile or so from the
depot hailed cab, and it took three
people to the train at cents per head.
The charge would have be more if |
had not been on the line from the Ex-
position to the depot.
One Of the most interesting sights
here is distinguished looking man who
stands near the woman's building, stop
ping everybody who passes and saying