Evening star., 1920-01-19
DAILY CLASSIFIED
ADVERTISEMENTS
SHOW LIFE Of CITY
John Stanley Writes of Con-
cIusions Drawn From An
aIyticaI Study.

How accurate and how interesting a
barometer of city's life the classlned
advertising columns of its daily press
present when carefully considered is
made evident in a painstaking ana
lytfcal study of these columns of The
Star offered by John Stanley, sub
scriber to and thorough reader OF this
newspaper.
The results of the perusal made and
records kept by Mr.. Stanley of these
little advertisements, which indicate
the trend of the more or less init
mate personal affairs of the Districts
inhabitants, are set forth In letter
to the editor. which speaks Tor itself.
Such a keen and understanding study
and analysis as the writer makes strlk-
ingly brings out the fact that the life
of the city is veritably disclosed-the
ebb and flow of population. the en-
ploymert situation and vital changes
in the nature of articles and accom-
modations demanded or offered. MI.
Stanley's letter follows;
Mr.. StanIey's Letter.
To the Editor of The Star:
1T is very interesting to review the
changes in affairs in this city brought
about by the armistice by looking over
the advertising columns of The Star,
and especially those of classified ads.
Let us compare the last four months
of 1918, September. October, Novem-
Der and December with the same pc
riod of 1919, for they give many very
interesting facts brought about by
the change in population.
During this four-month period in
1918, with the city and suburbs pack
ed with temporary employees, it was
not EccesSSry TO advertise rooms, for
they were ardently sought after and
The Star held but 1868 Rooms for
Rent advertisements; now that thou
sands have left, and thousands are
leaving. these same rooms are seek
ing occupants and these advertise
ments have risen TO 20,0SS. Another
curious fact comes in here; that many
thus hurriedly leaving desired to dis
pose of thousands of different articles
which they did not desire to lug back
home, and so the Sale Miscellaneous
column jumped from 1850 in 1918 to
1897 in 1919. One very much hated
and feared alien enemy left after
diminishing our population by thou
sands. and that was the influenza
whose death notices in 1918 reached
6,077. while in 1919 they totaled dur
ing the four months but 4,941.
H. c. of l.. Noted.
ITO the departure of workers we
may also add the high cost of living.
and that increased the desire of many
to rid themselves of what proved to
be expensive luxuries. and this is
markedly shown in the automobobile
classified advertisements, which have
arisen in 1919 to 22.7o5, in contrast
with 1868 for 1918.
Much work has fallen off. hence
much of the help once wanted is not
wanted, and the Help Wanted ad-
vertisements have fallen back over 80
per cent, and the total number in The
amounting to 40.23s. fell to 27.441 in
1919; but to balance this Situations
Wanted went UP over 40 per cert. We
do not know whether people were
more careful in 1919. but we are
afraid not; anyhow. the Lost and
Found advertisements fell from Ais
to $3.50 in 1919. One more curious
point comes into view. and that is
there are many more Apartments for
Rent than in 1918. but much fewer
Houses for Rent and this Is ex-
planned by the fact that those living
or hope and expect to be. and
many of those living in apart
ments or any place they could
find with a time idea of building
a home, have now, due to the hlgh
and uncertain cost of labor ana ma
many builders and have bought in
stead of built, and they are now
housed and know what their homes
cost. If they had started to build the
Lord only knows when they Woulo
have been housed or how much they
would have been soused.
Conclusion Drawn.
."All of the above would tend to
make one believe that The Star had
lost in classified advertising, but not
SO. for the gains outreached the loss
es and while the total of the above
ads. for the last four months of 1918
amounted to 110,275. they rose to
100 30s for the same period in 1913.
JOHN STANLEY"