News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-09-11
TALKS WITH THE BOYS.
TRADES AS THEY ARE. WITH THE
WAGES PAID IN THEM.
What Show n Boy would Have In Learning
Trade and How he Could Progress.
I'M. Quad in Detroit Free Press.

What show n Boy would Have In Learning
Trade and How he Could Progress.
I'M. Quad in Detroit Free Press.1
An apprentice to brass-inisher must
serve four years, but to begin with he
must have natural skill. For the first
six months he will be paid about $3.50
per week; for the second So. On the
second year he will receive 81 per week,
on the third SIS or Sc, and on the fourth
81 or IS. His wages will then run from
50 so to So per day. Tt is not clean
trade, but the work is light and the pay
good.
The electro-plater does not take ap-
prentices for any definite term. smart
boy will learn Furnishing in two months
and polishing at the end of four. 1t
will take him about year and half to
learn to mix mis- solutions and do silver
plating. He will get from 81 to S. per
week the first year, and when his trade
| is finished he can command from $40 to
! SIS per week. The boys will notice that
this trade pays the largest wages of any
to an apprentice and that he serves only
two-thirds of the average time before re-
ceiving journeyman's wages. 1t IS a
trade, however, which can't be rushed.
Two establishments will do all the bust
ness offering in city of $50, 900 people.
The electrotyper and stereotyper binds
his apprentice for four years. The first
year he is paid So per week; the second
year So; the third year 81; the fourth
year 50. The wages of a journeyman
are from So to So so per day. 1t is a
business only to be found in the larger
sized cities.
OF late years the tailor has called him
self an artist. The fashionable tailor
aims to fit his patrons in every detail,
and by harmony of colors and excellence
of fit to make almost anybody resemble
gentleman. Men do not dispute the
price if they get good fit. The tailor's
cutter used to be almost anybody who
could use pair of shears, tape line
and marker. In these days in fash
ionable establishment he draws a salary
of from S35 to $50 per week. The APP
premiership is for three years. For the
first six months the boy receives no pay;
| for the second six about two dollars per
week. While tailor may not be cut
ter, an apprentice would be taught both
| branches. AS journeyman tailor his
wages would be from SO to SIS per week.
| If he made hit as cutter his services
would be in demand at the fat figures
first mentioned. As good boot maker
studies the anatomy of the foot so does
good cutter study the contour of the
human form. Sloplng shoulders are
brought up square, bow-backed men are
made straight and bow legs have the
bend disguised by the cut and set of the
| trousers.
To become a telegraph operator one
| should begin work at an early period.
A boy of Is will stand a better chance
than a young man of 20. There is no
regular apprenticeship. Around large
offices the messenger boys pick up this
and that until they suddenly astonish
themselves by being able to operate. A
smart boy can learn to transmit mes
sage in few months, but the term sop
orator" has a double meaning. As a
fast thinker can write faster than slow
one, SO can dexterous operator trans
NIT faster than clumsy one. Some learn
the work and can never command any
but the lowest salaries, while others,
who had the same show at the start,
soon receive the very highest The best
| salaries paid good operators in a general
per month would strike nearer. Plenty
of operators break down under the work,
and it is not business which boys
should rush into under the idea that it is
easy work.
The book-biuder and ruler binds his
apprentices (no pun) to three years
services. A boy will receive from 50 to
So per week for the first year and about
SIS per week for the second. When his
trade is finished his wages will be from
SO to S14 per week. As rule, there is
work the year round.
Wire-working is divided in many de-
partments. In large shops boys are
taken as apprentices in Jail work, bank
work, builders work, bird cages, rat
traps, screens, roller skates, etc. Each
work is a separate thing, and it is sell
dom that boy learns all. The appren-
ticeship in any department is for three
years, and the pay for the first year
about 81. 80 per week. A iourneyman's
wages run from SO to $15 per week.
While they have the help OF great deal
of ingenious machinery in wire shops, a
boy who has no natural mechanical skill
cannot hope to make good workmen in
any department.
In printing office the term of an APP
prentice is also for three years. In
daily newspaper office apprentices are
taken to learn type-setting, others to
learn book and job-work, aud the boys
who feed the presses are still another
branch. In a country office a boy is
given chance at everything in one
He will be taught to set type, do job
work, set up tables and advertisements,
wet down the paper for the edition, run
the job and newspaper presses, cut
paper and given show at writing up
local items. The pay depends very
much on what sort of bargain can be
made. A boy of fifteen or sixteen would
receive at least 50. so per week for the
first three months, and after that about
So until his first year was up. He would
| then receive from 81 to So, and at the
end of the third year would be worth
| from 50 to SIS per week. Compositors
who are reasonably fast in book or news
paper work never fall below S15, and
many earn from $lS to S21. The boy
who desires to become a thorough
printer should serve his apprenticeship
outside of a daily office.
Stationary engineers serve no regular
apprenticeship. But term of several
months as fireman would be of much
value. With a steam dial, water glass
and low-water alarm attached to the
boiler, it would be no great trick for
anybody of average sense to run an en-
CINE for an hour or so. A good engi-
neer receives from $50 10 $40 per month.
The term good" means a sober, atten-
tive man, having more or less mechani-
cal skill and good judgment.
To become locomotive engineer you
must serve as a fireman for two or
three years. Your progress will depend
considerably upon the engineer in
charge. He can help or hinder, as he
wills. After your term as fireman on
freight engine is out, you would be
made engineer of the same. If firing on
a passenger engine your promotion
would be to freight. 1t is the picked
men who run passenger trains. The
longer they are in service, the better
they are paid. The Michigan Central
pays its oldest passenger train engineer
S175 per month, while one in service a