The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-22

winch
but little money into the pockets Of those who
follow it.
HArrERs.
The Journeymen hatters are passing through q
season OF privaton along with Others OF the work
Ing classes. The business is exceedingly dull and
only the large, well-known, long established stores
are doing even an ordinary amount of trade. IL
fully employed good workman il able to earn
very high wages; but at present even the most
valued employs Is working on short time, while
the majority are without any work at all.
JEWELLERS.
There is q great falling of in the jewelry bust
ness as compared with what was doing at this
time last year. and IL there is not sudden revival
before New Year Day the season will have been
an unusually dull one. Large numbers of work
men are seeking employment, and. instead of earn.
ing from SIS to $40 per week, are wandering round
from shop to shop in search Of o stray job.
JUNK DEALERS.
The junk dealers, although not properly belong.
ing to what Is usually understood as the working
classes, are like them in one respect, suffering
from q total collapse Of their means of support.
The business is at standstll and those engaged in
it are Of opinion that there will have to be very
general reconstruction OF commercial Interests
before their avocaton regains its wonted activity.
During the war the imitation of prices affected this
as it did all other branches Of trade, and every
thing in which they deal attained very high
figure but at the present time prices are down 70
what they they were in ante beAum times, and
consequently they unable to realize even
ordinary living profits.
LAB0RERS.
Under this head may be classed that very large
and useful class of our fellow citizens who earn
their living by carrying the hod, mixing mortar
excavatng for building purposes, &c. BY far the
majority OF these are now idle, and II the city
authorities were to furnish them with shoves they
could assist very materially in cleaning the side.
walks and at the same time be providing for the
subsistence of themselves and families As class
they are suffering more from lack Of employ
ment than any other body of our people, for dur.
ing the busiest times their wages are not sufficiently
remuneratve to enable them to "lay up anything
for rainy day."
LIVERY STABLE KEErERs.
No class of men are so respondent at the present
time as the keepers Of livery stables. They say
the present season Is one OF unexampled and un.
precedsnted dulnsss in their line of business.
Very few persons, except regular customers, now
patfonize them, and the many odd jobs from
which they have generally reaped 80 rich a
harvest of dollars are now things Of the past.
Nobody cares for hack; stage or car is quite
good enough for them 1t is also remarkably dull
in another way-horsefesh is ut discount aud
fine teams with which the owners wish to part
have to be sold for prices very much lower than
they would have commanded six or twelve
months since. Pleasure riding is now looked
upon as an expensive luxury that can be safely
INDUCED in only by mOnaires or by those who
own establishments" The middling classes,
from whom livery stable pr0priet0rs formerly de-
rived large income, do not think Of expanding
ing the necessares of life affords ample field and
scope for the expenditure of their means, and
even in this respect frugality is the universal
motto.
MARBLE CUTTERS.
1t ID a somewhat singular fact that one Of the
most active branches OF business at the present
time is that OF cutting marble tombstones, monu.
ments, mantlepieces DC. In many Of the Yards a
scarcity of labor exists and the great want is not
to fad work, but skilled workmen to execute
orders OF long standing. Of all the branches of
labor this, probably. is now the most brisk.
MACHINISrs.
Skilful workers in iron can generally command
from So to "a per day. and during ordinarily good
times are always sure of steady employment. The
present paralysis of business has, however, thrown
large number out Of employment, and the princi-
Der of hands absolutely required for the business
which comes in from day to day.
PACKING BOXES.
A large number Of men who provide food cloth.
by making packing boxes are now devoid of en-
ployment, and have no prospect Of doing anything
until other branches Of trade revive. The bosses
can get all the hands they require at almost any
price, but they will not engage more than the
mere necessities Of the day demand. This is
branch Of industry which instantly feels any fall
ing of in the dry goods and other similar trades,
and until they become brisk again it must languish.
The painters always expect dull or slack sea-
son during the winter months, and many Of them,
IN fact the majority. are now comparatively idle.
Say IL winter & ra.n 50 10
days are short, and 81 during the summer
season. The past year has, generally speaking,
been bad one for the boss painters, for the rea-
son that It was the first during which they were
per cent on their receipts for work DONE after de-
Quoting the cost of labor and the price of the
materials used. This tax, they say, has taken
quite large amount from their usual profits. The
mn ra mi Ivinn nm hat fhou vA1
from their earnings during the summer season, and
much distress, it Is expected. will prevail among
them during the next few months.
PIANoFORTR MAKERS.
The business Of pianoforte making is carried on
very extensively in this city, and large number
Of men are engaged in it. At present it is in q
somewhat singular state. The large manufactur-
ers are doing quite as much, and some Of them
more, than they did ut this time last year. while
those Of smaller means are almost at Q standstil.
In one case large manufacturer has driven an
immensely increased trade dur.ng the last Twelve
months, and his large workshops are now full Of
employees. This result is mainly due TO his con-
slant and persistent advertising, in which about
$4,000 has been expended Small establish
ments, on the contrary, are now suffering from
the prevailing hard times, and It is not beyond the
range Of probability that many more workmen
will be out Of employment by the end of the year
than there are Ut the present time.
PLAsrERERs.
The same causes which have deprived Of work
Grated unfavorably in the case Of the plasterers.
The dulness in this branch Of trade Is unprece-
dented, and the majority Of the men are now idle
and wandering about in search OF q job. The al.
most total stoppags that has been put to the
ton Of new buildings, however, renders their
chance OF securing employment very precarious.
PLUMBERS.
The plumbing business, like all others connect
ed with the building interest. is unusually dull,
much more so than it was at this time last year,
and large numbers of journ-ymen are in search Of
something to do, even at very low wages. Those
who are at work now are finishing up contracts
entered into some time ago. Very few new con.
tracts are being made, and the bosses are very
Respondent as regards the future. Most OF the
large shops retain few skilled and reliable work
men to meet emergencies, but in almost every
instance the bulk Of the employees have either
been discharged or are working on short time.
RooFERs.
Noman who gets his living by roofing expects
to be fully employed during the winter season.
There is, however, very much less doing In the
trade than 10 usual, and many more men are with
ont work than was the case at this time Last year.