V. N. pays $1300 per year rent, and owns furniture valued at $3000.
C. E. pays $1400 per year rent, and owns furniture valued at $6000.
L. C. pays $1000 per year rent, and owns furniture valued at $2000.
A. T. pays $1000 per year rent, and owns furniture valued at $3000.
The financial effects of the system of prostitution will furnish a theme for some remarks hereafter. These facts are quoted now to explain the expenses connected with first-class houses. Of course, where such outlays are incurred the receipts must correspond. The following statement will exhibit the minimum weekly receipts in a house where ten boarders reside:
| Board for ten women, at $16 00 per week each | $160 00 | |
| Fees for visitors, say one each day to each woman ($1 00 each) | 70 00 | |
| Profit from sale of one basket of Champagne each day (weekly) | 168 00 | |
| Total | $398 00 |
This estimate does not reach the daily average of visitors, and a more correct statement would be:
| Board for ten women, at $16 00 per week each | $160 00 | |
| Fees for visitors, say two each day to each woman ($1 00 each) | 140 00 | |
| Profit from sale of two baskets of Champagne each day (weekly) | 336 00 | |
| Total | $616 00 |
Taking the mean of these two calculations will give receipts exceeding twenty-six thousand dollars per year, or five hundred dollars weekly. The cost of maintaining these luxurious establishments, in addition to the rent, is considerable, but still there is a very large excess. This is satisfactorily proved by the fact that the women who own the houses in which they conduct their traffic have, almost without exception, purchased them since they commenced housekeeping, and also that many of them own considerable personal property in addition to the real estate. One woman is positively affirmed to be worth over one hundred thousand dollars, many are reported as worth sums ranging from fifty thousand downward, and many more are reputed to be rich, but no special amount mentioned.
The management of many of the houses is confided to a housekeeper, acting for the principal, who is rarely visible unless specially called for, and under this housekeeper are a number of servants, varying from three to seven, according to the size of the house and the number of boarders it accommodates. These servants are almost invariably colored women, and no difficulty is ever experienced in obtaining a full complement. Their wages are liberal, their perquisites considerable, and their work light. A neat and well-arranged breakfast is prepared for the “lady boarders” about eleven or twelve o’clock, and their dinner is served about five or six o’clock. As a general rule these are the only meals supplied them in the course of the day. If they require any thing more they send out for it, or persuade their visitors to escort them to some saloon.