San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-11-03
The cream of ta-ta Is the good-by kiss
Astoria Oregon Transcript
CITY NIGHT T0ILERS.
A RESPECTABLE ARRAY WHOSE
RANKS ARE INCREASING.

Newspaper Workers Take the Lead In
Numbers-ways of the Printer-Bakers
and Their Hours-In the Telegraph o.
fices-Other CaIlinss.
Who and how many are there Of those who
turn night into day-who labor from sunset
to sunrise and sheep while the great masses
are toiling9 Quite respectable In numbers
when all are taken into account and their
ranks are daily increasing as new industries
spring up or certain lines Of business prosper
and demand more help for their develop
ment-
In the lead in numbers are the newspaper
workers-prtnters, editors, pressmen, re-
porters, mailing clerks, stereotypers, proof
readers and other branches of the occupa-
ton. The five morning newspapers Of Chi
cago employ well up in the neighborhood Of
900 persons each in their various depart
ments, so that here is in round numbers a
thousand men and boys-for the softer sex
has fortunately kept comparatively clear of
night work, and thoughplenty Of women find
employment in various ways at printing, it
is rare indeed that one can be found con-
nected with the morning newspaper-atle least
In such a way that the burning Of tho mid
night oil is demanded In many cases, too,
there is not demanded of the man who earns
his living on any of the papers strict night
work. The afternoons and evenings are
taken up by editors and reporters, but long
before midnight the ma jority have completed
their labors. Still there is remaining by far
the greater proportion of the employees who
are on duty into the early morning hours
The most numerous Of these are, of course
the printers.
THE PRINTERS WAYS.
Odd people are some of these printers, and
full of fancies, but as rule sober, quiet,
decent members of society. The time has
gone by when to be printer it was also nee
essary to be thoroughly familiar with the
various brands Of liquor at the all night sa-
looms or to put in the day at the poker table
after a night at the ease" The "bam"
printer HIS no place in Chicago offices today.
There has been a revolution, and without
any crusade temperance reform has swept
away such of the old timers as had not Sao
cumbed to earlier excuses, and it is so well
recognized that sobriety is essential to seour-
ing and holding situations that few nova
days venture to ovsrstep the bounds. But,
as stated, there are odd characters here and
there among them Superstitious in degree
ure some. Their dreams are full Of mean
ing, and they pin their faith 50 firmly 10
these visions Of sleep that many dollar has
gone to the policy or lottery shop on the
strength of certain numbers that had passed
through their minds in the midst OF their
slum5ers To Speculate" is ruling passion
with some, and, while there ia little fasoina-
ton II cards or dice, the printers own game,
known IS 'jefing,7 and which is simply not
to be explained to the outside world, has in
times past had its adherents by hundreds,
and though now tabooed in all we'll regn-
lated Offices is still talked of hngeringly and
lovingly by its former devotess
Next to the printers the bakers form per-
haps i've most numerous class of all night
workers. There in Chicago about TOO of
those who are employed in the night time.
Picturesque figures they make, too, covered
with -four, white aproned and white capped,
and with a LOOK about then-despits their
late hours of labor-which speaks well for
the healthful nature of their calling and their
regular habits out Of service It Is strongly
marked fact that there has been revolution
in the ways of the bakers as well as tho fol-
lowers of other occupations, and that the
moral standard has been elevated In recent
years Tho men are sober, industrious and,
as i rule, saving; they look after tho welfare
az one another in sickness, and have an in
surance system and burial fund, which fur
nish relief for widows and Orphans Their
hours ore somewhat lengthy, but are in re-
..isy much shorter than demanded Of day
..o~.:a:s, while the pay is better. In fact, it
@!.gac be stated here that the average ''day"
=: ell mis-. EcTs1 =, does not exceed eiGhs