The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-24

INCE the action of the Corn Ex-
~ change bank of Chicago In
- threatening to discharge all en-
ployes who marry on a salary of less than
1920 year, much discussion in various
publications has been evoked on the sub
ject. By an array of figures interested
persons have succeeded in proving that
the statement of the bank officials that
young married couple cannot live on $1,000
year is erroneous A statistician says
that over two-thirds of the American
families live on less than $500 year.
while one-half live on less than $500 An
investigation made by committee of the
Hull house in Chicago to discover If
family can live on s12 a week disclosed
the fact that it can be done easily, as
this amount is the income of the average
Chicago family, which consists of four
persons. The expenditures include $3.50
for rent, 81 for food, $3.50 for clothing, 81
for fuel s1.2o for personal expenses. so
cents for church of charity, and $3.50 for
savings or amusements. 1t is true that
these figures do not permit of any lavish
ness In the matter of expenses but Ii is
a fact that a family of four persons can
live very well on no more than $12 a week.
This represents 1924 year and is a very
positive refutation of the claims of the
bank officers that a young couple can not
live on $1,000 a year. II four can live on
$642 per annum there is no reason why
two cannot live on $1,000. 1t is done all
the time, and II the Corn Exchange bank
thinks otherwise 1t should be willing to
support its opinion by raising the salaries
of Its employees who desire to marry.
Electricity is now playing an important
part In protecting the palaces of million
aires, from burglars and in many homes
of wealth has become even more neces-
sary for this purpose than for giving
light or heat. In New York several mil
lionaires have their mansions guarded by
network of wires that are guaranteed
to keep out the most industrious burglars
and some very ingenious devices are now
used to prevent robberies. system Of
bells that are set ringing as soon as the
intruder lays his. hand on gate, door, or
window, has proven very popular, while
electricity has also been used more po-
tently to give the burglar such a shock
that he will not care to pursue his inves-
legations further. However, 1t may be
said that while electric burglar alarms
have reached a high degre of perfection
burglars have also become expert elctri-
clans and are able to take care of any
number Of charged wires without any diff
ficulty, so that the fight seems destined
to be waged as In the past, with the for
tunes of war evenly divided between law
and crime.
That 1t pays to advertise has been again
demonstrated. A Pennsylvania squire"
has Just chosen a wife from the astonish-
ing number of $500 fair suitors who made
application for his hand. The squire is
thrifty man, however and as he did not
care to follow In the footsteps of the Nor
mons and marry all of the applicants,
he chose the one best suited to his re-
quirements and sold the addresses of the
others to matrimonial agency for $50;
very neat profit when one takes into
consideration the amount of pleasure de-
rived from corresponding with hundreds