Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-28
THE POOR MAN AND
THE WATER PIPE
A Story Of Adventure With Salt
Lake Prices on a Con-
tinued lob.
PRICES JUMP EACH MONTH.
lie Started Out 10 Put In the Water
But Ended With Cheers for
"Tbc Trust Buster"

This is the story of a poor man, the
most modern kind Of a poor man who
is twentieth century creation, He
isn't poor because he gets nothing, for
he was child number 10 on a farm where
the freight depot now stands.
The troubls is that every time this
particular poor man gets through
opening his weekly pay envelope and
dumps the contents into his family ex-
chequer, the high price people come
along and knock such big holes into
his income that no matter how much he
ha coming IN there is always more 60
ing out Hence he gets poorer the more
his salary is raised because Of the big
ger holes that are knocked IN under the
I'D. He can't keep things down by
sitting on II.
This story happened In Salt Lake, AZ
ter the man closed out his farm 20 make
way for freight yards, he moved to
the suburbs and began to build place
IN which to live in. He thought he was
entitled TO a good home and piece by
Niece OF furniture was bought, TIL he
finally got the big Davenport for the
parlor that ne had hoped for for two
years.
Then he was ready TO tackle the
plumbing. and went after the JOB IN
three sections. one was to bring the
water TO the house from a small county
main, another was to put It through the
house. and the third was to run II out
10 his barn. He didn't like big bills
running along, SO he tackled each job
az he got that much money ahead. lie
made the first purchase OF pipe, and 1t
came at cents a foot. This was In
the late summer. Then he figured up at
that rate. and went back in November
for the second layout Of pipe. His hg-
ures were all wrong. though, for the
pipe had taken a jump In the mean
time, and he had TO put In another week
OF his life making up Tor the raise. lie
aid IL. Then he figured on that basis,
and saved for the pipe 10 run TO the
barn. Finally he got enough, and yes
terdav he went around TO make the
third purchase. Again he was down.
cast IL he would go back TO WORK
and add again the net earnings OF ten
more DAYS OF his life to the money al
ready I'm hand he could balance up with
the December boost In price that had
followed the November boost, just as
the November boost had followed the
September boost,
The man used TO get in an occasional
lunch with the genial George Morgan
on the day after pay day. This was
great day OF the week for him. and
tho iuicy steak served to flavor little
lunch basket full OF breat and cold
meat. for the entire week I'LL the day
after the next pay day. But after
getting a raise on his pipe, he walked
over there and found a notice at the
Vienna 10 come through with coffee
dimes in addition In the future, so he
walked away wondering what kind OF
combination ne could Join TO get some
body else by the neck instead Of living
continually with plumbers hand 10
one pocket, and the coal mans In the
other.
He is a sorry man today. The joy
bug has ceased TO bite him. He has told
the home folks 10 do his lunch up every
day In a basket now, and so scarce on
the butter, because that's crOwding the
s. cent mark, and IS cents means
whole big hour OF his good daily la
Dor. He hasn't yet begun 10 turn red
headed. or think OF investing in bombs,
but he is cheering for Teddy every time
he goes cunning for a trust. The mod
ern hero In his eyes is the trust buster,
and that's why he cheers for La Fol-
le,te. and reads Tom Lawson. He has
abandoned the Idea OF plumbing the
barn. and decided he needs the exercise
OF driving the cow TO water anyhow.