The preceding table shows that the 28 Magyar households keeping boarders or lodgers have an average of 4.96 boarders or lodgers per household and 3.09 boarders or lodgers per household based on the total number of households. The one Bulgarian household keeping boarders or lodgers has a total of 2 boarders or lodgers, or an average of 0.02 based on the total number of households of this race. In this connection it should be recalled that the prevailing method of living among the Bulgarians in the community is that of the boarding group, under which 4 to 16 males combine to form a household conducted on the boarding-boss system. Practically all of the 100 Bulgarian households, therefore, in a strict definition of the term, are boarding groups.

SIZE OF APARTMENTS OCCUPIED.

The following table shows, by general nativity and race of head of household, the percentage of households occupying apartments of each specified number of rooms.

TABLE 616.—Per cent of households occupying apartments of each specified number of rooms, by general nativity and race of head of household.

The preceding table clearly indicates that the Bulgarian households, as a rule, occupy one or two room apartments, 46 per cent of the 100 households studied having apartments of one room and 36 per cent apartments of two rooms, while only 12 per cent of the total live in apartments of four rooms. On the other hand, only 15.6 per cent of the Magyars live in apartments of one room and 37.8 per cent in apartments of two rooms, while 24.4 per cent have four-room apartments and 13.3 per cent five rooms. The large proportion of Bulgarians in one and two room apartments is due to the prevailing custom of that race of living in boarding groups occupying one or two rooms, while among the Magyars the characteristic feature is that of the family.

SIZE OF HOUSEHOLDS STUDIED.

The table next presented shows, by general nativity and race of head of household, the percentage of households of each specified number of persons.

TABLE 617.-Per cent of households of each specified number of persons, by general nativity and race of head of household.

Of the households whose heads were Bulgarian, the largest proportion is seen to consist of five persons, as compared with ten or more persons, the highest percentage shown for the Magyars. Sixtyeight per cent of the Bulgarian households are of five persons or less than five persons, while 51.1 per cent of the Magyar households consist of six or more persons. The larger number of persons in the Magyar households is not indicative of greater congestion, as compared with the Bulgarian, for the reason that the Magyar households, as a rule, occupy apartments of a larger number of rooms and are representative of a more settled family life, while the Bulgarians, as has been stated, tend to live in boarding groups in small apartments.

CONGESTION.

The table next presented shows, by general nativity and race of head of household, the average number of persons per apartment, per room, and per sleeping room.

TABLE 618.-Average number of persons per apartment, per room, and per sleeping room, by general nativity and race of head of household.

The preceding table, as might be expected, shows a larger average number of persons in apartments occupied by Magyar households than in those of the Bulgarians, while the Bulgarian households show a considerably higher average number of persons per room and per sleeping room, the conditions in all cases being traceable to the fact that the Bulgarian system of living is that of the boarding group occupying a small apartment with a high average of persons per room and per sleeping room as contrasted with the family life which prevails among the Magyars.

The following table exhibits, by general nativity and race of head of household, the range in the number of persons per room:

TABLE 619.-Persons per room, by general nativity and race of head of household. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

The striking feature of the above table is that a much larger proportion of the Bulgarian than of the Magyar households have three or more or four or more persons per room, 57 per cent of the Bulgarian households, as contrasted with 26.7 per cent of the Magyar, having three or more persons per room, while 36 per cent of the households of the former race and only 13.3 per cent of the latter have four or more persons per room.

The table submitted below shows, by general nativity and race of head of household, the range in the number of persons per sleeping

room.

TABLE 620.-Persons per sleeping room, by general nativity and race of head of household. (STUDY OF HOUSEHOLDS.)

The congestion in the sleeping rooms of the Bulgarian households is at once evident from the preceding table, which shows that 22 per cent have five or more persons per sleeping room, 48 per cent four or more persons per sleeping room, and 67 per cent three or more persons per sleeping room. Much less crowded conditions in sleeping rooms are reported for the Magyar households, which have only 8.9 per cent with 5 or more persons per sleeping room, 22.2 per cent with four or more, and 51.1 per cent with three or more persons per sleeping room. The effect of crowding upon living arrangements is set forth in the table next submitted. It shows, by general nativity and race of head of household, the number and per cent of households regularly sleeping in all except each specified number of rooms.

TABLE 621.-Number and per cent of households regularly sleeping in all except each specified number of rooms, by general nativity and race of head of household.

The above table discloses the striking fact that 73 per cent of the Bulgarian and 51.1 percent of the Magyar households use all rooms for sleeping purposes. At the other extreme, only 1 per cent, or 1 Bulgarian household out of a total of 100, as contrasted with 6.7 per cent, or 3 out of a total of 45 Magyar households, have two rooms which are not used for sleeping. Of the Bulgarian households, 25 per cent, and of the Magyar households 42.2 per cent, have one room which is not used as a sleeping room.

CHAPTER VI.

GENERAL STANDARD AND COST OF LIVING.

Clothing worn-Furniture-Kinds of food consumed-Sleeping arrangements— General living conditions-General cost of living-Rents-Cost and manner of living of representative families and groups of men-[Text Table 622].

CLOTHING WORN.

Many of the recent immigrants still have some articles of clothing which they brought with them from Europe. Most of their clothing, however, practically all, is made in this country and purchased by them here. The quality of clothing worn, together with the frequency of purchases, may be seen by referring to the transcriptions of the various store accounts, which show in detail the purchases of clothing and small articles by races during a certain period of time. It may be noted here that the price paid for working clothes is usually $1 to $1.50 per suit of blue overalls. Shoes are purchased at prices ranging from $1.75 to $3, the former being for work and the latter for dress. Summer underwear of the value of 50 cents per garment is generally used, and for cold weather flannels ranging in value from $1 to $1.50 per garment. Dress trousers cost from $1.75 to $2.25 per pair. From $10 to $12 is paid for a suit of dress clothes.

The women wear the cheaper grades of plain white and printed cloths.

FURNITURE.

The household furniture of all races is very meager and consists as a rule of only the most essential articles. For sleeping, iron double beds or single cots are used with mattresses. The cots with mattresses cost about $3; the beds from $5 to $6. There is usually a small sheetiron stove, valued at about $3, for cooking and heating. Very few of the families or groups have cooking ranges. The other articles of furniture consist of small kerosene lamps or lanterns for lighting (the rooming houses contain electric lights, and it is only in the cottages that kerosene is used), plain chairs, usually without backs or in bad repair, a bench, and a plain table. There are no carpets. Many of the articles of furniture are of home manufacture. Especially is this true in the case of the chairs, tables, and shelves which are often found in the rooms of the lodging houses. The cooking utensils are limited in number and of the simplest kind.

The Magyars, Slovaks, and Armenians usually have more furnishings than the other races. In Magyar and Slovak families a regular cooking stove is generally found, and oftentimes wardrobes and sideboards. They also have more cooking utensils and dishes than the groups and families of other races.