Thursday, February 26, 2009

"The high cost of living has hit the Bowery"



From the caption that accompanied this archival AP photo:

A prospective customer grumbles under his breath at the prices scribbled on the window of this Bowery restaurant on New York's Lower East Side, Sept. 26, 1947. The high cost of living has hit the Bowery like every other place and it's tough on the residents. One of the biggest selling items is soup and coffee, for 10 cents. It used to be a Nickel. A room with a partition and an electric light is up from 30 cents to 40 cents. The dormitories are 35 cents up from 20.


[AP Photo/Ed Ford]

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

phenom, dude. great find!

Jill said...

In 1887 when Nelly Bly was trying to get herself committed to Blackwells Island, she spent a night at a boarding house on 2nd Ave and 5th St. It cost .30 for a shared room and another .30 for the meals.