The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-10-13
AMONG THE CHILEN0S
Some Queer Features of Society and Business at
the Lower End of Our Hemisphere.

Hard Times In Chile-How the Poor
Live In the Citics-The Price OF
Iahor-Women Clerks and Their
Standing-A Land Of ClaSses-WhO
the Archie Inquili- |
nos or PeaSantS-Thfir Strength. |
Bravery and Love for Red Liquor
Foreigners In Chile.
Copyright, 1914. by Frank q. Car
penter.)
Santiago, Chile.-Chile is having
hard times and the European war
adds to it's woes. The people have
been living beyond their means.
Many Of them are loaded with deot'
and the foreign obligations of h ma
ton now amount to more than $500
for every family in the republic. The
internal debt is over thirty-Slx mil
lions, and the Chilean dollar is 50
per cent below par Business Is not
good, and at the same time the cost
of living has jumped out OF sight
Beef, which has always been cheap.
has risen until some cuts now sell for
80 cents and more a pound. and
bread. milk, vegetable II fruits are
higher than they have ever been in
the past. House rents are rising.
Here in Santiago ordinary dwellings
are bringing from $40 to see a
month, and nearly every one is de-
%noancing the greed of his landlord.
The most of the common people live
in what we would call two-family
houses. The buildings are low on &C
count of the earthquakes, and many
of them have only two doors. The
first story apartments brings the most
money, as from such apartments one
can get out the quicker. There are
no big fiat buildings here. The high
est houses have only four or five
stores, and skyscrapers are yet to be
built.
The very poor live in what are call
ed cities. These are little tenements
Of one story, built in blocks. Each
tenement has two rooms, one at the
front and the other at the back. The
only window is at the front. There
are no heating nor bathing arrange
ments n the water has to be carried
in from outside. Such an apartment
Will rent from from SIS to 81 per
month, and if it is in "a good location
and of a little better construction il
may bring SIS or $40. Many such
buildings are owned by the church
and ohtes by rich Chilenos who get
most Of their Incomes from their
rents. h capitalists like these small
houses because the rent is always pale
in advance. and the interest on the
~ " SIluICH Il
one Of the great real estate owner.
of Santiago. 1t has all kinds of prop
erty from tenefnents to palaces an(
from individual stores to great bust
ness blocks. A large part Of thu
property on the Para des Armas. il
the very heart of Santiago, belongs t
if, and it owns buildings of all kind!
scattered here and there through tn,
city.
The prices of labor in Chile are ris
inS, but they are still fa: below thos,
of the United States. The average sal
AIRY of a clerk in a store is equal t
from sac to 500 Of our money. Book
keepers get about $50 a month, stenog
raphers $40 or $50. and if thew ar
foreigners they may receive as hig
as 500. In this case they must b
able to speak and write Spanish, an
also be expert with the etypeWrite
and in reading their notes.
In this connection. ! would say tina
there rs no chance here for youn
Americans without money who hav
no special experience or skill Of on
kind or another. If they al
mechanical or mining engineers, {
experts in farming IT fruit raisin,
there may be some opening: but ft
pure brains and pure muscle th
country has an ample supply of i
own, and that at wages which woul
not be tempting to the American.
As it is now. the native latOr SUI
ply of Chile is being largely increa
ed by the employment Of wome
They are making their way into II
government offices. They clerk
the post offices, they act as eaShie
in the mercantile establishments, al
they sell goods in h large depar
nent stores that have recently be,
ADtahY;chn cd ~ CorD l. 49, o-Ax
places female clerks are paid Salari
of $40 al month with a commission
their sales, which in SOM cases ia
the salary to as high as $100 2
month. The chief objection to su
positions is hat the holder loses cas-
among her friends by taking he
Women have beeen SO secluded
Chile that the people lave not y
become accustomed to their fight
the battle of life for themselves. NJ
giFks never go cut alone III the eve
ings, and even in the daytime the