The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-12-31
rERRyHUxT sooTntAcKs.



Hsnpss Haodred of Them In New Yori
Iss Hsass In sSso,eOO Yearly.
70 10 Q trifiing thing, n ferryboat
shine whom considered by itself, and
quits liksly to lack luster, as we all
know. but considered in the aggre.
gate. the business Of polishing the
Shoes Of commuters and Brooklyn
men who come to town by boat is
altossthsr too big to be sneezed at.
AssoEAins 10 William Dodd, who
soatsoh tho shine boys on the Ho-
bossn boats, at least $1,000 is ex-
pended for shines on the various
ferry lines every weekday, or more
than ss0o, 600 a year.
Including the Kings County Ele-
vatcd railroad trains, on which shoe
shiniRe IN permitted, the same as
on the ferry boats" said Mr.. Dodd,
othe true figures are undoubtedly
much In excoaa of those named, as
you can fnd out for yourself with a
/ little nguring. There arc five con-
tractors, firms and corporations now
engaged in the business Of ferryboat
and elevated railroad shoe polish
ing. The largest of these concerns
employs 100 boys or more and the
smallest not less than 20. ] should
sny that between 300 and 400 shin
ers in all are at work every day
among tho commuters.
Tho boys get quite as large a
share Of the gross intake in the
shoe polishing business as the en-
r1oyccs in any other business, and
better, am sure, than in some. On
this line We pay 'greenhorn' IS a
week; when he has been with US q
little while we raise him to So and
later to ST.
1.-The boys are allowed TO keep all
the tips they receive. Besides, they
can have all they can earn shining
shoes on the boats after o'clock in
the evening, when their service as
our employees is brought to a close
each day" An ambitious boy can
get together $1O or oven s12 a week
on the Hoboken boats by hustling,
and when you consider the mental
grade OF the boys, that is not at all
bad"
OF courre, there are elaborate
rules for the guidance of the boys
on every ferry line. They are or.
dcred to speak nothing but English
when ON duty, not to smoke or chew
tobacco, not to swear, TO stay on
the mems side of the boat and to
Keep as clean and tidy as possible
that 10, their faces must lie washed,
their hair copbcd, and their blue
uniforms brushed every morning.
Moreover, their susponders, which
arc much in evidence il warm
weather, when tho boys wear no
coats, must always he whito and
cluan. This seems to lie considered
Of skovt Importance On nearly every
lfEo, ard on ore line the boys re
cctvo eiean suspcnders free Of charge
FROM thor employers twice week
tho yccr round.
Cne Of the most important duties
Of the boys is to keep close record
Of their shines, and each is furnish
Cd WITT littie book for that pur-
pors. Whom boy shines pair OF
klsck rhoss, FOR which he charges
cents, ko rnshes straight mark iii
tAo bvok. II tbs shoes shined are
ya<snt sather or russet, for which
the eAArss 10 10 cents, he puts down
an i, sad FOR ID cent Gil and pol
ieA hs i~zrlihes both an X and a
essaisht nserA.
IA bamea netare il weak and fal-
hbSe, svea aSioLg bootblacks, the
vorA and etnAuct of the ferry boats
shiners arc carefully supervised by
npeciel inspectors, who are likely to
appear on say boat at aEy mon ent.
TAsse of. cials," rs they like to
term themselves, are generally
graduates from the ranks Of the
sinners and right proud they are of
their rise in life. their chief duty
is not. as might lo supposed, to
watch for knocking down." hut
for impcliteness OF loor work.
New York Press.