The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-14
Boarding Houses Numerous, but Rates
Are Above Those of Other Cities
for Good Accommodation.
A TENDERFooT'S EXPERIENCE
SHOMELIKE" INDUCEMENTS IN RE-
PLY TO AN ADVERTISEMENT.
How Thirsty Indianians Astonished
French Waiter and Learned
the Ways of the Capital.
STAFF Correspondence of the Journal.

Staff Correspondence of the Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13-The man who
says you can live in Washington as cheap
ly as in indianapolis evidently never lived
in either place. There are two things in
Washington that can be done as cheaply
here as anywhere else. A man can buy a
glass of whisky for Is cents Git is said),
and he can have his trunk moved for a
quarter. In other respects Washington
comes high. An Indiana congressman re-
Gently remarked: Washington is the dear
est city and at the same time the cheapest
city in the world" Being pressed for an
explanation of this somewhat paradoxical
assertion. he said: ''It is dear because you
have to pay more for what you get than
cause you get less for what you pay
One who lives here a short time and at
tempts to learn what is going on finds
rather inconsistent state of affairs existing
regarding the moral tone of the place. On
Sundays Washington is known as CLOSED
town." but it has never been styled a tenn
perance town. One Sunday night recently
some Indianians walked into the cafe of a
prominent hotel and sat down. The French
waiter evinced no little establishment, not
to say horror, when one of the men coolly
ordered couple of king Williams" and
glass Of rye whisky for the party. The
waiter explained that drinks were not sold
in Washington on Sunday except where
something to eat was ordered But we are
not. hungry" said one of the Indanians.
The waiter said he was sorry, but they
must get hungry If they desired liquors.
"Oh, bring some cheese and crackers" said
another of the party, but the waiter said
that nothing short of regular order Of
substantials would bring the desired liquor.
The young man who had invited the others
to drink with him then ordered blue points
all around, and the liquor was forthcom-
ing. Thus the hotel was able to keep with
In the limits of the law.
A small hotel near the Capitol will serve
liquor on Sunday. If the customer buys
something to eat md will first register as
a guest of the house. On a Sunday one
can see registered at this place an aston
ishing number of Washington people who
appear to be guests of the hotel.
ROOMS ARE PLENTY. BUT DEAR
To the new conner the boarding house
proposition in Washington is a most vexa-
tious one There are plenty of such estab-
lishments. In fact, the man who so clev-
erly remarked that Washington is q city
of magnificent distances might have added
land also of boarding houses" There are
few streets in the city that do not have
dozens of houses where the sign Rooms
for rent is displayed In most of the
houses the smallest and most uninviting
hall bedroom rents for not less than 81 or
s. month.
member of Congress recently COM
mented on the boarding house proposition
in no gentle language. when / came to
Washington" he said, 81 advertised in a
newspaper for board and lodging. / think
1 received sixty replies, forty of which 1
carefully investigated. After looking them
over 1 decided that not one was the sort
of place should want to take my wife and
children
At the time the congressman was relat-
ing his experience he was living in an
apartment house in four furnished rooms
which rent for $500 a year.
Speaking of rents, real-estate dealer
of Washington recently advertised a fur
oughfares for rent at the modest sum of
$500 a year.
recent acquisition to the newspaper
in a Washington newspaper:
'.Wanted-Board and room by a respecta-
BILE middle-aged gentleman 0ournalist)
within walking distance of the Post build
ing Rates must be reasonable
This appeared on Sunday morning, and
by Monday evening the replies were ac-
cumuating A characteristic OF many of
them was the especial emphasis placed on
the statement that the houses were home
like" One reply offered a pleasant front
room in a small private family of four at
the astonishingly low rate of SO a month
for room and board. I'VE have good home
cooking and are particular with 1T. as we
set good table for our own family" was
one of the inducements offered at this place
II a person be really looking for cheap
board it can be found in Washington, but
as a general rule II is not the sort that
adds to the seductiveness of Washington
life. On the contrary, Il . man OF woman