Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1896-05-17
ELKO, NEVADA, SUNDAY, MAY II, 1896.
CHEAP LIVING IN JAPAN.
Average Expenses of Native Thrce Dollars
Month MINI with $50. 900 Is Rich.

Average Expenses of Native Three Dollars
Month Man with $50, 900 Is Rich.
Twenty millions out of 10000, 900 OF
people in Japan live on SIS n month.
nnd the average OH less than So. Rice
and the mcrcst nibble of vegetables
constitute their diet, and their clothing
is cotton.
Rice costs S1.50 for 100 pounds, pota-
toes as cents for the same amount AMI
teal ducks IL cents apiece; fish, how
ever, is dear. You would be surprised
ut the amount of cucumbers these pco-
pie consume, and large basketfu;
costs but cents.
Making gods is remunerative trade,
and they are sold at all prices, from S2O1
to 81, and in all materials, from gold to
unpaintcd wood.
Paper lanterns furnish another occu-
lntion, and the prices range from Is
cents to SIS.
Law is Il favorite occupation, and the
fee for u license is 81 year.
The japanese are prejudiced against
the manufacture of quack. medicines,
and the license to make them is So u
year, but the druggists do not pay so
much to sell them.
Blind men make q good living by
shampooing, which is n luxury that
even the poorest japanese will no.
torego. 1t consists in slapping and
rubbing of the joints and muscles until
every sensation of fatigue is gone.
An ordinary laborer receives 10 cents
day.
japanese value skill in writing, and \
famous scroll writer gets large sum
Of money for Few strokes of his brush.
| a seed shop is IL curious place, where
they sell seeds done up in packages
with picture of the root, flower and
leaves of the plant.
Schoolhouses cost from $500 to 81 200
but the latter price is much above the
average. Native teachers are appointed
by the government, but their salary de-
I'cnds upon fees and voluntary coutr!-
buttons; these are from n half penny 20
three half pence monthly for each
pupil, according to the means OF the
parents. There are 13 grades of teach
crs, and they are said to receive 81 II
month.
Teachers of English receive 5000 IL
month; the highest salary paid is S9JD
n month, and the professors get from
$3.50 to Si00 n month.
y foreigner, if he wishes to hire ii
house. can do so Mt n cost of SO or SCI
n month and can hire q man servant
who will do all the houscwork for S. Il
month, and on this the servant will
support wife and indulge in somc
| luNurics.
In Japan $4,000 make rich man.
$4,000 an exceedingly rich man, and
very few nrc ever worth twice that
| amount.
Board, lodging and travelling en-
| penscs for n person and courier are
about SLIGO n day when moving and 90
cents when stationary. The following
is fair sample of the charges at hotels:
l. For nights lodging, supper and break
| fast for two, 20 cents.
| 2. For sugar, cents.
8 For peaches. cents
Total, 40 cents.
For second-class accommodations
they chargc l2 cents n day.
The japanese are not free from the
vice of cheating any more than their
eastern neighbors. Bales of six nrc
sold with the outward hanks of orr
quality and the inner ones of coarse
material ingcniously woven, Jars OF
camphor with the top genuine and tl,.
rest powdered rice, tubs of oil with
lower half water.-Boston Globe.