the mills were reported to be selling coal to their
employees in small quantities at low prices.

Gas is commonly used for lighting. The local gas company reported that
there were 27,236 meters in use in the city, or one meter to every 4.5
persons. A gas stove is in practically every wage-earner's home. The
present price of gas is $1.05 net per thousand cubic feet. The average
monthly gas bill for wage-earners is said by the company to be about
$1.90 net. Electricity is burned for lighting purposes in many of the
newer tenements even when the rent is low, and the average bill for
wage-earners for electricity is about $1 per month. In recognition of
the fact that some families burn gas for cooking only and have an
additional expenditure for electric light, the yearly cost of gas and
electricity together is estimated at $25.20 in 1919.

The average annual cost of fuel, heat and light combined in Fall River
at prices prevailing in October, 1919, may therefore be placed at
$70.20, or $1.35 per week. For families having larger homes the cost
of these items would be somewhat greater. To allow for this, the
expenditure for fuel, heat and light has been increased somewhat in
the more liberal budget, making the annual cost of this item $84.25,
or $1.62 per week.

_Sundries._ From information received from the local street railway
company, it appears that not over 25% of the mill operatives use the
street cars in going to and from work. The single fare is ten cents,
but a commutation ticket plan was put into operation in September,
1919, by which 50 rides could be obtained for $3 provided the ticket
was used within a month. It has been found, however, that many of the
more poorly paid wage-earners are not able to spend $3 at one time for
car tickets and the street car company reported that, in practice, the
tickets were sold mainly to those earning above $25 a week. Some of
the mills have now arranged to sell the $3 tickets to their employees
on the instalment plan.

The chief form of amusement in Fall River is moving pictures. There
are a dozen houses in the city to which admission is usually 15 cents,
or 17 cents with the war tax. Children are admitted to the smaller
houses on Saturday afternoons for six cents. The patronage is large.
One or two of the theaters frequently offer vaudeville shows and plays
for which prices of admission range as high as $2. There are also a
number of public dance halls, to which admissi