Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1921-05-26

regret having spent money to view
the varied scenes of that beautiful
southwest. So far as living costs
are concerned l am positively and
unqualifiedly led to believe that you
can live more cheaply in Long
Beach than you can in Audubon
county. In the question Of clothing
alone there would be good many
dollars difference on the average
family. Overshoes, caps, mittens,
heavy clothing, rubber boots, etc.,
are almost among the non-essentials
in southern California. Last winter
l wore an overcoat four times, il /
remember correctly, and would have
Jared pretty well without it even
then. Mr.. Hansen's gas bill for
eight months was s23.3f. Our gas
bill during our entire stay In Long
Beach, for heating, cooking, wash
ing, and all other needs was only
$S.1S, and it must be remembered
that this was through the winter
when more gas was consumed than
during any other season. Mr.. Han
sens light bill was $1.25 per month,
while ours averaged only ninty-five
cents per month in a house where
there were ten lights in running or
der and we used them whenever
needed. The city water was fur
nished free, as was often the case,
especially where the property had a
lawn, so that part of the question
does not enter into the discussion,
so far as the expense of the tenant
is concerned. So you will note from
what I have given above, taken from
actual figures, that the expense
items as / give them are materially
lower than those of Mr.. Hansen.
And by the way, little gas bill
don't make much of a show by the
side of a $125 coal bill, as is often
needed in the northern states.
Now, let us consider the question
of rents. True, we did pay $3.50 per
month rent for a bungalow. / might
state here that it was a good-sized
residence with four excellent rooms,
besides the bath room, hall, kitch-
en-, breakfast room, wash room, clos
cts, etc. But what rurther went
with it? In the first place, it was
located in a fine part OF the city,
handy to the ocean, convenient to
school, church, park, street car, bus
line, store, market, etc. A first
class garage was furnished, with adj
ditional storage room. A nice gar
den spot at hand, with free water
for irrigation, If needed. Free use
Of the city library at all times.
School absolutely free In every way
mo tuition, and everything needed
was furnished--and even that was
quite an item in the magnificent
schools of Long Beach. l enjoyed
every privilege that any other res
dent of the city did, except the bal
lot, and save for that one right, /
was on an, equality with the million
aire in his mansion along the sea.
a smaller family would
not be required to get such, large
house A small one could be rented
for $50 a month, which / consider
very reasonable, in view of the fact
hat Long Beach is such desirable
place to live in, with its variety of
it's magnificent schools,
It's proximity to the ocean, and the
excellent class of people living there,
which, Of course, is true of many
other California cities, but / am re-
ferring to Long Beach all the time,
because am somewhat acquainted
there and know whereof l speak.
But If the rent is too high, or too
high to suit anyone-and am in
formed by some that Long Beach
rent is about the highest out there
why not buy property and have
a home of your own? This knocks
out the proposition of rent, and any
family owning their own home, If
they only had small income or
could bring in little by labor or
business of some kind, could live
splendidly and at the same time en-
joy the manifold pleasures of that
sunny southland. Any family that
had few thousand dollars could go
to Long Beach, buy a lot, build a
home of their own and then either
purchase or build small house to
rent out, and would have sufficient
income with a little additional work
to keep them nicely. And any fam
lily that is not willing to work part
of the time had better stay where
they are, for there is no room any
where for idlers. will say further.
that l think it is a credit to town
where property rents well. We
would all far rather be in town
where rent is high, properly valu-
able, and general conditions good,
than where the opposite prevails.
Houses can be very lightly built
from the foundation up, in southern
California, and yet they answer the
purpose well. have examined
many Of them and know their plan
of construction. They are bound to
be very durable on account of the
absence of wind, the light rainfall,
and the favorable climatic condi-
lions generally. Mr.. Hansen states