The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-28
AvANIsHING INDUSTRY.
There Is But Little Demand Nova
days I'm America for the Chimney

There Is But Little Demand Nova
days fin America for the Chimney
sweep.
Colorado Springs Letter to Philadelphia
Times.
Chimney-sweeping as a trade is now al
most extinct, yet during its life it never
has suffered from the encroachments of
the inventor This makes it interesting
As a trade it is almost dead partly
because of the reconstruction of CHM
neys, but chiefly because of the almost
universal use of hard or anthracite coal
70 see a chimney-sweep nowadays on the
streets of an eastern city is curiosity
how much greater is the surprise of an
easterner to find a sweep following his
vocation at a cloudy hight on the Rocky
mountains? 1T was an interesting and
profitable half-hour's conversation | had
with Isaac Hawkins-now in the prime OF
lfe-who has given up just thirty-two
years in the SCOT service" in all parts
of the world and now for the time being
is located in the Rocky mountains, because
soft coal is burned there ana 1t forces
Hawkins was born in Bristol, England,
and before he was years OF age he was
apprenticed for five years to a wealthy
chimney-sweep contractor, who employed
scores of boys and had grown independ-
entity rich.
worked several years in London, and be-
ing slim and adventuresOme, ne did the
climbing and cleaning himself. Then he
wandered all over the globe, and at last
located in the United States. From the
Atlantic seaboard he migrated to Illinois,
and from there to Colorado which the an
nual consumption of soft coal convinced
him was the place for him.
81 m proud of the trade" Hawkins said,
for it takes brains If it doesn't look it
and then the excitement used 10 be fine
but that's all gone now, and I'm afraid the
trade. I've never had any narrow escapes
in this country, but as a boy in the old
just loved it-and the worst flues that
came along so much the better. You peo-
pie over here outside of a few houses in
Boston, New York and Philadelphia. and
some of the English built houses in the
south, have the smallest flues | ever saw
No boy could get his arm up, let alone
slide up himself
But as TO wages Hawkins had diff
ferent story to tell
"A job that would pay me, say 30 cents
in London. over here would be worth at
least 81. oh, it's not an uncommon thing
sir. before you are through with your last
morning nap, for me to have made my "a.
But that is in this country, you under
stand Then again you don't have the
market here for SCOT Why, in the old
country, when l was learning the trade.
our boss, who was worth a good many
thousand dollars used to get u cents
bushel for soot-they used it as a fer
tilizer.
"Oh. yes. there was another thing
forgot to tell YOU" went on Hawkins,
ION the other side in some places we
weren't allowed to call out sweep" In
Folkstone we were compelled to have a
bell and go along the streets ringing it,
At Bristol we had to use a horn But
that came too high, for when we'd start
up to do a job and leave our tools. such
as hand scrapers, brushes and shoVels,
outside, the youngsters would rum away
with that bloomin' horn. Now. there's
the difference in this country. Not that
the youngsters wouldn't get away with
our horns II they had a chance, but you
can do as you blessed please, yell all
you're mind to-
Why do 1 wear this big hat?" and
here Hawkins gave a sly wink mo
earthly use. sir. but 1t adveruses nv
business and it amuses your people They
look at II and then at me and wonder
what insane man is out Now. that is
just what l want. When I see them in
terested | sing out my trade" and with
pleasant Nod Hawkins turned and walk
ed away uttering as he went those two
weird notes, one low and strong the other
high and shril: 'Sweep-Oh! Sweep!Oh!'