The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-26
Family Lives on $3.50 Per Week.

A man who draws $3.50 per week
was seen. This man is employed as
roustabout in one of the mills. He
reported that his meat bill was real
low, as neither himself or wife cared
for it more than once a day. He
spends for meat about S1.25 per week.
His grocery bill, he says, is high, aver
aging about So. Tney have not eaten
butter since it got above thirty cents.
They eat oleomargarine and the man
was obliged to confess that it was a
poor substitute. Eggs they had not
tasted for a matter of two months.
Coffee they drank three times day.
without cream or sugar. TIE wife was
able to make fine rye bread and that
was about uteir heaviest food supply.
They have quite an. amount OF apple
jelly and jam, which this woman put
up last fall, and the bottom of the
last five-gallon jar was long distance
away.
Many times they were forced to
pinch pretty close to pay the hus-
bands insurance in one of tae frater.
nal societies, but this the wife insist
ed must be paid, if they starved, for
the benefit of the two little girls.
This man was unable to state how
they lived, as they did on the salary
he received. He attributed it to his
wife's excellent management.
$50 Month; In Debt.
A man who works in one Of the
railroad offices for $50 per month was
running in debt. he claimed. He paid
oGi for house rent SIT per month. His
grocery bill would run up as high as
sci Or S22 per month. His meat bill
which took s. every month; and tne
clothing of the family was all bought
Oh credit. He had a small income
from house in. another town. which
amounted to s13 per month. Mea', X
said, was big iten. He had it thee
times each day in some form. Butter
they used all the time. Eggs were
bought as needed. He had few
chickens, but they did not lay and the
feed for them amounted to about S.
| Per month.
No Butter for Three Months.
A man with four children wht
works in local mill for SIP per week
i claimed he had not tasted butter FOL
over three months. Neither had ther,
been an egg in the house. Where eggs
were necessary compound was used
Last fall this man bought hog ant
| had it dressed, which has furnished
! the meat for the winter. Gravy wa
| tie article used instead of butter, il
his cellar there was also jam and jell.
/ for the children The main bread o
/ the home was made from sorn n1ea
/ with rye bread once or twice month
/ House rent was low, costing only 81
Ier month. The husband carried tw,
| fraternal policies, which cost him
! trifle over 50 per month.
Three Girls and s14.
| Three girls who work in a dow
town store for small wages were ais
interviewed. One of these girls drew
81 and the other two S. each. The
paid out in rent SIS month for tw
rooms. They purchased all they want
ed of most everything Their dinners
they said, they took down town at tn
Y. W. G. A., at least part of the time
j Trere was a room in the store wher
they might cook little If they d,
sired. They used freely, butter, mea
and eggs, regardless of price, and sal
! they had plenty to eat and plenty c
clothing regardless OF prices. Thei
4 biggest item, they claimed, was laul
dry. which cost them about SO pc
month, but this was hardly to be I'll
ured in, as all three girls said the
wole a great deal of starched good
which made it cost more.
Despite the fact that prices are 1lig
: no one was found who was really su
fering for any necessaries, althoug
there were many Inconvenience.