, 1884-04-06
FAMILY PORTRAITS.
ARage for Enlarging Photographs
How the Agent Works Up tho
Copying Business
[aUnele Bnln in chicago Herald.l

fTL ID Ut tnlS moment more productive OF
bread and butter in America than ever
before. The boom will not last very long.
out it is for the time being tremendously
prosperous. II a roll OF formerly unsuccess-
tul artists was 10 be called to-day in the New
York places where they resorted three
months ago, not one name in twenty would
be responded TO. Tho abSentees havo not
, gone to poor-houses, or enlisted despairingly
as soldiers, or sold pictures to Vanderbilt and
started touring on tho proceeds. They are
earning wages of SIS to $50 u week by work
that is quite mechanical in its eight or ten
hours per day, as well as in intrinsic quality.
They are making portraits by the
thousand. The land is ut present over
run by canvassers in solicitation of old and
now photographs, nm~brotypes, daguerreo-
/ types, even tho hand-drawn miniatures,
which preceded all forms of capera por-
t~raiture, to be copied, enlarged. and painted
in oil or water colors, or finished in crayon.
About all of the book agents, ightning-ro
men, and sewing-machine persuaders nave
gone into this new invasion Of rural homes.
The other day 1 met a young fellow
whom l had known for a year as a ledger
in his own small garrett studio; as a
wearer Of shabby clothes; as an eater OF the
cheapest meals that could be readily found;
as a quaffer of Inexpensive lager beer, and as
4 hopper of fame and fortune when his genius
snouiu pe aPPreciuteu- he carrled a manu-
bag, and was going In the direction of the
Grand Central depot.
Goodbye aaid he, shaking my hand.
"Where are you bound fori' 1 asked.
minneapolis" he replied; but don't be
alarmed Tor Thai SlOl owe you III send 1t
TO you right soon. I'm hired at 500 a
month for a year, and my railroad fare to
Minneapolis prepaid"
And then he told me he was to make col
-
bred copies OF photographs. His employers
were a firm which sent solicitors throughout
the northwest to take orders Tor the work,
which was done in their homo shop. Then
business was extensive enough to keep ten
painters busy, besides a number OF photog-
raphers, clerks and trainers. found, too,
on making a days Investigation, that as
many as a hundred establishments OF tho
,aine sort have sprung up within n
lew months in different parts OF the country,
besides not a few operators who both
solicit and NIL orders on their own ac-
count. Over twenty OF these concerns are
hero in Now York, and l went to several in
order to get the particulars OF TINS surprising
turn IN agency affairs. AS definitely as
could learn tho inventor OF the business was
an Ohio photographer, who went about his
staoe IN a gahery on wheeis, ana by expert
ence ascertained the possibilities OF copying
and enlarglng treasured family portraits-
Walls arc being rapidly hung with these
pictures, which have nearly displaced the
chrome. IL my reader, either in town or
country, has thus far escaped the portrait
canvasser, the Immunity cannot last long;
aud l eau give intructions as TO how
much the agent expects to cIear on the order
which he argues for. went to one manu-
facturer in the guise OF a possible taker OF an
agency.
AIhls is the boss racket, and don't you let
1t elude you" said he. There amt a dwell
ing in the whole United States that's not fun
OF dingy old miniatures. One-halt the talk
necessary to sell a yard Of lightning-rod or
oaro-wire fence VIII capture an order for $50
worth OF copying. Ihe women dont require
I'VE minutes OF persuasion, and the men sur