Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-01-24
Oompetition in Bootblacking.

Mud: tat, plump, juicy mud. Mud
that was on hand and glove terms with
the bootbacks, Mud that seized every
opportunity to take the shine ont of
pedestrians boots. In short, Chicago
mud, deep, rich and black. Overhead
the sun shone brightly. but under foot
mud.
A Herald reporter put his foot into it,
and was at once surrounded by group
of bootblacks. The foremost of them, n
keen eyed little fellow, nimbly placed
his box on the sidewalk, hoisted the
soiled boot into position. and with few
words got to work on the leather.
One ragged little fellow. evidently a
bear, called out in melodious cultural
voice, .Shina? Blacka yo boola, tiva
centa!"
2 "Git. We maccarony eatin' thief.'
shouted the boy who was at work on
the boot. ''D'yc want to spile the gent S
feathers wild yer moldy two-cent black
in? Sir" to the reporter. 'these fel-
lows is the curse of Ameriky. That's a
bloody Eyetalian, and he and his bilkin'
lot are the cause of the downfall of
Amerykin labor. An honest bootblack
that puts OH decent shine can't COM
pete with the MaccaronieS.'
The rest set up a howl of assent and
in an instant the luckless ''fiya centa"
lad was incontinentaly pitched into the
gutter.
Have you much competition from
these Italian bootblacksr" asked the re-
porter.
"Yes, sir. There was one time, kin
remmember it when prices was stiff, an
there was decent livin' in shinin', but
now these ducks come along an they
take the bread right out of our mouths"
this with pious sniffie worthy the
notice of Denis Kearney. They
mostly shines for scents an that breaks
down the business"
.'How many bootblacks of all sorts
are there in Chicago?'
II doan know, but guess about 400.
There's nearly 100 rs sleeps at the
Home. Then there's lots as lives at
home, an lots as sleeps at the 10-cent
lodging houses"
How many of these are ItaliansP"
asked the scribe.
''Well, nearly one-third. There's
few Sheenies, a good many Irish, only
a few Norwegians, Germans, an that
class. The German fe,lers nearly all
lives at home. The Italians too. Most
of the Irishers live at the Home"
"What is the average wages of good
bootblack a day"
"You mean now much does he make?"
Precisely" said the reporter
"Well, a right fly cove makes most
always 80 cents day, an from that up
to 50 day. Sunday is the big day. But
then we sell papers. too, most every
day. We takes out Herdds an the other
mornin' papers, and sells until about 9
o'clock, an then looks for shines until
the evenin' papers comes out, an then
we sells papers till nearly dark, and
then catch the theatre an ball CUSTOM"
'.Scrape little, just trihe, of that
mud off the heels, my boy, before you
put on the blackin'."
.All right. It's trick we has, but
see you tumble"
"How about localities and stands for
bootblacks?" asked the reporter.
"Well, we has our beats, as they call
1t, but no one kicks If you pad, all
over the city. You can do down on the
South. North, or West Side, an the
boys won't say anything. unless it's a
Maccarony. Then we fire him. We gem
orally hangs cut at certain hours at
regular places, an there We get used to
the customers. Th ,se fellows with regu-
lar stands like the hotel an barber
shops, the Board of Trade stand an
those places, of course, are more of q
regular business. Wishes l had place.
The fellers rs runs them makes big
money; sometimes SO an $40 day."
Jost then came cry from over the
way OF "Petey, Petey," and, with few
66urishes of the brush across the tops
Of the boots, and a rat-a-tat upon the
box with the handle of the brush, the
boy had the box jerked out from under
the scribe's feet, had caught the l0-cent
piece. and with a THANK ye," the ex-
ponent Of American labor was across
the street looking for the the next shine.
- (Ii,.y0n Ye,ui3