The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-07-07
WIFE Of W)ORNNGMAN
-sfi
ON STRUGGLE. Of: LIFE
How Much It Costs TO Keep One
Duluth Family-Man Earns
-, Good Wages.
Wife of Workingman . Writes
Graphically, on Terrible strug-
le Of Life.

HlapAca1ly, on Ie1f1ple Strug-
le Of Life.
The following letter. from the wife
of working gman is a graphic account
Of the struggle for: existence by the
workingman, and gives in detail the
life struggle Of ;her ]. family, which
thousands Of other American women
are familiar with. II is worthy OF
careful perusal and the thoughtful
consideration Of all, Sand especially
those who maintain that the working
man should take what the greedy en-
ployer is pleased to- give him, and be
thankful for that: p
Editor Labor 2World:-
Noticing an articla in your last
issue upon the cost Of living in this
city, and. what the average working
man is able to, save Upon a wage Of
$2.4o day, F. tthoushtSthat my story
might be OF interest to your readers.
While my husband haas probably had
many advantages the average work.
man is denied, yet even at that it has
and is struggle Tor even us.
In the year 1904 noticed in some
Of the papers published in different
parts of the, scountry, from time to
time a menu orr bill of fare for the
purpose OF assisting, I presume, the
overworked housewife In selecting
the meals for the family for every
day during the week. It is hardly
necessary for me to,'say that I never
attempted to |confine myself strictly to
the manly dainty and delicious dishes
mentioned therein.
termined to see how TAR the wages Of
could save from: his earnings of a
year. My husband is considered I
believe a first class workman. and
receives $3.50 a. day for 10 hours
work. During the year 1906 he was
employed 264 days, his total earnings
all told amounted to 1924.
We have six, children, all In school,
the oldest nearly 1s and the youngest
6 years Of age. We have not as yet
had to put any Of the children to work.
The two Oldest had considerable work
to do at home; the others are too
young to be Of much assistance. We
rent house Of eight rooms, with city
water and a. '::wet sink, for which we
pay SIS per month, amounting to $3.50
a year. We do all OF our own wash
inx .ironin 8, haking and 600 kink at
home. ana paid stor, ffIeI and htf1l
during the year SO. the average
cunt was 1917 cents per day. =
During the year if%cost $12.6s to
provide the 'children with books, tab
lets. pencils, pens, rulers, candy and
contributions for pianos at school, en-
tertainments on the Fourth of July.
Christmas etc. We were somewhat
saving in buying clothes during the
year, and notwithstanding what I
might term the :: "atinting" on our
part, In not purchasing some things
that we actually needed. 1t cost to fur
nish wearing apparel Tor the eight
persons Of the family $lS6.s4. The
articles purchased included every
thing necessary Yfor year suits Of
clothes for the male members, dresses
for the girls, two oyercoats and two
cloaks, hats, caps gloves, underwear
stockings. overshoes. ]rpbbers shoes.
and two pairs; OF house. slippers.
For the replacing Of broken dishes.
worn out parts Of the stove, new stove
pipe, knives. forks ana spoons, car
pets, curtains, bedding mop, vrooms.
scrubbing brushes, ? clothes lines.
clothes pins, stove placking, one wash
board and wash tub, we paid out
$32s4 In thu, miscellaneous column
was PLACED doctor and dentists. bills,
street car fares theater tickets. pic
MICS, excursions, CHURCH socials (for
the younger folks), music lessons
church contributions, society and
lodge dues. ltfs insurance, newspapers
and magazines, writing paper, envel
opes, stamps and minor articles too
numerous. to mention. in all the
amount paid, ont DURING the year was
$132.32. :. xn* ~
~ milk each day amounted to a total
Of s1s25 for the years supply We
managed to have >sice furnished for
the three months that we used 1t for
81 per month"; 5ssAnyiiof; the days that
we were without ice we put whatever
milk. meat, Ash. etc, that we had in
the cellar. -, &,:5a + Il "
Our personal tax amounted to $3.50.
which we paid. A The insurance. on
our furniture cost 81. a year. The cost
of maintenance or the: family during
the year, without mention OF the bill
for groceries : Of tie butcher, has
taken $647.o6. leaving $77e.s4 to fur
nish food Tor eight persons for 365
days : Divided BY $685. the amount
left from my hu usband'sl earnings would
leave for each day f76S7. cents, or a
fraction less than sh cents for. each
persons provisions, the exact figures
heinr a az centS Il have read of some