SAN FRANCISCO LIFE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16850, 2 June 1920, Page 9

SAN FRANCISCO LIFE.

HIGH COST OF LIVING,

A Dunedin gentleman at present m| San Francisco, writing under date April 17th, gives sonic interesting sidelights on conditions there. In thoj course of liis letter he says:— | In Canada it was fairly easy to got I drink, but in iSan Francisco is is much, more difficult. You can get a pint ot whisky by paying a doctor three dollars tor a prescription and two and a halt 1 dollars for tho whisky—that is, 23s tor a pint. The cjibarets keep open practically all night, but the dancing finishes at i'a-.m. 1 guess little New Zealand would liavo its eyes opened could it seo some of the sights, but everything | is much quieter under Prohibition. Prohibition doe-s not seem likely to last, | but I don't think they will ever get; whisky Jjack or the saloons: House- i holders will probably bo allowed to . keep boor or light wines in their homes. I There is no doubt that the drug habit; : has got a tremendous hold of the peo-. pie Thousands are drinking methy-1 ; latcd spirits (wood alcohol). Another , drink is made out of Jamaica ginger. ■ This coutains about OO per cent, alcohol, ; which is not noticed unless abstracted by some process the people are getting 1 hold of. j i The Cost of Living is the limit. To ' ! go to an hotel or a cufo for a meal will . cost you at least 7s Gd. One slice . j mast beef is 3s Id, Jxnd of courso all j

vegetables are extra. A friend of mine took four of lis out to dinner, and it cost him just on £5 for an ordinary dinner, and, of course, 110 wine. Tipping here is a curse. You tip at least 10 per cent, for every meal, and if yoif don't tip the word goes round and yon don't get much attention. I went last night to a show called ''Ladies First," which was very good. You should hear the jazz band!*: they would make tho biggest clodliopoer in the world dancc like a fairy. "Picture shows arc palatial. One I went to soo peats Io.OCO, has an orchestra of 50,

and a tremendous organ

The keyboard

and organist are hidden below the ntago, and then a button is pressed, and the whole show gradually rises until it is level with the stage, the organist- playing all the timo. At night the streets

are a blaze of electric lights and signs in all directions.

There is not much scopo hern for clerks and such people, but unskilled labour is getting fabulous . wages. A

man working a steam shovel below our

window is getting lodol, or over £3, per day.