Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-09-29
MAKING A LIVING.
Qneer Ways of Doing 1t In a
Large City.

Queer Ways of Doing 1t In a
Large City.
Two men, one carrying a tripod and
camera, the other carrying a high
stack of Photographic plates, bound
around by a shawl strap, halted in
front of a grocery in Blue Island
avenue.
You get them out in front and I'll
be ready for Them said the man with
the camera, as he spread his tripod in
the gutter and took aim at the front
door of the grocery.
The other member of the firm went
inside and said TO the grocer: Were
going to take a picture of your store.
You'd better come out in front with
your family and the clerk. OF course
you'll want to be in it."
"Why are you going to take "A pie
ture? | didn't order one
That's all right. Youdon't have to
pay anything unless you want to. Get
everybody out III front
The grocer yelled upstairs to his
wife, who came down with the two lit
tie girls close behind her. When she
heard what was to be done she insisted
on going back to "primp, but the man
at the camera objected,
Hurry up; get in POSITION he
shouted.
His partner grouped the family in
the front door and said: Every one
stand still"
There was a click. The man at the
camera said "All right" and slid in a
panel. Then he and his partner gath
cred up their outfit and moved on.
Four days later the partner of the
man who had worked the camera came
into the grocery and displayed a dozen
handsome photographs
1--WE got a good picture said he to
the grocer. That's a very good pic.
ture of you"
at is a purity good picture said the
grocer, closing Il eye and surveying
the photograph with admiration.
Those will be nice souvenirs to send
to vour friends and relatives
II didn't order any pictures"
Certainly not, and you don't have
to take them unless you want to, but l
should think you could find use for a
dozen of them"
"NVhat are they worth?"
arm l,t 500, l,,a tbap> fa, t.,A lAI-
lars and a half"
II didn't order 'em and | don't care
much for EN-, but I'll give you two
dollars
That's pretty cheap, but III take
it,"
1t is thus that some street photo
graphers make their money. They
know that every business man is fat
tered when he sees himself in a photo
graph standing in a proprietary atti-
tude in front of his establishment.
This is but one of the many unusual
ways of making money in "A large city,
There are small and trivial demands
which are multiplied by a large popu-
ton, so that it often becomes profit
able to furnish a supply. A profess
sional cockroach exterminator would
not seem TO be Il public necessity, yet
the cockroach man in Chicago makes a
good living. There are hotels, r%estau-
rants and apartment buildings always
ready to pay him a good price to come
with his insect powder and patert
blower and fill all the cracks and cor
ners of the building with Il poison
which will kill the pestiferous little
animals. In some instances he makes a
yearly contract and agrees to keep the
premises clear.
The professional ratter agrees for 6
certain sum to turn loose his ferret'
and kill all the rats in u building
There are several ''ratters" who are
employed by the janitors of the big
downtown buildings. In wholesal,
dry-goods and grocery houses The
''ratter' is an important man. lt
and his ferrets clean the premises o
rats and mice and save much propert,
from destruction.
The soap artist makes a good living
He works principally in saloons ant
barber-shops, making ornate design
on the mirrors with a piece of whit,
soap. lie is a rapid workman and i
good on fancy letters. For a quartz
of a dollar he will convert a larg'
mirror into a gigantic picture witt
pale effects, and usually he will spen'
the money with the house. OF lat
these j%ourneymen artists have begul
to use water colors for their miro
decorations. The bright colors give
more startling effect and can b
easily washed off at any time. A
least two theaters employ men t.
decorate saloon mirrors with gay ad
vertisements.
There are three men in Chicago VIII,
make a fairly good living by market
ing ideas. That is their business
Suppose a man opens a new restau
rant. The idea man goes into tn
place and says: ''Nhy not put out sigl
that you'll give a dish of ice cream fire
to every red-headed man. 1t woul,
cause talk"
If the restaurant man adopts tn,
suggestion the Idea" man will expec
to be paid for it.
He writes poetry for soaps and pat
ent medicines and submits it to tn
proprietors. II they like it he name
his price. At the big retail stores h
drops in and confides new and start
ling schemes for advertising. FL
goes TO the theatrical manager, an,
says; Here, wouldn't this be a goo,
catch line?"
Day by day he pokes into othe
peoples business, and is well paid TO
it, because, after all, there is nothin,
more valuable than ideas of the RICH
kind.
The professional entertainer VIII
goes to evening parties and cheers u
the guests has never made a decide
success in Chicago. There are q fe,
Of these entertainers who find som
employment, but the only attempt I