The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-07
PAINTERS And DECORATORS.
Review Of Their Pact and
Present Condition.
LITTLE WORK AND LOW WAGES.
Causes Assigned for the Hard
ships Workmen Endure.

dustra classes OF the metropolis and which mas oecn
attended with material reduction in the rate of
wages, has seriously affected the condition OF tho
members OF the various branches OF house painting
Till within the last eight years these operatives
were among the thriving and independent trades
men Of New York They received remunerauve
wages, and good workmen had difficulty In OBJ
tanning steady employment the greater part
OF the year. In 1870 the wages ranged from
SCI to $24 week, since which time It has
gradually declined till IL has reached So SO daythe
rate ct present paid. Still lower wages gwen 10
those engaged in plain work. the amount being deter
mined by the skill OF the operative necessities
Of the times For ordinary house painting, including
kalsomning the rate varies from 81 to So So this
is affected by the contract price paid for
the job. The graaners, whose work requires degree
OF skill not possessed by the ordinary house painter
command during the busy seasons as much as So a
day. which would be regarded remunerative wages
II continued without tnterlnissien during the whole
year. But TINS Is not the case. and the painter
sders himself fortunate who obtains employment for
nine months ont Of the twelve.
WAGES AND PEovrrs
There are, 1t IL estimated, about Two thousand Ave
hundred journeymsn painters ~ present IN New
York. aud of this number the majority are hard set
to mako even preoarlous LIVING. II u with them,
however, as with the majority Of sradssmsn; when
work tails OF In the city they seek smploymsnt In
other parts Of the countrys returning again when the
busy season commep osA The painter in regular
standing, who has served full apprshucosnip OF
three years and who understands the vsri-
GUS details Of .ne 6us'nsss. is rarely obliged.
nd occupation IN The larger paint shops,
which have more Or lees work on hand during the
year us .s. a. ~. ss.t ram e. "a
week Tor the second - % So and for the third rom
~ 20 20, aser rnion r srsy ~ pay
aos ~ ne ansusts 2. cne srauss ~ p0ss ~ Joo
oIoina!y sSee,s yt,vvsa yoa. 49,. sI ~ 'I ~
ougniy qusInve ene s1sst inso s.ss - -. 10y
WORK o. one ormore houses iusnisn1as me material
on WHICH, sus = ~ sSeSse" ~
sloa fAasTlsa. !, -. ..
ipo bi6u Ps..nses wv - a. eAPets - usS steoM'y
othe. oE1sv..e - 49, sse.e, snsIe -. ~
STEADY sMpvy - 1913 ~ * sns psS.s ps mIu .ury
from ~ cent: ~ ov Pc !oos =. No can,
an eApeua..oSs "ans WI SA,"ov yss
tne nIsness k1seee YeI1 ~ vs iosssIauk -
goa. wn.el i = - ss..1sss3 .nss nasu =.
wolk Sua wnou s:4usss. ny. snAA ossursy
ski. instances nsve p,,n kncwn ?! skHs .
iettsr "soiss - !, s1s ~ - vseS.
tueu VI 49, =. ~ ~. S,sni ..uss
not DO conioundea Win me makers o. snow oiis wno
AIo manly saasus 1850 - :. y -, - -
casionaiiy happens artists o. merit VINO nnd more
prons IN tnls Parsiou A'nu - wv.A snms snoy ooS
mae ~ pic.uIo OF po..a's RsnnE aus show D'ii
ness nss oooos Iusv "I o,,nannS !, casnn,
gus oeSapa us, ~ W 100, -orn,a. ,radas ,hass
properly DC oiasseu amonk sno ,ekw MA, n n ',
are p'ooapy ~, y, m par,cn, w orn ia
.,., r. l is s, n.t ,.,-,,,, A..
ousa Nv .as ~ % naa.dar - 100 80
Pain.e' " -. les' spo..a 's M ae W.!
caieo, consa.use u,ss'nos DaanSn: une ~ ps..
suiiaoe p@'A.s ~ Wv =. ~ s ~ ~ ~ 80
70 uouo ~ ole S.a"s "H1 49, " =. 49,
cueaPest n.no " WIZ, iequ,ains ,.sse - a1y SAT-,
.no peno.inx " - - 70 s'd ~, ~. 49,
may =. speos.'y INV ~ - p's 49, ~ ~ NJ,
~. " 'no 1850 ~. aos,ra.s 80 ' .sva. $50
~ r,,v .os.sna rom al !. ci * accorrng IN ~
.,., r..n "a w,sn ,Sa.e Tar asm. ~
~ m,nass ,hav can ME rrnn, so6 IN sao M ~
. ~ wh.n 10y ~ nr,sr ~ mucn 90 sAa
~saw A. tn,s particnlar rina of p,int,ng is
Ws..r ns.a sxccnt IN r,ra ca.ss .hat are
ns,Hiv dssarving n cons,dsrst,on aons IN tns
w,n1sr the nsnciilers wonIu nave n large amount nj
sr.r. I'm. r tn.X hands ~ ,nsv a,a no1 Ind ,mnav
.nt a, -. lar worx Ina.sd in Inc nressnl cond.,ou
- hns,nsss there ara verv f.y Wa
w,,h anv trade vino Wi, rstns, .nv cmrIovment
n, ,yh,rh ,hs car oh,ain a,r wave. Ihe gre.t
al. rov .nna.r "a ~ h. Ia reep me wolf from Tho oor
na 70 live az hes thcv "a IN tha hone ~ hctar times
A. sns nm, fu,nre Those wnn can nrocnre worr IN
Nav York remain In lhe civ: those VINO ara unable
IN do 40 90 20 Diner points ana II tins cause al the
gr..s incrcass of en,gration To Tsx.s wh,cb add.d
600 400 70 ina poruIa,ien IN one vear were Invests
oasd "a wonId bs found Inal large proportion OF lhIs
RUNNER sst ed OF poyeu Irudes from this
and oths Norlnern cites
rur P.ISrKRs' nKsEyoLESr SOCIETY
When THIS trade was ia the full t,ue OF nrospertv
hreefour, ma az III. mem he RS ed with the d.
,erent OF the bas,pess were ON the roll of