Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-04-08

and strange az It may seem. more child
rem were found employed In the families
earning larger wages than in the small
income groups. In the Sls families whose
incomes ranged from $500 10 s1.lOo there
were found 1h3 wa ge-earners besides the
father and of these 1903 persons IS were
mothers. q working as mattresses, In
many cases IN the tenements In which
they lived.
Hard times often mean a good deal 10
the man with a respectable income. But
the burden comes hardest on these fam
flies already pretty close 70 tho border
line. OF tho as Manhattan families who
had been n year or more In the same ten
ement i0o reported an Increase OF rent
from 80 cents TO * month since 1905.
One family on Essex street has been In
its present tenement for 10 years. "
now pays 500 month for 4 rooms. with
toilet in apartment Two years before
the Nnt was SIS
Twenty-seven per cent. Of all expendi-
lures is paid for rent. on the average,
by the families with incomes between
$40 ard $500 ard os per cent by the
I. families with incomes between $500 and
$500 The e? families with Incomes be-
tween 300 and $500 average only 10 per
cent. although paying Sill on an aver
age. as compared with $124. the average
rent Of families IN the $40 incone-group.
Many bad conditions Of crowding we're
found by the visitors. II appears from
the Anal summary that out Of rs Man
haitian families with incomes between
$500 and $500 y per cent have more than
2 rooms: Of the IS families IN the $500
group. IS per cent. have not more than
8 rooms and OF the 70 families with IN.
comes between $500 and 3l.1to. 3 per cent
live in rooms or less.
Nearly half Of the total outlay OF the
sal families is food sesolo year Is tho
average amount spent for the $500 ia MI
lies and s4sl.4i for the 100 groups
500 was fixed as a minimum for q
family's clothing.-a family Of father
mother ard four chldren.-slco OF the
3is families with incomes between Ss0t
and Slco. 1926 or N 1er cent. report less
than the stated amount for clothing
| BY incomes. 81 per cert. OF the families
| with incomes Of between 5000 and Ss0i
are UNDERGRAD. 20 ner cent Of those witt
| incomes of $500 to s%oo, ana IS per cent
| OF those with incomes between 500 ant
s11oo. OF those with incomes below
500 three-nuarters we're found under
clothed. while only In Of the famil!e:
with over $1,000 70 spend falls In thi:
category.
Doctors bills are 60 intermittent "
the history of any family that 1t is no
possible TO treat them Ike the regular
~ recurring expenditure FOR food anc
rent The average expenditure for healtN
| ranges from N37S for the families will
incomes between sson and 500. 10 s23,3
for families with income between sso6 anc
| $1.1o0. IT falls to $3.50 In the N,Noo group
| and rises on account Of a few case'
where the amount IA very high, 70 SOL
for the N.1oo families. The percentage
| Of total expenditure that Is devoted e
this purpose likewise huctuates. IT is 2.
In the $6OO group. - IN the $1no group. .
| and 26 In the next two income groups
but falls to Is in the 500, families.
The report indicates that the liabilt,
TO disease does not vary greatly IN TN
different salary-groups nor IN d.ffcren
| nationalities. THE resources avaiia BIZ
for combating disease ore much NOR
| limited. however among families Wit
| only son or sS0N to live on These fami
lies are accordingly thrown upon dis
| pensaries and other free medical assist
ance, or else their members are left s;cl
without adequate medical aid II tn
| family undertakes 70 make better pro
| vision at its own expense. the result \
a lowering Of the standard Of living a
some other point and an incom" % les
than $50 does not permit expenditure
sufficient 10 care properly for the healt|
OF the family.
Industrial insurance IS tn. prevailing
type among workingman. Weekly pay
n,ents OF 10 to IS cents In most cases ar
paid on policies OF 500 for adults an
So for children. The money receive
from the companies usually goes TO pa
funeral expenses, SO It may he NOR
accurately described as burial insur
ance. In exact figures lal out OF 81
families with incomes between sSoo an
$1.l0o or 60 per cont. pay for life-'nsur
ance, and 143. or IS per cent, pay 10
insurance on property. Fraternal organ
ixations take the place Of insurance com
panies to n large extent. Even anon
the % poorest families with incomes be
low 5000 most OF them over-crowded an
under-fed, 8 report insurance on persons
while the American families with bu
from 5000 TO 500 to spend. contrive
pay se6 or $50 year for policies.
In spite Of imprudence and eenerf
lack Of foresight in many matters Of 81
penditure most ~ the families visite
will apparently go without home CON
forts In order to keep up their insuranc
And when Il comes 70 recreation ="
amusement It is surprising how little
spent. The average for the 400 familie
Ia s3.7s: for the $40 families Ss.A &c
tho $1,000 families N&7s, and II we loo
at the families with incomes betwee
) 81. l0oe and $1,000 we find an average {
, only 32oes
; Some families report no expense II
. | recreation. Here are some Of the o,
tracts from the visitors reports New
] 60 any place at all except to the Won