Omaha daily bee., 1895-10-06
CHEAPER IN AMERICA.
Cost of Living in. the United States
Less Thnn in Germany.

1t is the general impression in the United
States that rent and living are cheap in
Germany. This is a mistake, says a corre-
spondent Of the Chicago Tribune. writing from
Heidelberg. Taking into account the anti
quated construction and absence of all mod
ern conveniences in their houses the rent
is very dear. In rebuttal of the evidence
of German people, who emigrated to America
years ago, and who are so fond Of referring
to "the good times in the old fatherland,"
may be cited a few figures as proof against
their arguments.
The older houses seem to be built almost
square-about thirty-fve feet in width and
depth. Each floor has IT'S one fiat, with many
windows upon the street and rear. The
builders are generous also with their stair
ways. One house has three fats. Each con-
tains a large parlor, bedroom on each side.
a small dining room and kitchen, but no
bath room or clothes closets. They are
heated by two porcelain stoves. The cell
ings are high, the floors painted, and walls
covered with inexpensive paper. The top or
third fiat rents for 500 per month, the second
for $50. and the ground floor for $50. In
this house a retired army officer lives on
the third floor, a Heidelberg professor on
the second, and the ground floor is divided
into two small stores, one for the sale of
small notions and the other for cigars. Hand
some furniture, lace curtains, statuary, books,
pictures. and bric-a-brac give a genteel APP
| pearance to the apartments, but a clerk on
81, 200 a year In Chicago would not thinll OF
living in a fiat of such primitive sanitary
appliances.
AS for the cost of living. that is even
dearer. Perhaps Heidelberg, being an educa-
tional town, should not be taken as a critic
rion for smaller places. A visit to the public
market shows, although the greatest care is
taken in preparing the produce to prevent
less to the consumer. the prices are higher
chan In Armenian Gnrtn hAnf oA=ta on nAnnu
per pound, veal outlets s cents each, mutton
chops % cents a pound. kidney roast 80
cents, pork chops 20 cents. boiled ham so
cents, beefsteak so cents. Geese are from rs
cents to $3.50 apiece, ducks as dear as In
America, turkey (rare) S1.50 to 81 each, pig
cons very much in demand at so cents to 60
cents per pair, young chickens so to rs cents
apiece, wild hare, about as large as jack rab-
bits, rs to 80 cents apiece. So much for flesh
and fowls. Butter is 2S cents per pound,
fresh and sweet; eggs, IS to so cents per
dozen; cheese (common), 1919 cents, English
breakfast tea, $1.50 per pound. And so on,
everything being higher than in the United
States. AS far as casual observation goes
nothing in Germany is cheaper than in Amer
lea except wine, cigars, beer and music. A
glass Of beer big enough to drown a. child
in can be had for 2 cents and entrance to a
garden full Of tropical plants, rose trees and
red lights. where an excellent band plays un-
til IL O'Clock p. m, is but 8 cents.
bul lpplnB IS the Dane OF the Traveller.
There is no escape. and although you may
lie awake nights and use all your Yankee
ingenuity to circumvent the gang they are at
your heels at every turn. You can't carry
your handbag from the station to your pen.
sion or vice-versa without some chap jumps
to your side and, with a polite bow, ingrati-
ates himself into your esteem. At first you
may think he is the runner for the house al
which you intend to stop, but when ne leaves
you at the door you will find he is doing bust,
ness on his own hook. To be sure, he is sat
ished with 25 cents or half that sum II you
dare ofer 1t, but there is an innate feeling in
the human breast that one should preserve
| appearances. and so the 25 cents goes. In
Heidelberg It is not TO give the
conductor on the horse cars a tip. II YOU
have occasion to wash your hands at the de,
pots you can't get the door open to go ouI
again until 20 ~pfennigs are dropped into the
hand OF the attendant whose soap and towel
you have used. At hotels, pensions and
rooms the walter, chamberlain, shoebiackeI
and porter expect more or less, In proportion
to the title one bears or the airs he as
sumes.