Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-05-01
4 PECULIAR EMPLOYMENT
MEN WHO COVER ROCKS AND FENCES
WITH SIGNS.
Pioneers of the Business
Despite Its observation-disclosures
OF Painters-PriCes Paid.

Pioneers of the business
Despite Its IIlegaIity-AdVentuTs
OF Painters-Prices Paid.
Nothing is sacred to the sign painter.
The sublimity of Niagara Falls, the
beauties of the Thousand Islands, the
grandeur of the canyons of Colorado,
the poetic scenery of the Garden of the
Gods or the picturesqueness of the Isle
of Coney-all appeal only to the utiitar-
ian enterprise of the man with the paint
pot. The traveller and the sightseer are
everywhere confronted with "Coddle-
toms Universal Remedy for Broken Legs"
or {" DIR. Quackensqualls Patent Pills for
the Extraction of Toothache," depicted
in a symphony of black and white on
every towering rock or coign of vantage
that lovely nature affords. On every
boarding in this city the passer-by may
see the evidence of the sign painters art,
and wonders, possibly. if it pays.
This advertising scheme is worked for
all it is worth, and that is great deal,
by wealthy companies. The pioneer
was Eddy Wise, now more than sixty
years old. He was the original rock let
terer, and worked for Demas Barnes,
who owned the "Plantation Bitters, y
now almost forgotten, but which had
an enormous sale in the time of the war.
Wise's experience, it may be said, was a
bitter one, but it paid him well. But
the first picture painter who adorned our
rocks and fences was Bradbury. He re-
tired with snug little fortune.
Nearly ten years ago New York
sign company began business on a large
scale, and had the boldness to employ
real artists for the production of pic.
lures for their ADVERTISING patrons. Men
whose works adorn the walls of the
academy of design do not scorn to
employ their penci! on this kind of work,
and are retained by this sign company at
a salary of $50 week. Other painters,
but not so well known, give their services
for $50 and $40 week. Frescoers,
grainers and varnishers are also on the
salary list.
Veritable Napoleons, Alexanders, Ia
merlanes and Wellingtons are these wan.
derng knights of the Brush, ever seek.
ing fresh fields and fences to conquer fol-
nostrum or some "long felt want.
! Their greatest ambition is to stick up OF
paint up an advertisement where no or
dinary man with a regard for his neck
dare venture. Nothing daunts them,
not even the policeman. Their devotion
to their paint pot is stronger than the
terrors of the law. When the husband
of the Red Star line, was wrecked of
Coney Island in 1877 couple of bold
letterers put off in row boat at o'clock
in the morning and painted an adver.
tisement on the side of the vessel. A
reward was offered in vain for informa,
ton leading to the Identification of the
perpetrators.
In nearly every State of the Union
there is a law prohibiting this sort o.
thing. Recently in Cleveland, Ohio
| two sign painters were arrested for put
ting somebody's oliver pad " on barr
without permission. The justice lectured
the artists on the enormity of theil
crime, read the law to them,
and then, being of good natured dis
position, let them off with nominal
fine. The good man, pleased with hav.
ing done his duty, and at peace with all
the world, left the court and wended his
way to his suburban home softly whist,
ling 81 will not ask to press that cheek. ,
But what was his astonishment to find
the very men he had little while age
released painting all over his garden
fence, "Chew Snufing's Plug Tobacco. y
The Fuckers in the judges mouth (he
had just been executing a trill, in imita-
ton of Patti became rigid. Then he
emitted shrill whistle mot n the score),
and calculated, "Jerusaleml I'll plug
you, you rascalsw Shouting for assist
ance, in a moment he had the vandals
under arrest. Mrs. Justice, however,
running out to see what the commotion
was about, changed the state of affairs.
She confessed she had given the men
permission to put up tasteful sign, but
didn't know they were going to paint all
said tie justice. "Let 'em go. The
laws on their side this time; but next
time, Mariar, don't be so fresh with these
paint pot fellers."
Mr.. F. G.. Nissan, a pioneer in the
business, says their most enterprising
customers are the tobacco people, who
spend yearly over quarter million dol
tars in advertising One vender of a
brand spends 500, 900. A patent medi-
cine concern puts $4,000 on rocks and
fences alone, and in other ways has a
DILL made out for about 100000 Mr..
Kissam's firm has paid for board privi-
eges in and about the city $50, 900 in
the past three years. Every advertise
ment they put up for a customer is paid
for at so much the square foot. In the
country they have superintendents fol-
towing up the sign painters and check
ing off the work done. A customer in
New York, if he cannot go to Colorado,
for instance, to view his 'ad. " on rock,
can, through some business house in the
vicinity, obtain, by telegraph or mail,
;he precise size of his advertisement, il
ne wants to make sure of getting the
worth of his money. --Ne,O York Herald.
EvnoneSun HoIIo noanuoA;ono