Year: 1876

New YORK, January 27, 1876.
THE WOES OF THE fooR.


Why do not the poor of New York get
on better? Why is it that a man ON sal
airy of $15 a week cannot support his fami-
ly decently? $15 week would be very
comfortable subsistence in country town.


1t would support him and leave him some
thing over to lay up for q rainy day. True,
it would, but in New York it is the merest
nothing-it means starvation which is not
even genteel. Why is it? The answer is
easy enough. The poor artizan or laborer
on SIS week might live on it and save
money, if he could get what he lives ON at
any decent price--but he don't. IL pota-
toes are worth, we will say $1.00 per BUSH
el, by the bushel, what do you suppose the
laborer pays for them? He can't buy a
bushel at once, for his little $15 won't go
far enough. He has to pay 81 for rent Of
his rooms, for place for him and his to
live and sleep, leaving him So a week for
food and clothing. This would answer if
he could only buy his food i'll such quanti-
ties, and at such places as food can be pro-
cured at reasonable prices. But he cannot
do this, for he has not money enough. A
barrel Of potatoes costs, we will say, $3.50
should he buy q barrel he would have moth
ing left for other articles of food. So he
buys half peck of potatoes, for which he
pays forty cents, or at the rate of $500
bushel, instead Of about dollar. His coal
would cost him only about $5 ton, if he
could buy a ton, but he can't; he can buy
bushel though, just enough to last him
for day or tw, and for that the dealer
makes him pay 40 or so cents, and he has
to get a peck instead of bushel, the extor-
tion is. still more


SPRING FASHIONS.


With the mild days about the first of
February, the counters show light cambrics
and wool goods, for prudent people who
take time by the forelock in matters of
dress. They must do so, for in these days
it takes, by moderate computation, two
weeks for a woman working all the time to
make dress. This is the allowance by the
most skillful dressmakers, and it not sell
dom takes that time to do the trimmings
alone. For the comfort of ladies who do
their own work, am happy to say that the
old style of dress, with long plain skirt
and waist attached to it, will be worn the
coming spring Such models are on display
in the windows as leading styles. The
prettiest fabric out, is fine check IN black
and white, crossed by a single bright color,
which gives it a fresh spring-l like look,
while it is quite modest enough for the
street. AS it comes in soft wool goods,
plain woven, both light and durable, and
very wide, it will be II favorite with ladies,
as it is sure to be with men because it is SO
bright and pretty. -.


MONEY ON REAL PROPERTY. s'fl


To the man in the western part of New
York, who wrote to me, asking the address
of the old lady told of in these letters, who
cried because she didn't know where to in
vest her money, that he might get her to
lend him some n oney Oh his farm, would
say, that he could hardly get money on
such mortgage, If his farm were in Cen
trail Park instead of Chemung. There is
more money in the banks and in private
hands now, than ever before since the war,
and it is harder to get loan ON the best
security. Even town property is looked on
doubtfully, for the prices are going down
SO, it is not safe to lend it. Values are
changing, credit is unstable, and the un-
fortunates who have money have nothing
better than to hold on, and be glad if
they can keep it safe without getting inter-
est on it. s4 ~ sass=au 1s5