The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-01
minority among such workmen here

minority among such workmen mere
abouts. -. .,,a c,,.o-
Granite is quarried in NORWAY ana i s Doi-
den. carried to Scotland. where II Is po,-
ished and carved. brought 70 TINS .o. ,no
try. and finally sold at points not 10
distant from the coast III conn ,o hnrn
with stone quarried an" ,,onecn,ters AZ
home who will make you anythuB .roonn
a plain lettered slab 20 q winged, d'ee''
earn from 81 to 1925 per day. me IA
madam granite cutters are pett better ~
The Americans earn In the second ~,
their three years apprenticeship ABOUT
the wages of n skilled scotch slaIllte
cutter at home. and skilled Jou'nney
man here earns from 81 TO 80 per Jay
Nearly all the better class or marDie cut
ting for monuments is done In northern
Italy at prices with which no American
would attempt to compete.
When a monument Is TO be ordered
from Scotland careful specifications are
supplied 10 the importer or sent direct 10
the employing stonecutters in one or
three or four Scotch cities. 1t usually
takes six months 10 have an order filed.
The specifications are accompanied by
detailed drawings, so that no mistake
shall be made When such an order *
sent TO Italy II IS usually for a figure
in marble. The importing houses here
have albums containing photographs Of
various figures. An elaborate figure i've
feet high may be had for about 500
1t would cost nearly as much to import
it would cost a great deal more TO cut
the figure in this country. The models
for such work are frequently made by
sculptors of repute here. and they often
cost as much as the finished statue I'M
ported from Italy. 4 figure seven or
eight feet high, If designed. modelled. and
carved in this country. may easily cost
81 900 When finished IL is likely 10 be at
least as well done as the imported figure.
Forfeiture is almost invariably done
here, and ii is very expensive, sinceNt
approaches the dignity OF art Bronze
figures are still more expensive than
those in marble or granite, and are us
ually the work Of artists.
Most of the granite used for monu-
ments hereabouts comes from the New
England States or from abroad. The
marble commonly comes from Georgia
or Tennessee. Marble is less expensive
son why the former is neglected for the
latter by Americans is the cheap rate
at which marble IS cut in Italy.
Machinery H. widely applied 10 stone
cutting now not only here, but I'm Scot
land. Great stone pillars are cut d.
rectly from the solid block by machinery.
ana IL IS often an economy TO cut several
small pillars from an irregular block that
VIII not serve for other purposes
Secondhand tombstones may seem 70
DE useless form of property. but as
a matter of fact they can be sold for
rather more than the price Of uncut
ers. Many a respectable citizen sleeps
beneath tombstone that once pro-
claimed the virtues Of a very different
man ana the grief OF other mourners.
mere Is a good deal Of quiet fun TO be
got out or lOng-established marble yard
When the proprietor has good memory
and q sense Of humor.
The Scotch and Italian stOnecutters who
come 70 America constitute a class dis
tlnct from other immigrants from their
respective countries. The Italians es-
pecially. though skilled men. are usually
willing at first TO work at about appren-
ices wages; but they soon learn 10
know the labor market and 10 demand
from - 10 s. a day. These Italians have
a higher standard Of living than most
OF their fellow countrymen known 10
Americans. They frequently buy little
homes for themselves and live I'm great
cleanliness and comfort The Scothchmen
are even quicker to demand the highest
wages, but they save their earnings. and
live more economically than their Italian
rivals. Many or the Italian stOnecutters
are excellent designers and nOdellers
They begin their long apprenticeship
when ten or twelve years Old and for
some years give half the day to school
and half TO the study and practice OF
their trade. Meanwhile they earn little
or nothing. The ScOtchman serve, a
seven years apprenticeship without pay.
=, The business Of designing and model
ling monuments in this country is one
calling for all degrees of skill from thar
OF the mere mechanical Graughtsman to
that OF the true artist Designers who
DO not call themselves artists may earn
from $50 TO $40 week. Some Of them are
employed exclusively by one large firm
while others work al home upon orders
from all sorts Of persons. The modellers
are divided In like fashion, and are per
haps somewhat hotter paid than the de-
sisners. The higher work of this kind
comes within the realm Of art. ana that
confded TO the most famous sculptors
IS modelled and executed IN their studios.
with the aid Of only the most skilled
artlst-artisans. Sach monuments may
cost whatever price the scuiptors repu-
tation JuStihes him in charging
Italian sculptors Of all degrees save the
highest are coming TO America these DAYS
TO compete for all sorts Of work, and
there Is some suspicion that the foreign
born sculptor not of the most delicate
artistic conscience regards an ocean voy-
age as comforting on him a sort Of front
rank in HIS art. Many Of the most skill
full stonecutters dispense with the ala
Of the designer and modeHer In simple
conventional figures. such rs the familiar
urn, the vine-draped column and the like
New York Times