New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-28
THE WORK OF THE WATCH MEN
DEVICES TO KEEP TAB ON THEM-Ihh
"HALI,MEN'S' HARD LOT.

,r,o ,,,s whom II was necessary to ask the watch
man the question Tell us OF the night! But inc
invention Of registers and patent de'ices ne' -
away with all unnecessary quesuohs' " w
owner Of a building comes down 10 mo ~,
warehouse nowadays all he does Is 10 'u, " 80
electric register and see written there the exact
time that his Waterman poked uhder the sai' ~
And ont whether any burglars were secre'eu 'iie''
n ascertain how many times he went up anu uo""
~ .ha elevator during the night and TO read now
many times the cheese In the rat-raPs on "'e wy
floor where the valuable sacks OF prouuo'S 'o
,ho Orion, and the South are stored, mas Dee"
changed There is 10 longer oppor'u"''E Io W
Waterman to sleep his beat under eAS''ns ~
cumstances This very tendency 10 aiio" ~
nose 10 steal upon his weary watches was the rea
- ~ r,.r devoted their time to developing de-
-,ca which should keep them up TO their work. Up
~ that time owners had no way OF Aii'"s
.notber the Waterman did his work or not anu
oftentin,es found to their sorrow that ne hiu ho'
as losses BY fire and burglary proved
The calling of a Waterman has been recosn'~eu
800, aver since the time that mankind mas
hon abe +, get together enough 10 need watch-hS
Armies police and detectives have come ihto eN
istence from this same need OF Watc"'is' ~ MOI
u.ho holds a position Waterman may NC pU
down az honest industrious. strong oraNe "''
,r,stworthy for all these qualifications are neces
gary 70 hold office. He must be healthy anu c"p
h,a y, endurance for the hours are long, tedlous
and monotonous Duty begins at p m. anu emu
az 6 a M and there Is no such thing as nappi"s'
for one might oversleep in that case ana 'hen e-o
would be no end Of trouble to pay.
Large rich important business and hnanciai
hors.s are never without watchmen. and some men
y, ,b,s profession command large salaries IN
buildings where there is large wealth stored inc
monthly wages amount to as Inuch as sl'"' ~
this the wages range down 10 as low as S'o
Most of the large office buildings which nave oeeh
bu,lt IN the last few years guarded al nlght ny
oi,l
of,e- and close I'D for the night without leaving
any one in the building This Is because the ouI-u-
ing is freproof and because IN the oiuiia' ~
there is little to attract thief or make IL WIT"
his while to undertake the amount OF WORN ~"
cary N get in without any on the OUTSIDE KNOW
ing it 49,, IN, ,een
Tbere ia a new species of Waterman that mas peen
evolved from the rapid increase OF hgh Duhoihss,
They are variously known as 'hailmef' e'dr.e
and "special officers" and will be seen IN the ha''
uav ~ any building OF Importance In the Gown.
way " dstriyct From a converse ton with ore OF
tt csc men II learned tlat nc n'i ,y III
lshnso TO ann mace eenduc He said that the fea
ture of his position was tnat ne wd nnarenf good
Reason save that the proprietor Of the bhd ans
wanted to put on as big a s sho the a other buildings
who were going in for gay uniforms az, am az az thc
pomp ana and 5y WEAKNESS caused by the long hours
srant upon his feet his employers salu ma I'LL ~
sarv discipline and order must be observed both by
ne starter and the elevator boys, who were also
nor allowed to SIT down during the hours OF worK'
1'ontnuine he SAID that the days work was loiie
heirp ten and eleven hours at stretch Wltnout
bolidsv in the whole year and for thls serV.ce ne
receved $40 a week. When night came MS Ieet W.
90 tired and swollen that before going 10 peu nc
was Obliged to soak them In hot wafer 10 asSuase
the pain .,.,...u .ho, ,b,s was rather
harsh treatment made the rounds or several oi tng
largest buildings where such men are einplo!eu a'II
mi the following questions TO them with view VI
aaecert aiming how nearly true the company wds
: How long have you been In your present posi-
tion3 How many hours day do you Work :.
What 10 your months pay? T. Are you aiioWeHH - !.
st, down during the performance OF your uuty .
10 Won consider your wages adequate lot tne Sc ,
,JceS Won render? g. DO you consider the noun .oS
| ,orgo 7 DO YOU get any vacation IN the yeaL
& Rhat is your physical condition at the eho oi 'n'
| day? -. u,,1.,,ors from, q score or more
., watchmen showed tat the average hours I'd ,
80 IN with a time for luncheon In the Hildue VI
nc dav The wages ran from $40 TO $50 month Ihe
ma iority complained that the pay was hot enousi
Tor The work done and the length or tune occups.
;D doing n All were obliged TO stan1 during tl'
nr.tre dav with but or two exceptions. IN re
| gard 70 vacations half got a week or so whiIe t.'
ee,her half had none all. Also. WITH the keep
lion NJ one man all complained OF Delng al %oi
| onf when the day ended. Sucn was the =,
fa,ic,,e that they had desire TO 30 anyihi,s IL
,be evening but go to bed and that at an carry nou
| All we're anxious TO have their conditlon seI'atco
Nth the hope that something might De done 70 PEI
| shade their employers 10 allow them al lcas' 'n'
rr,,.ilege Of sitting down occasionally 10 rest.