The chronicle=news., 1912-11-08
NEWSFR0N|
GOTHAM


budget which has ever been adopted
by any city In the world has been
passed by the board u' estimate mere
bit New YorkeTs are 30 used tu big
financial doInCs of all sorts that the
fact has caused little comment save
Tor Some more or lass sUbducd grum-
bling at the increased .Np-ndivur..
Ns a matter OF fact the budget t-rin!-
1t" Of more than 5000. 900 Tor
III. rlty's expenses Of 1913 is with
on" exception larger than that Of any
government. municipal. state or ma
ii0unl. In tn" western hemisphere.
Tn" exception. OF course. Is the Unit
"d SiIIss Itself Som. idea of what
-ush budget really amounts 10 may
be gathered from tn" fact that II Is
a. large as those o; Denmark. SwItz-
"glaud, sweden. Norway. Greece and
S"rvil combined New York main
taIuH no army. but tn. appropriation
for schools for next year would keep
un very respectable military .stab-
iishm'n'. In fact. the school money
about equals tn" yearly pay of Che
Who'll" United states army at til.
present tim" for both Officers and en-
listed men More than $50. 200. 900
IL set 1sid. FOR tn. educational needs
Of tn" city, which supports. besides
tn" elementary schools and tn. great
high school system. - normal college
and the college OF the city M New
York where any young New Yorker.
hoy or girl. may get modern col
l.gc education free OF tuition. The
police department viii cost slG.5O0.-
0oo next year. the fir" department
$500 900. public charities $1,000
900. aud so II goes New Workers
find some comfort In the fact that the
tax rate j. not going up with the
growing budget The increase of
Sli.ao0.o0o over tho 1872 forecast Is
mcut OF $4,000. 900 on tn. tax
Ihl" rcal estate. and diFars improve
mcnt In the returns from certain
r:opcri.cs Of the city which pay rcy.-
nn". notably tn. great city docks.
which under efficient management
Will bring In total OF $500. 900
mere than they have this year.
Twelve hundred dollars year Is
IN" sum fixed upon by Investigators
as the lowest upon which an averag.
family can live on a "comfortnbl.
American plane" in New York. and
families thinking Of migrating to this
city are Invited to ponder on this
itgur" before moving. or course. n
family can exist here or less but in
making the Investigation rye
brad and sausage" wages have not
. htcn considered but figure sough /
which will provide o family OF five
With tn" necessities OF life though
not with the Injuries. and allow them
Is liv" in comfort. While on" hum
drcd dollars a month is the sum
which Is held necessary TO accomplish
this end In this city. it Is admitted
that In other parts of the country as
much could be obtained from 60 TO
20 dollars. An incom. Of $500 for n
FAMILY Of five the investi gators con-
ciudo. will provide only the minimum
OF nourishment and comfort and will
not meet any extra demands such as
might arise from sickness or other
causes The tabulatiCn of the various
Items OF expense which absorb such
an income. averaged from large
number of families per month. shows
thr following figures: Rent Sl5.SS;
food s20.90: fuel s2.7G: light sl.i7;
Jelothing slO.i3: car fare s2.5j:
lunches $3.S2: dues 81 cents: insur-
ancc S1.6l: inCidcntaIs s3.95: total
SI2.oV. Upon this basis a family of
iNe must spent sSTi.SO year and
must earn on an average S1G.S2 a
week. As compared to the New York
working man. these of Holland and
Franco live much more comfortably
while tn" average German plane of
livirE Is so much higher as to make
any comparison valueless. What the
inrostisn tors regard as enc of the
ntosi serious phases of this situation
is, found in their statement that
workers in tall office buildings, such
as elevator men. portcIs. hall men
and the like are likely to become a
race of bachelors, since the cost of
n1rrying and supporting a family is
fS' beyond their means
SWhile 1t may not exercise any
marked effect on the high cost of
Lying. the price of one at least of the
necessaries of life bids fair to shoy
avery a marked decrease during the
coming year. This commodity is sug-
ar the price of which has been above
what has come to be regarded IS its
normal level for nearly year ana
half. Experts who keep in touch with