Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-09-20
CLER S
How they Live and what they do
I'm Large Cities.

The New York correspondent of the
Providence Press describes the life OF
the clerks in that city
Some of the establishments have as
many as two hundred clerks in their en-
ploy. They are expected to dress well,
to keep ND with the fashions, so as to be IN
keeping with the general style of things
about them. They must be at business
promptly at eight in the morning, a
strict account being kept of any failure
to do so, which is reported by the head
of the department to the general mana
ger. All the day long they are kept on
their feet, under watehful eyes, and with
2 multitude of details to attend to and
at noon they must hurry out for a hasty
lunch and be back as soon as possible,
hying the day through until seven or
eight O'Clock at night. In the busy
season they are liable to be worked until
eleven or twelve o'clock at night and in
the dull season, which m on in the
city often enough, they are Just as liable
to be discharged at a weeks notice, and
though they have been years IN the
house. and been faithful in every way.
1t is a we'll known fact that New York
merchants care nothing for the interests
of their clerks; and the larger and more
prosperous the house, the more anxious
IL is TO save a few dollars, by cutting
down hands in dull times. The supply
of clerks is always so large that at the
approach of busy days they can easily
fiji mp again. With the exception Of men
who bring trade, and are engaged by
contract, no clerk Is sure Of his place
beyond the passing week. And for II
ali. what salary is received2 By careful
search through all branches of trade, II
is found the average is not over ftteer
dollars a week; falling in some, yes, IL
many cases. far below that, and rising
in a few exceptions, far above. Thus
the head bOok-keeper Of a prominent
Broadway house gets a salary of thirteen
thousand dollars, while nnder him are NJ
less than six men, having the brunt O.
the work to do, who are paid three dol
lars q day. There are men in othel
houses who enjoy prineely incomes, be
cause they have drawn one OF the prlzeI
Of trade; they have a trade Of their own
which brings in large sums TO their EN-
ployer; they are paid for their worl
With unstinted hand. But all arounC
them are men without this special ad
vantage, though competent, who ar
barely getting a living.
Go into other lines Of business. Al
entry clerk in a great grocery, or pro
duce, or tea house, is thought well paid
for the FIRST few years at least, with fv.
hundred salary. He must be a cracI
penmAn, and devote himself, like a dra,
horse, to business, even to retain the pc
sition, where, in this ~overcrowded city, $
many are eager to get it. A young frienu
of mine worked six years in one wealth,
cSmmission house, giving night aud da.
TO the affairs, hoping each season, as h
saw his services were worth more tina
he was getting, that the firm would rails
his salary. At last his efficient bushes
quality attracted the attention of a riva
company, who offered him a large advance
He announced his intention of leavin
his employer, who then woke up to hi
value. and told him he could not spar
him. and wanted him to name the salsr
he wished. And this is a fair sample
the mercantile style in New York.
The clerksin banks are well paid, we
treated, and are oftentimes provide
With dinners free. In fact, some Of tn
banks get up daily a luxurious Dime
for their clerks, serving it hot and mic
in the bank parlor or other room provide
for the purpose. These fortunates ais
receive a semi yearly gift from the ban
for faithful service, ranging from fifty
three hundred dollars. And, as migl
be supposed, there are five hundred al
plicants for every vacancy that occurs.
The lack of a home sends the cleT
too often on the streets for amusemen
Thousands Of Young men are living
New York without any check upon the
in the way of home influence. Dlssip'
ton finds them out quick. Disappointt
or weary, they seek those exciting plea
ures of town life which blast and XII
Not being able 10 meet the demand
these follies, they gamble, hopingto raj
money they rob employers, going
from small sums to large amounts, an
at last become reckless. Even as | writ
memory brings up the careers of cleri
I have known and watched-young me
who we're of New England, Of good fam
lies. who, in some evil, hayward, temp
ing hour, fell into the pitiless snare
and we're caught beyond hope in Il
meshes-who sunk name and caste al
broke the hearts'of fond parents at HON
They came to New York meaning We
and with high-beating hearts. But j
whiriing life was toe much for them. |
competition and mereiless demands broI
their ~spihtarthey lost hOnoE-thsy 10
themselves