Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-05-11
CHEAP GOODS IN MEXICO
European and American Products
at Big Reductions.
French and American MANUFACTURED Sold
at " Reduction OF so Per Cent In
the Republic Of Diaz-A
Talk With Chittenden.

Kansas City, Mo-. May 4.-People who
go from Kansas City to Old Mexico almost
invariably buy supplies of clothing there
and come back and tell how much cheaper
goods can be bought In the city OF Mexico
than In any American city. This has oc-
CURED so often that Consul General Crit
tenden, who is at home on a brief leave
of absence, was asked yesterday for an ex-
PLANTATION.
Such a condition exists" he said, but
the explanation Is not yet to be found. the
Mexican dollar Is worth about ~ cents In
American money, but i can buy just as
good gloves for $50 Mexican money In
Old Mexico as i can buy anywhere In
America for $1.0 In American money. ON
one Of my trips here ! wore a very good
suit OF clothes made to order In a very
satisfactory manner which cost me just
S12 In the Mexican capital. You can get an
elegant suit of clothes made to order there
In the best style for S35 Mexican money.
Shoes that cost s. a pair here bring " a
pair there. no matter whether they were
made In Paris or I'm Mexico. A very large
proportion OF the shoes sold In that coun-
try come from France. They seem to be as
good as ours, although l do not like the fit
quite so Well. and | usually buy my shoes
here. What seems remarkable to me Is
s'aN 6Co'1 VI nv tNaah
for less In Mexico than In the United
States. Ny wife does most OF the buying,
and from her | learn that she can buy the
finest silk underwear-she bought some Tor
me recently-for IS per cent less In Mexico
than IN this country. l understand. too'
that the Jaeger underwear IL much cheap
er there than In American cities. l don't
pretend to account for II. The goods are
made In New York and they pay a high
duty. certainly not less than % per cent
ad valorem. I'm the Mexican ports OF entry.
"My wife gets the very finest irish linen
for 80 cents a yard I'm Old Mexico. In
fact we buy everything In the clothing
line. except shoes. In Mexico In preference
to buying here, as goods are so much
cheaper there.
The Mexicans are very fond OF jewelry
and get 1t very much cheaper than we do.
There are jewelry stores In the city or
Mexico finer than any / ever saw In an
American city. Last winter one or the
Lucases of st. Louis, James Lucas. l be-
lieve. made a trip around the world ana
finally reached the city of Mexico. HIS
daughter was with him. While In Paris
the young woman saw a very fine gold
watch which she wanted. The price there
was 1925 In American money and her
father decided not to buy 1t. When they
reached Mexico they saw an exact dupli-
cate OF the watch she had seen In Paris
and again asked her father TO buy 1t.
They inquired the price and found that 1t
was SOS in Mexican money or just half the
price asked by the Paris ~Jeweler. Mr..
Lucas offered his check for II and re-
ferred the jeweler to me. Now why such a
piece OF jewelry should be sold In Mexico
for half the price asked In Paris ! don't
know nor can | explain why American
made goods should sell for less there than
in St. Louis or Kansas City, but II Is a
fact. The Mex!cans are shrewd buyers for
one thing and our jobbers and merchants
desire big profits. That IL the only expla-
nation Of the matter | know.