Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-18
COMP ARISONS OF
COST OF LIVING
SOME SAMPLE FAMILY BUDGETS
ARE EXAMINED
People Tell an Investigator What They
Have to Pay for Rent, Food,
Clothing and Other Necessities

Have to Pay for Rent, Food,
Clothing and Other Necessities
Miss Caroline Goodyear's statement
that $3.50 a year was the absolute
minimum on which a family of six
could live decently in New York has
aroused a wave of interest throughout
the United States, and statistlclans
and economics have been figuring out
the comparative costs in other great
centers Of population. One New
York newspaper has obtained few
of these reports. They show that de-
cent living for a family of six costs
from 5000 in Philadelphia to 81 600
in New Orleans.
These figures are based on the alb
solute necessities of life. Luxuries
such as tobacco, theaters, candy and
occasional outings for the family are
not included. Beer, ales and light
wines, which are frequently an ex-
pense Of considerable size in many
families are also excluded from the
estimates.
Miss Goodyear's statement was en-
braced in a paper read before the New
York state conference Of charities and
corrections at Rochester, and as a
member Of the New York charity or
ganization she spoke with authority.
Her statement indicated that in her
opinion a family Of six persons could
hardly exist in New York decently
even with an annual income of $3.50.
Even in case she cited it was impos-
sible to save much money for the
rainy day" After declaring that
apartments Of five rooms should cost
at least 81 per month per room she
added:
FLATS at this price rarely include
either bath, heat or private hall, and
it is necessary to make careful selec-
ton among them to order to find
rooms that are free from demoraliz
ing environment or from serious de-
fects Of lighting, sanitation and re-
pair.
"It would seem that reasonable
comfort can hardly be obtained for q
at least one room besides the kitchen
which is not ordinarily used as a
sleeping room. though the common
experience In most New York homes
that an extra room is usually occu-
pied by more or less permanent
guest may suggest the inexpediency
of too great liberality in this direc-
tion.''
Poisons Soul and Body
In commenting on her statement
that family of six persons could
hardly exist decently in New York on
an annual income Of $3.50, Miss Good
year said that while the average fam
lily in an east side tenement often
manages to exist on that amount or
less, the conditions Of such an exist
ence are poisoning to both body and
soul.
THE temptation to overcrowding In
New York is almost irresistible in the
matters of light, ventilation and priv
acy and is not by any means confined
to dependent families. Vermin and
filth, disease, tuberculosis the i'm
pairment and loss Of sight and the ne
eessity laid upon young men an, and wo-
men of seeking their social life out
side the home in saloons and dance
halls are some Of the most conspicu-
GUS symptoms Of the trouble.
From five to ten years ago an an
nual income Of $3.50 meant a much
nearer approach to an adequate stand
ard Of living than it does now. The
cost Of rents, food and clothing has
increased in far greater proportion
than wages. Owing to the wholesale
tearing down Of dwelling houses for
liS SleCl1ull Ol OillCo UullUluBS, The
two-room apartment which formerly
filled the needs of many small fam
lilies is far harder to find now than
it was several years ago, practically
none Of the newer apartment houses
are built with less than three or four
rooms to the apartment. In this way
the members Of many poor families
are forced to make their home in a
single room where formerly they had
q CT ri, No lit ~,
that was not used to sleep in
$500 Is Cost for Philadelphia
Sociological experts declare that
$500 per year is the minimum upon
which a family Of six can live decent
ly in Philadelphia. The Civic club
and New Century club of that city,
composed Of women, have each made
Investigations into the subject and
that figure Is placed as the very low
est at which life can be sustained.
The schedule runs as follows:
Per year
Rent, SIS month $156
Table, SO week ............ 260
Clotnes ............. 100
1as ..........'. ..........s..G II
Incidentals ................ AZ
Total ................ .sed
Owing to the bast number Of two
story houses containing from six to
eight rooms and renting from $12 to
SIG per month in Philadelphia, the
rent question takes second place with
that Of eating. The two family house
and the flat can be said to be almost
unknown in Philadelphia, consequent
ly for their money the family gets
more privacy than in other cities
where both these flourish.
Minimum Cost in Chicago, 5000
The minimum cost of living decent
ly for a family of six in Chicago is
estimated to be about 5000 per an
mum, Charles Eugene Banks, Chi
cago novelist, lived for one year in
the Ghetto district Of Chicago. He
gives the following figures compiled
from his Investigations:
Average earnings Of workrnen.
50. 10 per week.
average number in family of work
man, five.
Average of employed in family,
two.
Cost Of Living (Per Year,
House rent. 49,. S125 100
Street car fare for work rs. 90