Page:London - The People of the Abyss.djvu/354

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296
THE PEOPLE OF THE ABYSS
s. d.
Brought forward 11 61/4


Beer none
Tobacco none
Insurance ("Prudential") 0 3 
Laborers' Union 0 1 
Wood, tools, dispensary, etc. 0 6 
Insurance ("Foresters") and margin for clothes 1 13/4
Total 13 s. 0 d.

The guardians of the workhouse in the above Union pride themselves on their rigid economy. It costs per pauper per week:—

s. d.
Men 6 11/2
Women 5 61/2
Children 5 11/4

If the laborer whose budget has been described, should quit his toil and go into the workhouse, he would cost the guardians for

s. d.
Himself 6 11/2
Wife 5 61/2
Two children 10 21/2
Total 21 s. 101/2 d.
Or, roughly, $5.46

It would require $5.46 for the workhouse to care for him and his family, which he, somehow, manages to do on $3.25. And in addition, it is an understood fact that it is cheaper to cater for a large number of people—buying, cooking, and serving