The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1897-01-23
oFFIoE WINDOW cLEANERs


New Industry Employing THOUSANDS 81
Men ETns. Gr0wn Up is ChseAro.
The rapid increase in che number OF
tall buildings III Chicago8nrecan years
has begotten q new industry. It is the
cleaning of its windows and outer walls
of the many .'~skysorapers," 50 numer-
GUS in Chicago.
The army of employees who pursue
th~lsseemingly perilous profession num-
bers thousands, and there Is d healthy
Increase every year. They are but fairly
welIpaid;c considering the skill required.
The danger incurred seems great, but
the occupation is not 50 dangerous as
it appears, for there are few fatal ac-
cidents. This is due to The fact that
from the necessity Of such profession
there have grown several patented de-
vices which have minimized fatalities
The most important Of these devices
is the 'life guard which MAJ be- seen
attached to the windows Of almost any
of the tall buildings in the downtown
district. It is q steel rod arranged trans
versely with respect to the window, so
as to protect the window cleaner from
falling and dashing out his life. This
rod is attached by an arm on eithen
side, each arm fitting into o patent
socket on the window sill. Another de-
vice is found in the rope attachment,
which secures the operator against the
danger of falling. The rope is fas.
tened to the window sill, and attached
to b belt around the body Of the man az
work. 1t is sufficiently long to allow
him full play for working.
The continuance used for cleaning tho
exterior Of walls is as simple as the
either devices. Ii is a kind Of scafoId
depending fromthe top of the tall build
ing or alongside the wall BY means OF
ropes on either end. The use OF pulleys
allows the scaffold to be lowered ami
drawn up as necessity may demand
All Of the buildings in Chicago, large
or small, are kept clean and tidy. Els.
pecial attention is paid to the windows.
This requires constant work, and reg
ular corps Of professionals + em-
ployed for that specific duty.
In the Masonic building, which has
1,400 windows, six men are kept wash.
ing them week in and out, AS a result
each window is attended to once a week.
At the same time the exterior walls are
brushed as often. Two men are ena-
ployed to clean the marble walls Of the
court twice a week.
The Stock Exchange building enc
lploys four window men regularly, and
sometimes adds extras. It's windows
are passed over as often as those of the
Masonic Temple, Once year the walls
are washed.
At the Monadnock there arc Owe and
sometimes more. The Rookery has
four; Chamber OF Commerce, six.
Unity, Ave; Home Insurance, three:
tho Temple, W. CT. U..three: Cont
mental four, Marquette, FIVE; Chicago
Title and Trust, threes Old Colony, two.
From two to elk are employed on tha
other big buildings. The salary Of these
men ranges from $40 to $50 per month
Most Of them are former sailors.
Less than ten years ago professional
window cleaner was not Known Id Chi
eago OF any other city. Every man
looked after his own windows. In
Consequences they were not always
clean. Nov the owners of the buildings
have this work done by salaried men,
and the expense has becna hxed charge.
Chicago Times-HeraId.