New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-28
CHEAP LIVING NTHE BOWERY
A COLLEGE MANS EXPERIENCE IN NEW
YORK'S FAMOUS STREET.

LIVING FIVE WEEKS ON TWELVE DoLLARs-AN
ALLOWANCE OF THIRTY CENTS A DAY FOR
FOOD AND LoDGING-soME GOOD
POINTS OF THAT CosMoPoL
ITAN THoRoUGHFARE.
From Broadway to the Bowery the distance is
not great but the distinction between these we'll
known streets is as marked though they were
miles apart.
broadway is the street of many young man
dreams before coming to New-York. but the BOW
cry s the Of his real experience after reach
ing here. u.o
This Is a plain. unvarrished tale Of college
mans life in the Bowery, told IN MS own .,,,,,
showing the good side of that too irequento
abused street which is the haven of the man OF
few small coins: -, ,
lived in the Bowery for five weeks on siz: h drt
G con4s and cms out Of that The week 6e
fore had spent that sum IN ons iiycd the life OF
one who comes to the city expecting 10 pi'k as
gold dollars in the street. onrned in the law 10
be able to obtain situation without any r sre sS
effort, but when realized ina. ertr decIded 10
cs hall had like all newcomers visi,ea i b
Bowery in search OF antad Win it's ms and outs
and was somewhat prePaFfEd Row rOT ilS could i've
wheh I teok nv few belongings with me ana
Started for that so famous in PG99af
paCe t signs reading: lodgings. 10, % and %
saw me-, nor night I started TO investigate some
fosnd were mere boxes which had not Dee
Others were shade better. Finally after e Sare
f fEl sSet than the rest For Is cents got small
hoy of room well ventilated and clean; Inc ne et
sSperences that make each penny go
had Would 69 PFP be weeks before would
Oct gnt one / therefore determined to limit myseii,
TO the total of cents per qay lo out and at
no. time during my stay in the Bowery did g e
hungry ESr ersahnS IN eoHd
Cf Spfee and plate of crullers or rolls tor I'VE
For lunch Srnea mq Fred fESeah 'o noon
and while l was often told IN NOR pam hn Callers
Poe uy y. and not fer blokes 10 work no con game
U Uat managed to get a good hot lunch al noon
s0H con st Esd P beans For my dinner is true did
not fare as well II had been olnilS IA nn,r
iIot proadvay but for the sum OF 10 cents mai
nra3 fo get meal that at least filing NY
Usual coffee meat 6 disspae u and In
dmIre in piece of pie but as TINS COST 1Ee ems ga
necessarily reduced the qua 6 Gus III Just at that
time there were very few occasions VINE" III
There We're places even cheaper than these s
which patronized but was looking I9r some cont
ment Of cleanliness s ana baS longing for batter:
nak Sle ordered plate OF them with coffee sna
soon hag Immediately proceeded to devour. The
FIRST T two cakes delicious had pssy 9 had
s1rnkled liberal Of sugar on IT., Tssn
came the denouemen as cut mo nereFIlly I'M
S Snd in IT, Ny dinner sudden ternns-
lion 1t is needless TO say that crossed 'ha' 'eS'
taHT2 1nr ON nv Ire in the Bowery 1t became necessary
TPensn my my i9fk thing IN nseded puTchased
them for 20 cents in Hester-st II IS tr9e ,ln
we're not Of Ihe aa a'es n PPbae but hey
the purpose Of such rament successIuny' ,sIiad
LII Of shoes was absolutely necessary Vsl.eu
pan Of he Underground dealers in footwear IN the
Bowery went down into MS ilttie aarH asir nf
oo6 cd
shnhs n Thai suited me TRY them on first me
man said did So and found tsey yb we're pF9 Se' g.
y" T" viii give You % cents for them repsa
After some pickering the shoes became my shirt
for three collars for cents 6nfla ana for Ave
Of Weeks Ss Is f f3r bo Tsn!y was as Follows
Lodging for thirty-hve nights IS cents per night
Meals FOR rhirty days at rs cents per Il
............ s1l 81
had started out with SO cash and gooa over
coat At the latter end o. ny he, on art hs Of a
parel The coat had originally cos, me .tS ana was as
hearty new wanted 10 raise at least siv more Ue
+ SSt 0ffQ Tas wiling III sAt 70 lake had the
sum OF nine cents when left the Bowery; ., ~.
,b Ny snRsiSMlS Many mi he much
abused and riduled street has saved him y. iron
sembe in that horoughare that is not found IN any
other section Of the city can 5hs be FOUND i any other
place n the World have seen one Wbom iSey con-
sidered more needy than themselves; 4
During my stay in a Bowery lodging mouse nd "a
every opportunity TO study the life Of the people IN
that section Of the city. do not hesitate 10 SAP
that | saw less drunkenness there IMAM III Vtne
Iarts of the city that considered more clvlLe1'
and me greater portion Of those who were lntoKl,
Gated were people who 20 do the Bo%ery ,
saloon which they entered. They spent thelr money
freely and then when they awakened IN the morn !,
Ing could not account for the loss, so said they hao
been robbed while doing the Bowery "a,
You ask: What did DO for incidentalsE an
swer Go without" / shaved myself, when was
nothing at OF the numerous BARRIERS colleges
In that section Of the city. did not drink for
smoking ] often had gift OF cigar or pipe OF to-
bacco from some person less unfortunate tnah my
self.
OF course, many could and do live cheaper than !
OF charity my expenses were higher. The Bowery
Branch Of the Young Mems Christian Association
furnishes those who have not the money 70 pay d
good lodging for one night and breakfast and dinner
and for a limited time will give meals for I'VE
cents each. II man is Ill he can get free medical
get everything he wants there without great
effort The life may not be pleasant one. but II is
a cheap one, and In this lies It's chief danger. as
many who are inclined TO lfe OF ease and are sat
isfed with few comforts live there sand do only
enough work TO keep themselves supplied with the
many a young man who comes 70 this city to make
his fortune would give up In despair after the
greater portion Of his financial resources had dlsap
peared. But with the cheap living In the Bowery he
do. and that is not always an easy problem for "a
stranger In New-York."