East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1920-03-26
COST OF EXISTING IN
TAMPICO ENORMOUS
By RALPH II. TURNER

Omitted Press staff Correspondent.)
TAMPICO. March se.-The city of
Tampico lives oil. thinks oil and
literally-breathes oil but such pc
troliferous atmosphere is not neees-
sary to inform the new arrival that he
is in an oil town. or boom town. He
learns that the first time he makes an
expenditure.
Ire visitor comes TO Tampico full of
tales about the bandit operations in
this vicinity. He hasn't been here
long. however. before he begins to feel
that the bold. bad highwaymen out in
the wilds must be poor pikers COM
pared to the Jesse James outfit which
confronts him in the form of trades
men. cafe proprietors and hotel men
whose methods. perhaps, are less dan
gereus but certainly as effective.
It's a common saying throughout
Mexico that if a salaried man is con-
templating move to Tampico from
any other part of the republic, the hu-
man instinct of self-preservation de-
mands that he receive the same num-
ber of American dollars, as stipend,
that he has been receiving previously
in Mexican pesos. And the reasoning
doesn't seem to be far from wrong
when it is considered that prices are
about the same here in dollars as they
are elsewhere in pesos
Knows Only Dollars.
This method of extortion is made
doubly simple by the fact that the dol
lar possesses just twice the value of
the peso being accepted at a one to
two ratio. and by the additional phe-
romenon that Tampico knows only
dollars. It's a strange financial fact
that American money circulates here
almost exclusively due both to the ex-
\ tent Of American penetration" and
the scarcity of Mexican currency.
Old American greenbacks, tattered
and patched together with court plas-
l ter. are legal tender in the market, the
club tor the office. while ragged Mex
! lean newsboys, developing the gamb-
! ling instinct at an early age. can be
seen tossing American nickels at line
drawn on the sidewalk. Only at the
postoffice. the customs house and
other governmental agencies are pesos
required in payment.
Tampico admits, not without a show
( of pride. that she is one of the high
I est priced cities in the world today.
I The single fact Of being an oil town
would entitle her to that distinction,
but in addition Tampico is a foreign
( comfnunty. where food and other nee
essaries for the American and British
residents must largely be imported
from the United States.
The oil companies have recognized
the abnormal conditions. not only by
hieh salaries. but by paying their en-
I pioyes' expenses including 'tboard and
room +" whether the latter signifies life
in hotel or in one of the residences
that form part of the foreign colony.
The continuous growth of the Aneri-
can and British population has ere
ated a demand for houses. apart
ments and hotel accommodations that
far exceeds the supply, with the re-
SUIT that many of the companies have
Undertaken to provide quarters for
their employees, either by new con-
struction or the remodeling of old
buildings.
Anyone win tell you. mournfully, of
Costs $50 a day.
"It costs $50 American money a day
for a man who lives in the hotel" be-
moaned an American bachelor.
There's only one strictly modern ho-
tel. 'This doesn't include any cloth
ing and such" he contonued, "just
room, food, laundry, q shoe shine now
and then. perhaps a cocktail before
dinner, and bottled water instead of
the local product that may carry
| disease"
And then the housewives. recount
how native servants. formerly employ
ed for IS and 81 month, now de-
manded SIS and $40. Chinese cooks,
who prevail IN the best kitchens are
! receiving from $50 TO Ss5 month.
200 per cent increase over the old
days. These wages may seem low. to
the American woman who can't get
/ cook at any price. but in Mexico the
scale is different.
But, then. while Tampico is spend
/ ing so careIessly. Tampico is a great
money-maker. It's the story OF the oil
boom-and no one seems to worry.