MODERN 'FRISCO.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1614, 4 December 1912, Page 7

MODERN 'FRISCO.

% HUNDRED MILLION. DOLLAR EX- . ' ; HIBITION.

In the course of an interesting letter to a Wellington resident, Captain Harry Andrews, formerly of Wellington and now of San Francisco, writes on the conditions of living in that city. He states that business is good, and the wages of tradesmen high. Plumbers, receive seven dollars (235.): and carpenters six dollars (253.) per day.' The' prices' for groceries are about 10 per cent.' higher than in. New Zealand, a state of things forced by the high wages existing, but fruit and, vegetables are cheap—naturally, as they can be produced all the' year round. Two crops of potatoes, are easily Taised, and in some cases three crops in the year. , The ' writer states that he has-been'eating strawberries ever since he arrived, Sib. boxes for 15 cents.(7id.), ; none better or larger on earth; peaches' and apples are just coming in, and melons of all kinds are very cheap; "The dearest article of food," writes Captain 1 Thomas, '-'is bread, which was five cents (2M.) per lib. loaf. This is incurred by the' inigh wages paid bakers, and through the bread being largely sold by grocers, who demand at least 30 per cent, profit from the bakers, who have enormous factories but no shops, of their own. This is a trouble which may soon be remedied. Oakland is the best residential part, and thousands reside there who do business in San Francisco. Oakland is anticipating muoh from the opening of the Panama-Canal, and is improving its harbour facilities to the tune of 20,000,000 dollars (i! 4,000,000). It is also erecting a Town Hall, which is costing 2,000,000 dollars (£(100,000). •- "The ground for the Exhibition of 1915 is ready, and the first building is practioally finished. Besides the main building there will be. 48 buildings, built by and at the expense of . each State, also the different countries will most likely desire buildings of their own. ' The committeamen are now busy with the State representatives selecting sites. The main building, will ] cost 50,000,000 dollars, and probably a similar sum will be spent by other exhibitors, the idea of the commissioners being to make it far ahead of any exhibition ever held."