New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-03

ful furniture including linen. china and kitchen
utensils amply sufficient for housekeeping
Careful investigation was made rs 10 the actliai
cost Of clothing in laboring mems families, ana
+, was decided that for decent and heathful gar
ments Of durable materials, with moderately
careful mending and remaking. and using OF out
CROWN material for the children, the following
sums could clothe the family for year: Man,
s2921: woman. S27 80: girl Of ten years, SIG 90;
hoy of eight years, SO 9s girl of five years,
s3G7; baby 1888. That brought the total 10
s1Oo Ss-a trifc above the estimate.
The food question was more difficult TO deter
mine and trial made for a month to show
that for 5000 year, or an average or % GEMS
q day. five persons could be so well fed as to
satisfy their appeites by the quality and variety
of food and to keep them in sound health ana
GOOD working condition; and also to see how
closely practice would verify the theory by hrst
preparing series Of bills Of fare in accordance
with scientific standards Of food economics and
then testing them by putting them in use WIN
q real family The result was. on the whole,
satisfactory The fare had to be changed some
what TO meet the tastes Of the family and the
srnnlics in the markets More coffee and but
Ter were used than was planned for, but the cost
came within the estimate, and the family were
satisfied and in good health. An Aladdin oven
was used. and cheap cuts of meat when are
nutritive and palatable with long. slow cooking
had prominent place in the bill OF fare Such
economy was practised that the waste consisted
almost entirely Of the bones Of meat and potato
parlngs While scientific methods OF cooking
were employed yet the dishes were in the main
simple and did not require unusual skill III
preparation.
So far the experiment was success. 1t
showed that sober family of moderate intelli-
cence could have comfort and even some luxury
on $500 a year. More important still, II was an
obiect-lcsson in domestic management. 1t
Taught people how to their income To get
the greatest benefit. 1t made a place for the
refnements of life in houses of a class where
they are sometimes thought 10 be an extrava-
gance II proved that n family could live and
not suffer on 500 n year for clothing though
whether a reduction below that figure would
not carry economy beyond the point of self
respect is doubtful, and less than $500 for food
would probably lead TO improper nourishment.
70 carry on these investigations the house was
built. and the results amply Justify ts existence.
But the next step TO put this knowledge TO the
y
need il most are not prepared TO profit by it.
In the country S120 year will rent a home
suitable for housing family with decent regard
TO individual privacy. but how many and what
kind Of rooms will it hire in NewYork? The
average laborcr's family might be clothed for
500 if it's members only knew how 10 buy and
how to care for what they have.
Economical and healihful preparation Of food
is an art not too widely practised In families
with far higher average Of income and intclli-
gcnre than the Hypothetical one In question.
Simple as are the plans Of living laid down in
this report they require far too much foresight,
taste and sef-restraint 10 he practSed by the
average tenement house dweller. or even by the
average country laborer. That fact offers no
legitimate criticism of the experiment The
ain was 10 show what could be done, and it
WIS shown. The work which remains is by slow
stages TO teach those who need - live on the
snail income how they can do ii to the best ad-
vantage.