Smyrna times., 1933-09-27
SIDE LIGHTS OF
NEW YORK CITY
Told By L. L. Stevenson in
His Own Immical Way
of Doings in City
INTERESTING SKETCHES

As is usual at this time Of year
there have been a number Of let
tiers from young people eager t,
come to New York to begin thei
careers. AS the majority have beel
from young women, this time I'll lie
Nra- Helen B. Monasmith, chairman
cf the room registry committee o.
the welfare council, answer them
Bier reply may be summed up In I
few lines: Don't come to New
York IL you are unemployed-yor
win be better of at home"
II costs a girl less to live In New
York now than In former years, but
II Is harder than ever for her to
nnd work, Mrs Monasmith con.
tinued- A girl must earn from SIS
10 $50 week to i've In any degree
of comfort. Her room, in a private
home, Is from S4 to IS a week; food,
at least 81 week; clothing, on a
basis Of 500 year, $3.50; carfare,
telephone, incidentals, SIPS. That
leaves from 81 to 81 a week for
doctor, dentist, medicines, savings,
recreation, laundry and emergencies.
Although these figures represent a
minimum on which girl may live
with self-respect, there are many
girls with excellent credentials who
have to accept S12 a week or less
and live accordingly.
Many college graduates, Mrs.
konasmith said, have been forced
10 accept positions for maintenance
Instead Of compensation and even
that type Of apprenticeship is ex-
tremely difficult to obtain. Some
roliege graduates have accepted po-
ntions as governesses only to find
ordinary domestic jobs with treat
ment common to that type Of work.
Then there is the opportunity
home" that is, room and board IN
exchange for some service in the
household. Social agencies report
that many housewives take advan-
tage OF girls asking for work equiva-
lent to a full-time with no compen-
sation. In many instances, stand
ards Of living are Iowa cot in the
parior or hallway and washing IA
cifities In the kitchen sink. House
wives have been known to keep
girl long enough to get the house
wei cleaned, then tell her she Is
Aunsatisfactory"-a racket In which
the girl has no redress.
In conclusion, Mrs. Monasmith
said: unless you have friends or
relatives here, an assured job, or
money enough to last a year, don't
come to New York city" And as
she spoke she had In mind, regis
tered nurses, women with all kinds
OF academic degrees and girls with
valuable business experience wait
ing in line only to hear. Sorry, but
there are no openings"
Khartoum, the giant elephant that
used TO make things interesting in
the Bronx zoo and who acqaired
an international reputation for be-
ing the largest Of his kind in cap
tivity. died more than a year ago.
For many months, his hide soaked
In a tanning preparation at the
American Museum Of Natural His
tory, 16 men being engaged in the
task Of curing IL. Recently. 1t was
taken from the big vat and is now
receiving finishing touches. The
curing was big Job, as the skin
weighs 1,345 pounds, Khartoum's
weight having been 10000 pounds.
A huge shipment of beer barrels
arrived recently from Germany. New
Jersey brewers were glad since beer
containers are exceedingly scarce.
But when the barrels were unloaded
on a Hoboken pier. it was found
lndt Iney were green 80 Iney nad
to be trucked away to warehouses
to season and the brewers are wild.
Evelyn Fort told me about a man
who spends "a hours a day on the
Boston Post road. He pulls over to
the side of the road and sleeps
when he gets too tired to keep on
going. His business is to spot dis
abled automobiles, get out and fix
them. He carries tools and even
spare parts and earns a good living
changing tires and making roadside
repairs.
g. 1888. Bell syndicats.-wHU Service.