El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-27
MAKING HAY WHILE THE SUN
SHINES

If the statements of the Paris CORES
pondent Of the New York Tribune are
true, the people of the French metro
polls are going to hold up visitors to
the exposition just about as boldly as
any city in the world has ever done.
The private pension and hotel-keepers,
amateur spectators and room-renters,
have, it is claimed, established scales OF
prices far in advance of those regularly
charged, and persons of almost every
social grade, from the small shopkeeper
who has two or three bedrooms to spare
to the lady of society who is sat home"
for teas, receptions and 'musicales, ARE
turning their apartments and houses
into speculative undertakings for
money making.
The hotels and pensions, which are
sufficient to meet the requirements OF
the ordinary season, will be totally
inadequate for the demand during the
exposition. They have, therefore, it
seems, determined to make the most of
the opportunity. The high-clsss hotels
in the Rue de ia Paix, the Place
vendome and the Champs Elysees,
which ordinarily charge IS day for
two meals day and lodging in small
room, high'up, will, the correspondent
says, advance this price when the
crowds come to IS day and upward.
Hotels on the boulevards, Avenue de la
Opera, Avenue Freidlond, and similar
positions, which ordinarily ask "a
day and upward. charge Sc day and
upward, after Msy.1. In other quarters
farther away from .the exposition and
from the amusement and fashionable
centers, where ordinary prices range
from 81 go to "a day for full pension,
prices are to be advanced to $3 upward.
ga much wider choice exists in fnmi-
ly pensions or boardipg-houses, on
account of the private enterprise al
ready alluded to-" says the correspon-
dent; "neverth eless, prices generally
re ach almost the came dearness. The
ormal cost of living in good pensions
and quar- tiers naturally occupied by the
average visitor who Is not wealthy. is
from about f.8 (sl.60) q day upward
for room and board. Al one we'll
known housein a fashionable quarter,
where this has been the ruling price
all the year round, the present charge
is fla daily until May ], after whichis
will be raised to f.25 (s5)-that is to
say, more than triple the normal cost.
This may. be taken = al the general
price and Increase in all the best PEN
sions. No reduction Is made for two
or three in a family, or for double
bodied rooms"
These statements, the Tribune corre-
spondent. says, may be relied upon,
y, they are the result of personal inves-
tigation. When asked to account for
uch q great advance in their tariffs,
the reasons universally given were
thu at the season was short; that 1t lasts
but six. months, and comes only once
In ten years, and they must make
hay while the sun shines"
There Is still time for Americans TO
reconsider their contemplated visit to
Paris, aud skeep away from the city of
greed aud extortion until its charges
are revised and moderated. The ques-
zion of the cost of diving will be an
important problem with many. 1t will
In fact.be the principal item of expense
o. a stay of any considerable length, ex-
oe eding even the cost of transportation
to and from Paris.
Iatending american visitors alone
for their numb ers will be great enough
to give strength to their protests-hsve
1t in their power to make the greedy
Frenchmen come down in their prices;
either that or initiate the course OF that
quaint character. the man who re-
fused to go aboard the Ark when Capt.
Noah was about to push off: $50 on
with your old craft; faint going
to be much OF shower. pohown'