The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-10-30
CHEAPER IN AMERICA.
Cost of Living in the United states
Less Than in GERMANY.

1t Is the general impression in the
United States that rent and living are
cheap in Germany. This Is q mistake
says a correspondence the Chicago
Tribune, writing from Heidelberg.
Taking into account the antiquated
construction and absence of all mod
erns conveniences in their houses, the
rent is very dear. In rebuttal of the
evidence of German people, who emf
grated 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 al
most square-about % feet in width
and depth. Each floor has it's one fiat,
with many windows upon the street
and rear. The buildings are generous
also with their stairways. One house
has three flats. Each contains large
parlor, bedroom on each side, a small
diningroom and kitchen, but no bath
room or clothes closets. They are heat
ed 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 $40 per
month, the second for $50 and the
ground floor for $50 In this house re-
tired army officer lives on the third
floor, Heidelberg professor on the sec
ond and the ground floor is divided into
two small stores. one for the sale of
small notions and the other for tigars
Handsome furniture. lace curtains,
statuary, books, pictures and bric-a-
brac give genteel appearance to the
apartments. but n clerk on $1,000 q year
in Chicago would not think Of living in
a flat of such primitive sanitary appli
anCeG.
As for the cost of living. that is even
dearer Perhaps Heidelberg. being an
eduCat tional town, should not be taken
as q criterion for smaller places. A
visit to the public market shows. al
though the greatest care Is taken in
preparing the produce to prevent loss
to the consumer that prices are high
er than in America. Soup, beef costs 20
cents per pound, veal outlets cents
each, mutton chops % cents a pound,
kidney roast 30 cents. pork chops 20
cents, boiled ham so cents. beefsteak
SO cents. Geese are from I5 cents to
81. so apiece, ducks as dear as in Ameri-
ca, turkey (rare) $l.5O to 81 each. pig
cons very much in demand at so cents
to 60 cents per pair, young chickens 50
to u cents apiece. wild hare, about as
large as jack rabbits, 70 to 80 cents
apiece. So much for flesh and fowls.
Butter Is 2S cents per pound, fresh and
sweet; eggs is to 80 cents per dozen;
cheese( common), f21a cents, English
breakfast tea si50 per pound. And so
ON, everything being higher than In the
United States. AS far as casual OBJ
seryation goes nothing in Germany
is cheaper than in America, except
wine, cigars. beer and music. A glass
of beer big enough to drown a child in
can he had for cents and entrance to
a Garden full of tropical plants, rose
trees and red lights, where an excellent
band plays until II o'clock p. m., Is but
s cents.
But clipping" is the bane of the
traveller There Is no escape, and al
though you may lie awake nights and
use all your Yankee ingenuity to cir,
cumvent the gang they are at your
heels at every turn. You can't carry
your handbag from the station to your
pension or vice-versa without some
chan Jumps to your side and, with a
polite how, ,ingratiates himself into your
esteem. At first you may think he Is
the runner for the house at which you
intend to stop, but when he leaves you
at the door you will find he Is doing
business on his own hook. To be sure.
he is satisfied with % cents or half
that sum If you dare offer it. but there
is an innate feeling in the human heart
that one should preserve appearances.
and so the % cents goes. In Heidel-
berg 1t is not uncommon to give the
conductor on the horse cars tip. If
you have occasion to wash your hands
at the depots you can't get the door
open to go out agin until 20 pfennigs
are dropped into the hand of the at
tendant whose soap and towel you have
used. At hotels. pensions and rooms,
the waiter. chambermaid, shoeblacker,
and porter expect more or less, in pro-
portion to the title one bears or the
airs he assumes Z.