The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-28
COST OF LIVING
DURING THE WAR
Representative Maynard Of
Virginia Gives Figures
SOUP, S1.50 PER PLATE
Roderfck Clifford Tells the Old Story
About the Rural Postmaster
Waiting TIL Mail Bag Filled
Before Dispatching
SOUP, $3.50 PER PLATE
BY RoDERICK CLIFFORD


Washington, August 27.-(Special.)--
mo one can seriously dispute the fact
that the cost of living advanced ma
terially with the passage of the Al
drich- Payne tariff law" said Represen-
tative Harry L. Maynard of Virginia
in discussing the minority report oil
the Senate committee which investi-
gated the question of high cost of liv-
ing.
TT is the price of food products
that has made itself felt more than
anything else," continued the Virginia
statesman. you will note this fact
on the bill of fare in most of the
leading hotels and cafesi nearly ev-
cry article on the list has been adj
vanced Is to 20 per cent from what
it was formerly.
1.-THE prices of today, however. are
not in keeping with what the people
paid In the south during the war. 1
am reminded of this by an old bill OF
fare of the Oriental restaurant of
Richmond, Va, which enjoyed an ex
cellent patronage. The prices quoted
prevailed in the early part of 1864,
and at that time money in the south
was not over plentiful. Here is what
the patrons of the Oriental had to pay
for ordinary dishes:
Soup $1.50 per plate, turkey $3.50
an order, chicken the same. Rock fish
was delicacy. 1t cost SIS. and ham
| and eggs cost $3.50, and it was not
Smithfield ham either. Boiled eggs cost
So, while fried oysters were SIS an
order. You were taxed $3.50 for a
dozen oysters on the half she'll The
oh eapest things on the bill of fare were
cabbage and potatoes. They were 81
an order. Pure coffee per cup cost So,
while tea was but 81 the same was
asked for milk per glass.
| In these days the bread and but
ter was extra at $3.50 per order But
If you had thirsty appetite and want
cd to crafty 1t you had to have a
small roll Champagne and Madeira
cost you $50 per bottle, Port and Sherry
was worth $25 per bottle, while Claret
could be had for $40. Porter and ale
sold for $12 per bottle. BY the drink.
French brandy cost SO. Whisky or ap-
pie brandy was 81 drink. The cheap
| est cigar, Havana, was 81.
But don't you know, our people did
not complain very much about these
high prices, for the reason it would
have done no good"
| Inc experiment of placing fourth-class
postmasters under civil service rules now
entering up the second year" said an Of
hclal Of the postoffice department" has
proved successful In many respects II
would be no surprise should the Presi-
dent further extend the order We have
| many experiences with fourth-class post
| masters and some of them are of such a
character that you might doubt any man
would be guilty of them.
L recall an instance that happened A.
lew years ago In a southern town that
would make a clever subject for the yau-
oeville stage. In a certain town mail
came with the regularity that gave evil
dence of the efficiency on the part of the
postmaster. The record of the office was
good, but one day the postmaster died.
HIS successor was appointed. l will call
the new man Parsons, but that was not
his name He took charge without de-
lay. Two weeks passed and it was no
ticed that no mail had been forwarded
from that office. This was most unusual.
and caused the department to send out an
inspector to investigate. The Inspectors
report was short and to the point, as I
remember: 1t was something like this:
" Arrived at the Office Wednesday,.
found the postmaster In his store attend
ing to business. He was in good health
number of patrons came In and in
CURED for mail Some newspapers were
handed them, but no letter. They thought
1t queer that their letters had not been
answered I asked the postmaster when
he last sent out mail. His reply was he
hadn't sent any for ten days; that he was
waiting for the mail bag to get full I
looked in the bag and there 30 or 40 let
ters that had been resting there all this
time. l told him who I was, and he i'm
mediately took an interest In my visit.
HIe said in explanation that his under
standing was to hold the bag until 1t was
filled before mailing.
I'VE seldom ever have cases like this
now. The civil service examinations
eliminate this class of appointments
Gov. Malcolm R. Patterson of Tennes-
see. whose judicial ticket was recently de-
feated, Is said to regard the result of that
primary election as an Ill omen and an
indication of what may happen to him
If he remains at the head of the ticket.
The governor, like many others has
streak of superstition In his makeup, and
rh0r ne gets bunch, as the saying is,
he acts.