Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-08-30
kitchen. and is sanitary. Rent. $14

Kitchen. and lis sanitary Rent, $14
month";. @aa@ IL s8A tA IS
a These details show that the report
is concerned with a normal segment
OF society. The families who have !
permitted the intimate. facts of their
domestic economy to be set down are
representative of a good part of the
population Of the district The bud
gets cited below in most instances
cover the expenditures of five weeks
three weeks in summer, and two
weeks in winter c5s aA sSvgf s
The most important item in the ex-
pense, accotht of the, families was
found to be food. Whatever their 9th
er expenses were, it was ascertained
that they bought and consumed a
great variety of food products. The
percent Of expenditure for food out
of the total expenditures was fouEd to
range from 33 to 69.3. Apparently
none of these families consciously di-
rected their purchases with view of
securing the largest amount of nutri-
ment for each unit of money expend-
ed. They bought the things they liked
to eat. When money was comparative
ly plentiful, they splurged, and when
the income was cut down, they bought
the cheapest sort of food. To the linn
tied degree possible, they gratified
their tastes.
In the case Of one Of the families
during the week when its food ex-
was spent for meat, while Is cents
was spent for pies, and 55 cents for
cake and candy. The widow at the
head of this family, and it's only wage
Garner, said in explanation, asDon't eat
much meat; can't afford it, Another
family with an average expenditure
for food per adult male of $1.OS week
spent s2.65 for pies and 16 cents for
cake and candy. These, however,
might be said to be extreme cases.
AS a rule the amount of nourishment
these families received varied with the
amount of money spent. A fall in food
expenditure was usually accompanied
first, by cutting down of fruits and We.
getabies (not including potatoes), and
then, II necessary, by cat in the gro
Gerry and meat purchases.
The greater part of the earnings of
all of the families studied was ex-
pended for something to eat Their
bill of fare was not a restricted one.
It included bakers bread, buns and
rolls, beefsteak, sausage, chicken.
canned lobster, canned salmon, stewed
beef, roast beef, corned beef, fish, pork
chops, steaks (sirloin and round), veal,
fresh fruit, including apples, bananas,
canteloupes, grapes, lemons melons.
oranges, peaches, pears, prunes, rails
ms and watermelons Other items of
table fare were milk, butter, cheese,
coffee, eggs, sugar, tea, vinegar, and
hOminy. This is not very limited
dietary, and it is certainly richer and
more comprehensive than the same
economic class in Europe is able to
afford. sse.
The item Of next Importance to food
| is rent, but with this essential differ
ence: There is a minimum of expense
| in buying. food below which physical
requirements do not permit one to go,
whereas, when securing shelter, there
seems to be no such limit. The de-
scent in housing conditions continues
| long after food conditions have
reached their lowest point. Rent pay
inents are very elastic in comparison
with food expenditures. An examina-
tion of the description of the dwellings
| occupied by the - families used in
| this inquiry gives a fairly correct no
ton of housing conditions; for almost
every one of those described is
matched by tens, sometimes by huh
| dreds, of houses around it. In none
| of the houses was there a bathtub, and
in but one was there running water.
| Where water had to be brought long
| distance the quantity supplied was in
| adequate for simple cleanliness. Gas
was supplied to but one house. Most
| of the houses were SO small as to pre-
| clude the idea of privacy, and some
| were crowded beyond the point OF oe-
| cency. The rents paid varied from q
to $14 month. k
Clothing is the next item OF expense
IN point Of Importance, and the differ
ence in outlay for wearing apparel
shown in the budgets was found more
pronounced than the variations III
rent. One item in the clothing BUDGETS