The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-07-01
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LIVED SIX MONTHS ON $40.
How . Newspaper Man In Hard Luck
Managed to Exist

How 3. Newspaper Man In Hard Luck
Managed to Exist
Six months ago q newspaper man
came to Chicago to get work on one OF
the big papers here. Like many another
man from the country, he thought that
the fact that he was head aud shoulders
above the other newspaper men In bis
little town was proof that he was able
to stand the keen competition in Chica-
60 But he found that the places were
filled, and that there were at least %
por cent more pegs than holes He was
determined not to go back to his little
town, 90 he remained In Chicago in the
hope that he would get place
Meanwhile he had no money what
ever and had to practice the closest
economy He wrote five or six columns
of copy each week and tried to sell the
stories to the Sunday papers. Now and
then he sold something, but bis income
during the six months was about 81. so
per week, his total earnings for that
period in fact, being only $40. Never
theless he managed TO live without Dor
rowing any money, for he had no
friends III Chicago from whom he could
borrow, and he was too proud to write
home for money. Instead he wrote
home glowing tales Of the progress
which he was making and told of the
advantages of newspaper work IN big
city and its consequent rewards.
Few people would believe that man
could live in Chicago for six months Oh
/. I,rI
dine at fashionable restaurant He ate
his meals on Clark street at some sacrl-
fee Of his pride, but without the knowl-
edge Of any Of his acqualntanccs No
one would know where he ate, for none
of the men whom he saw during the
day would 20 to such a place. His
meals usually cost him 5 cents EACH
and they were coed meals, in quantity,
if not In quality.
You can buy u luxurious breakfast on
Clark street for 5 cents. 1t will consist
Of three eggs, bread, butter and coffee,
and any one inclined to doubt the state
ment can 80 and try the meals. The
places are easily found. There are al
| ways big signs outside Of them contain
ing names Of the articles Of food and
| the prices. For cents he bought his
| dinner, which consisted Of any kind OF
meat, potatoes, bread and coffee. A
similar bill of fare at the same expense
| formed his supper. Sometimes he would
| pay 10 cents for his dinner and then
| he would get two NOE vegetables and
some pie fer dessert. Thus his meals
cost IS cents Il day, or ST. 05 q week.
He slept i'll q 10 cent lodging house
in the same room with Il half dozen 9th
| er men. The beds were small, but he
always slept sOundly, and none Of the
inmates knew him. They We're not in
| uuiSitive and were too much bothered
by their own troubles to care to ask his.
Seventy cents week was the cost Of
his lodging This was total of 81. rs
for weeks board and lodging His
other fixed expenses were for tobacco,
newspapers and writing paper. He
smoked i pipe, the tobacco costing 10
| cents a week. He had to buy couple
of newspapers each day, which meant
20 cents a week. although sometimes
he would look at those in the reading
rooms of the libraries His copy paper
cost him only 10 cents a week, leaving
Il margin of 80 cents.
The only drawback about sleeping in
10 cent lodging house was that there
was no place afforded i'll which to write,
but he used to go to the public or New
berry library and do his writing there,
where there are ample facilities. Most
OF his time was spent i'll travelling
around Oh the streets looking for good
Sunday stories.
Such was the life he led for six
months. A few weeks ago he was given
Il place as spare writer On the city
staff Now he earns SO nr $12 Il week,
and he is able to live more luxuriously
But the reporter is now willing to be-
lieve, as he knoWs by practical expert
enco, that Il man who can make 50 or
So a week need not starve in big city
| Chicago Times Herald