General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA License for Prostitution in 1899 was $2.50 for 3 months
$2.50 in 1899 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $81.08 today. The license was only good for 3 months.
So back in 1899 it was approximately $325.00 a year for a prostitute just to work. That was an expensive license.
Link to tweet
https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation/1899?amount=10
underpants
(182,848 posts)Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)out $325 for a license that makes their trade legal ... that lasts an entire year.
Just sayin'
IcyPeas
(21,894 posts)we're talkin' 1899 here.
Hugh_Lebowski
(33,643 posts)Volaris
(10,273 posts)RainCaster
(10,892 posts)It is a fair comparison.
keithbvadu2
(36,836 posts)brooklynite
(94,635 posts)roamer65
(36,745 posts)It was a territory.
The Twitter account has it wrong in their description.
It was a territorial license for prostitution.
We definitely need to go the route Australia has on prostitution.
Captain Zero
(6,818 posts)Down and Under.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)DemocraticPatriot
(4,374 posts)Wyatt Earp's second wife....
I would check, but it is somewhere in one of my 12 tubs of books that have not been unpacked yet...
Anyway, she was an actress, not a prostitute.
Hekate
(90,738 posts)orleans
(34,065 posts)NotASurfer
(2,153 posts)The woman in that photo doesn't look like she's seen almost 4 decades of frontier life. I think Antiques Roadshow figured out the photograph of the woman in question was produced in NJ by a novelty company in 1914.
(Thought I ought to ask Google after I typed that, "Kaloma" photograph, here's a link:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/season/12/louisville-ky/appraisals/1914-pastime-novelty-co-kaloma-photo--200704A23/
Hekate
(90,738 posts)
which means that sex-work had a legal basis. Im not sure how this is a bad thing, on its face, especially when you consider what harsh and punitive measures have typically been taken against women and girls who worked as prostitutes where it is illegal fines, prison, loss of children if any, beatings, rape but seldom levied of their customers or their pimps.
Without doing a fair amount of research, I dont know how the fee of $2.50 per quarter compares to 1899 licenses for other occupations, activities, and so forth but it is a good place to start, isnt it?
The other question I would ask is how long it would take for the typical lady of negotiable affection to earn $2.50 in 1899, given that the license covered 3 months, ie 1/4 of a year.
I am curious,
Hekate
IcyPeas
(21,894 posts)And how many hours of work it would take to pay the fee. I hope this gave them some protections -- like from the local sheriff.
"negotiable affections"
Nexus2
(1,261 posts)Especially considering a license to practice dentistry was about...free.
ansible
(1,718 posts)It will never be legal on a national level