New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-09-05
LABOR IN NEW-Y RK.
ITS crAcynsrAScrs. CONDITIONS AND KEwAADs.


Although there are no establishments in our City
manufacturing boots and shoes on 40 grand scale
j. carried on in some OF the cities and towns IN the
Eastern States Yet. as a large number OF the hVe
or six hundred thousand souls Of this great emPo-
rum are employed in the various branches of the
Boot and Shoe-making business III importance
should claim attention.
Owing to the great influx of foreign population
within few years past, the competition IN this
branch Of industry, has been carried TO such
degree a. almost 90 drive the American mechanic
from hi. work bench. and make him eScaim with
the Moor Othellos occupation gone
II i estimated that there are about Two Thou
sand Journeymen Shoe. Makers in this City. and Of
this number by far the greater part are Germans.
Irish and French The English and Americans en-
gagged in the trade comparatively very few, and
these are chiefly employed on the Ladies branch
There is not perhaps more industrious working
class in our city than the Germans They rise early
and retire late and though when arriving on our
shores they DO not drire business, as Is distin.
gushing Characteristic OF our native mechanics
vet after they have been time among Us de.
cded improvement in this respect can be plainly
observed
The Germans are generally found occupying base
meni- snd cellars and pretty much all the capital
one requires start business is bench and tools
side Of leather ball of thread little wax. and a
glass -ho,, case stuck out by the door containing
specimen OF work With these. aided by untir
Ing industry economical habits and plenty of eJ0ir
roon he manages to push along through the world
The manner in which the different classes OF the
shoe Makers live varies according TO the nation
The Germans and the Irish live more together and
ia smaller apartments than the French, English and
Americans who live up nearer the maxim Live
and let live than the foreign brethren OF their craft
There Is society of JOurneymen shoe Makers
called The niied Benefit Society of Cordwsin
crs on the Mems Branch OF the City OF New York
/ This Association has been in existence since the
close Of the Revolutionary War and has always
been ia a iourishing condition. The number OF its
members varies at different times There now
about three hundred. majority of whom are Irish.
men Its meetings are held on the third Monday 81
every month The object of this Association Is for
regulating working hours and the prices OF the diff
erent works In case of sickness It's members are
allowed certain sum weekly from the general fund
and on the death of a member his funeral expenses
are betrayed by the Association.
A Ladies branch OF this Society was started
good many years since but is not very active eX
cepi on momentous occasions affecting the interests
of this class when it shines ont for while. then
hickers and remains inert until some other occasion
may demand its action. At the present time it may
be said to he in stain ono.
The system of apprenticing to the Sboemakng
trade is now pretty much done away with in the
city, The great number of foreigners who arrive
here are ready workmen who have completed their
apprenticeship in the father land. and can be en-
ployed for small wages
Boot making,is divided into different branches,
the technical names Of which are Crimping Fit.
ting and Bottomng
Crimping is generally done by those who attend
exclusively to this departmental although there are
some establishments where they do their own
crimDing The process of crimPiHg is for giving
the boot legs SHAPE and il may thus be described
The leather lcut into the required shape for the
boot is soaked in water for abou' one hour, then
stretched over what is called tree (which is Hat
piece of wood cut somewhat in the shape of hu
man leg and FOOT The leather is then creased
which is well rubbed in with hard stick II Is
allowed to remain the tree for about day. and II
is then ready for faing The price for cr'mP'ng Is
from seventy five cents a dollar for dozen boot
legs. crmper make, working ten hours
day from seventy-fve cents TO two dollars day
a good deal depending upon the expertness OF the
crimper and the quality of the leather, some leath
cr crimping easily. while on the other hand, some
being very difficult TO work
Fiuing is sewing the boo, legs togeher-putting
in the lining, straps Sc making them ready for bot
tommg. Fitting is generally done by females and
is so simple process tina, children can help work
on IT, There il good deal of this work done
among families yet there establishments where
this is exclusively attended to by males.
The price for fitting pair Of legs is from two aud
-ix pence 10 seven and six pence-depending upon
the quality of the work required. Some legs have
a good deal Of coored leather and fancy stitch work
about them: these embellishments take time to
make them and Of course, as time IS money all this
must be paid for
After the legs are fitei they are then ready for
he hands of the journeyman. whose labor is called
-0rk.ng on bottoms or Joftouling boots.
4 iourneyman can make from three to xix pairs
of boffonas week working about hours a day.
The prices paid from dollar and seventy five
cents TO two dollars and twenty-five cents pair
depending upon the work required. What are
called erfras are such cork '0ies patent pr SOCK
rs. d0pbk ramps. channel shaHks, qpdfed tot /
,oles counters 0rer the seams. ruth rom Of sfatbing
On he ramps. &c &c for all these the iourneyman I
gets more pay The wages usually earned by
ourneyman are from four to SIX dollars week
but there are many who earn seven, eight AID
nine dollars week. There are more who make SIX
dollars than there who make four or seven dol ?
iars a week and to make eish, and nine dollars the
iourneyman must i0com0fire it early and late.
There are many journeymen in the City Who are
employed by the month and whose wages are from /
four to twelve dollars They get their board lods-
ing aud washing The work done by this class i
generally on the coarser boots and shoes good
i1urneyman seldom works but by the piece.
ITO be continued IN aen Hhmber.)
Our correspondent does not state AL the causes Of