The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24
yACns ABOUr fOS,o DEAD
The efrect Of dlfroront occupations on

gagged iB them il always an interesting study.
Ii what trades and professions nre tho cond-
tons Of existence such MS to conduce to longev-
ity. AMI in what ones are they OF sort TO
shorter the years Of those who pursue them2
During the thirty-four years and eight
months from May 1. 1913. to Dec. 81. 1877 there
died in the Stute Of Mnssach usctts 161 .s0l men
OF over 20 yenrs Of ago. whose occupations were
specified in the registry Of their decease The
average age ut which they died was about 81
years. The number II 30 great and the period
covered Ia 30 long that by tho study Of the cnss-
iflcation Of the employment OF those dead we
can get very fnr idea Of the comparative ngcs
ut which men in different occupations. and In
an ordinarily healthy community are swept
away by death.
Ofall who died tho farmers. or cultlvntors Of
tho earth. attained the highest average nge.
about 651 yenrs. md thoY made M more than
NTH Of the total number. II is obvious why
farmers. ne n class. not only in this country but
I'm others also. should live 20 n ripe age. Though
their work Ia hard at some Seasons. Il Is rarely
driving labor. Of the Kind to exhaust both ner-
vous and muscular strength. and 1t keeps them
In tho open air. They are also usually free
from tho cares and anxieties about making
living which harass men In cities. dthey pass
through life at an easy. even jog 30 that
though many OF them havo n wrctched diet
they are not carried " the graveyard. 40 a rule.
until their heads are gray.
Another thing which contributes 10 tho long
lives OF Mnssach usetts farmers especially is
tho strict temperance OF the great part OF them.
so far as alcoholic beverages are concerned.
In the old days n good deal OF Medford rum Was
consumed in the agricultural counties Of Mas
sachusetts and other New England States. A
barrel Of that seductive drink was always on
fot a tha nj fart laid
in his sugar and ten no was very likely TO MI
up bis rum iuR also but nowadays hard cider
is the stronR"st drink in which the majority OF
the farmers indulge. We must. however. bear
In mind that the farming population OF New
England and most Of our more thickly settled
Northern States compriscs Just that class OF the
population which Is naturally adapted to long
lifo. The adventurous spirits, the enterprisng
the weaklings. and the disspated are not only
Rycrse To agricultural pursuits. and so make
haste 10 leave the farm behind them. but they
are also III fitted to stand the rough labor and
tho monotony OF farm lifo. As consequence.
those who remain 10 til the soil are n selected
lot OF men who 1T into the groove made for
them and that helps 70 prolonR their years.
The class next TO the farmers In the average
Of life ia that called active mechanics abroad"
such as brickmakers. carpenters. nasons. tan
ncrs, millwrights. Triggers. cAlkers. skaters. and
stOnecutters; but the average age Of the twelve
thousand OF them who died Ia Massachusetts
during the period mentioned was much below
that OF the farmers. II was only nDout nity-twO
and throe-quarter years a little over year moro
than the average age OF all the classes together.
or all these outdoor trades the ship carpenters
showed tho highest ago-niore than 59-and the
skaters who pursue dangerous calling. the
lowest-about 40. The average age OF all the
hoe -
and the briekmAkers. Was above Of. and above
the average OF all the Glasses.
Next to the active mechanics abroad como the
professional mon. whose average age at death
was over 81. OF this class the longest lived
were the Judges and justices. proyerbialy oele-
brated for their great years. They lived on the
average 10 about sixty four and quarter years.
and led all tho trades and professions In the
matter Of longevity. eNoopt the farmers. over 65.
and those denominatud as gentlemen. GS. the
highest average age attained by any OF the
classes. Tho deaths IA only six different occu-
pations wore at an age ON an average above GO.
They were. first. the gentlemen. Is; second. the
farmers. 65; third. tho judges. Ga: fourth. the
lighthouse Keepers. nearly SO; Nth. the basket
makers. 81 and sixth. the pilots. over GO.
Clergymen are the longest lived men in some
countries. but In Massachusetts, they fell below
all those elk classes. the average age OF tho
LOO Of them who died during the thirty four
years being only a little above 60 OF the pro-
fesslonA men those sot down as students died
at tho earliest age. the average being only
about 23. Next to tie ministers came the pro-
tessors. well over 81 years then the lawyers.
about Sc years then tho physicians. over So
years; then the public officers. about 3d.
SherifIs. eonstRbles, aud policemen died at tho
average age Of 80. while editors and reporters
larusAad Nrth ~ Iufv n 4 tI.. lie
with opinions and Information. were gathered
into the tomb before they had completed their
iIth year. The lives Of comedians were also
short hardly reaching 80 years ON the average
and dentists. for what reason We know not
wore cut down at an average Ago OF AZ. The
artists also died early. their average age being
A years. Tho musicians liyoJ only to AZ. and
the teachers died al about tho same axe on tho
average.
In the matter o! longevity the merch ants
lnAnciers, agents. and clerks come next after
the professional men. and one OF the classes ln-
cludod undor this head that OF gentlemen ex-
ceeded all others in its average age over 6s
years. The bankers. who lived on the average
to more than 80 years. were the next longest
lived Of this class md then came bank officers
nearly 90; merchants. over "a; booksellers
about So manufacturers. 81; and innkeepers
and brokers. each so years. The shortest lived
OF their class were the tcegraphcrs who died
at the average age OF 2S Clerks and bookkecp-
ers also suetumbed early. dying At little short
OF 81. Railroad agents and conductors departed
lhls HE ON the average az about "a years and
druggists and apothecaries at AZ while saloon
and restaurant Keepers were laid away al IL
The classes whose years nj death stood next
In order wcro tho active mechanics In shops
and the laborors. Of no special trades. the
average Of both being little short Of AZ. OF
the first class the longest llvod were the coopors
their average age al death being about 90 years
Next to them. tho total abstinence people may
he surprised to learn came tho dlstillers. SO
years. Tho following died at nm age above the
average for oil the classes tNgether;
vui,r, loa,. f1rs
s'lf Oh futtcrs
,A.l ~ uhtfrH
MhttiNfisht- .... 81 Hlar ksmitS ....... 81
,luWhlr ..+s tt.t htltaco pr.utsrs.. ....... 50
Pump and block makoru ~ DOL uit psrs ~
lAliow ohAndlrrs......... ,60l
inc shortest lived were the plumbers. whose
no uf Al al.