The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-04-29
TEE WAY CLERKS ARE PAID


clerks OF this city: 4i ,s, i'.., i
TIE WAY CLERKS ARE PAID.
In the great shipping and commercial houses
no salary is paid for the first year, and some
times clerk may continue in service severa
years at the same rate. The employers are
overrun with applications from rich men who
Z desire their SONS TO learn the shipping and i'm
porting business, and hence are willing to sup.
port them during the slow progress Of mercan.
tile education. The writer of this, many years
street shipping house, and offered to serve in
one OF them without pay. This liberal offer
was declined, and ne got into better business.
We met . noble looking youth recently who
on the same terms. He spends about $1,000
y per year. and his relatives are ''put to it, to
raise the funds; but such is their ambition
his position IF he is very bright fellow, he
will in course Of four or five years be able to
support himself; but as to rising to the Dig
nifty Of South-street merchant, not one in a
concerns 800 per year is paid to beginners,
and some cases 5000. By the term 'sbegin-
ners" we mean. boys who wish to learn the
ystion prices, and. take their slow chances of
promotion, which few havo patience to wait for.
de nu, DIFFERENT CLASSES or CLERKs.
u Ahqse may pc summed up as cash boys,
: errand boys. salesnen, shop walkers, cashiers,
cloth neasurers, 30, all Of which are found
in retail trade. The most important Of these
10 the shop walker, who must be of fine ap-
PeaIance and elegantly, dressed. He stands
lat the entrance to greet the customers with
gracious smiles, and TO escort them to the
dlHerent departments they may wish to ex-
anime. If any one wishes to note an exampl
OF overdone poiteness. and good manners run
OF the walkers in our fashionable stores To
turn to the Wholesale trade, there are entry
clerks, shipping clerks, corresponding clerks,
customhouse clerks, receiving clerks, salesmen
commission aud t,c01 h
keepers. 10 these are to be added the vari-
GUS branches Of trade which we will not stop
TO record, but which are so extensive that we
may estimate the number Of clerks in New
Work at about one hundred thousand, one,
tenth OF whom may be found in Broadway.
HOW CLERKS LIVE. -,
8 some OF the broadway houses have from
one hundred to three hundred clerks. The
hundred to one thousand dollafs- though a
feW reach figure ranging from two to fo,ir
Thousand dollars. But on the moderate rates
rst srs men mentioned they are espected t1 dress well
HSsy lepf hes
ieet all DAY. having Just spare time at noon for
nasty lunch, and by IN the evening they
are weary as farm laborer; for retailing goods
ana lncessant talking is hard work. IN the
busy season whoiesaie clerks are often kept at
extra services, and when trade falls off they
are liable to Immediate discharge. With the ex-
ception OF crack salesmen who influence trade.
no clerk Is sure Of his situation for q week
ahead. The .'drummers" who hang around
hoteis and BRING in customers, have better
chance than indoor men, but drumming is a
aa9ia ming business. and hence they are not to be
Merchants care nothing for their clerks, ex.
cept as tools TO make money with. and every
unaxpeGted outlay is met, il possible. by cut.
lng, Qpwn Their pay "a merchant who is max
ing twenty-five thousand dollars per year and
living inih handsome stvle will gladly reduce his
clerk to the lowest pittance. The clerk lives
at oheap boarding, houses, and finds it hard to
meet even this outlay. No luxuries are within
ms reach unless he obtains the means bv
raud, and to this he As soon tempted. he fInds
IN the street. and dissipation makes
Up ror shel0ss OF home associations. Tomeet
snei cost or pleasure he robs his EMPLOYER.
runs brief career Of miscalled pIeaa,irA snJ !
91taer m is saved by fight or winds up IN thu thu
LOmDs: Such, ct least is the history Of a mso
pity sI OF our clerks; and yet the coantrv nv
xno feeas these facts is just the one to 9etsy.l
tr.ne t 70 try his chance, and We sh~n ~,
nss. nss. n'n here -in his ...;., as9paniy
~ - .lss new suit and best goeu
: - ii IN lens than 8. fortnight. so, marsn on,
dear greenhorn to your fate, and become unit
in the grand arnny les natserabses who serve the
AutOcrats OF trade. ~