River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1911-04-20
FROM DOWN EAST


who give up farming and move to
the city to engage In other indus
tries expect to improve their materi-
al condition, yet the allurement OF
social excitement has it's influence
in attracting men, but more espe-
cially women, to the centers of pop
ulation. This excitement the city
furnishes in thousand ways.
AS far as improving material con-
ditions is concerned, circumstances
determine. In these manufacture
ing centers the larger part of the
population are wage earn ers
Among these who work for wages
are many women. The factories
and other business concerns employ
a large number of young women.
Here is an opportunity for the fe-
male portion of the family to be-
come self-supporting, a situation
the country does not present. I'm
doubtedly family can earn more
money in the city than they can on
a farm in New England, bat there
are other things to be taken into
consideration in determining the
movement. One is the question of
permanency of employment. Ex-
penses are perpetual. Factories
and machine shops close down and
throw workmen out of employment.
Trade fuctuates. While business
is good people work and earn
money. When trade is dull the peo-
pie are out of employment and in
come ceases, but expenses do not
cease with the cessation of employ
ment.
If one has Saved up for a rainy
day. he may get along for while
without much inconvenience. Con-
ditions seem to be such in these
manufacturing centers as not to
give the wage Garner a chance to
save much over his expenses.
There is large class of people who
live off of the wage-earners.
Few of these people who work for
wages, or for salary" own
homes. They must rent and rents
are graduated according to the
amount of wages the worker re-
ceives. Rent for tenements range
from ten to seventy-fve dollars a
month It is determined that the
renter shall pay about one-third of
his wages in ;rent, this assuming
that his work is continuous.
Then the expenses of the house
for food, light and fuel, are reckon
ed on by the benefciaries of these
expenses to absorb the most of the
income that remains after paying
the rent. 1t is noticeable that the
man, of the least financial ability has
to pay the most for the things that
constitute household necessities. 1t
will surprise western man to see
the ordinary housewife purchase
these necessaries, and to observe
how the merchants, especially gro
cerymen, take advantage of the peo-
pie, who, from stress of circum-
stances, have but a small amount
of money to spend at one time.
Very many of the people purchase
in quantities to last only through
the day, or at longest, for week.
They buy potatoes, onions, apples
and some other vegetables by the
quart; wood by the bushel; coal by
the bag of ten pounds; sugar, corn
meal and flour by the single pound.
There is one of these little igrocery
stores near at hand in every part of
the city. Now here are some of the
prices as paid by these who buy in
small quantities at these grocery
stores compared with prices the
large stores charge: Coal by the
bag at the rate of $500 a ton; by
the ton, $500. Sugar, at the small
groceries at the rate of Is pounds
for a dollar; at the markets, FL
pounds for a dollar. Flour by the
pound, S cents; by the bag, cents.
Corn meal, by the pound, 4 cents,
by the peck, or half-peck, 2 to IN
cents a pound, and other things in
proportion. Consequently it may
be seen that the wage-earner has
about as hard a row to hoe in the
city as he did among the stones and
briars on the farm. This considers
good times. Hard times of course
are much harder on this class OF
people. Some of them-the men
folks-think they had an easier
time in the country and prefer its
quiet and independence with modest
support to the anxiety, excitement
and uncertainty of the city. Some
save money, go into business fol
themselves, purchase homes and be