The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-03-30
HUMAN SIGNBOARDS.
PIE MEN WHO CARRY THE BANNERS
FOR ADVERTISERS.

tOK ROVER ISERS.
enc of the Brotherhood Who Peram-
bulates New York's Streets Tells
of the Methods and Rules Which
Govern His Peculiar Occupation.
His aspect was that of a creature
hopelessly gone to seed. His move
ments betrayed a listlessness which q
fiery, sodden face, framed in unkempt
white hair and beard, denoted was born
of mortal apathy. From his neck hung
cheap nickel clock. Over his slender,
narrow shoulders loomed a great oil
cloth banner inscribed with gilt letters,
which advertised to State streets null
titude the eminent superiority of some
bOdy's shoes, for he was a peripatetic
sign man who went floating along in
the human sea until an eddy tossed
him into a side street with a precipi-
tation due perhaps to the presence of a
dingy, forlorn little saloon of evil and
farreaching odors, into which the Gu
rious observer invited him that he
might get story.
"Who am I? Nobody but the vet
eran. banner lugger in State street.
Otherwise, viewed as an atom of the
social system, Pm blot, child Of the
gutter, and all the usual rot which an
emotional imagination may be able to
supply. l never was long on adjec-
tives, and sentiment and parted COM
pany years ago. But, as say, I'm the
h
wilderness, for 1 have been at it
through storm and sunshine for seven
years and that with few Interruptions
to appease the longings of moral de-
linquency common to the race of BAN
| ner packers. Appear to have some
education? 1 don't know. Maybe 1
had once, but I'm too much of a phi
losopher for "reminiscences"
"Better remove your-your banner"
| suggested the curious observer as they
| entered the dingy, forlorn little saloon.
"You'll feel easier"
Cant" replied the red faced packer
laconically. Locked in
| Locked in! You don't mean It?
Yes, that's a gospel fact" continued
the packer, edging himself through the
narrow door. You will notice that
the shoulder pieces attached to my
banner are part Of an iron band which
goes around my waist. At the back
the band works on hinges, and it is
locked on me by the foreman of the
banner packers when l start out In
the morning. ! come back to the start
ing point at noon, and the foreman
unlocks them, leaving me free for ar
hour to eat If have the price of 8
morsel or so, or to loaf around wishing
l was some one else, with my teett
aching from too close an application
to truffies and pheasants, II haven't
Then at 1 O'Clock am locked into my
iron frame again and set forth to pacl
the banner until 6 o'clock. when my
work for the day ends and l am a
liberty to go to my lodgings"
Virtually, then, you are a prisone
during your working hoursT said tn,
curious observer.
Virtually, yes." responded the ban
ner packer. 81 am one of the hun
dreds who are patrolling the streets O
New York today in iron frames an,
who are just as much imprisoned a
our friends in Sing Sing or the male
factors who parade in ball and chain
For certain hours we move up an,
, down locked in irons, and, although
our shoulders may become racked wit
, pain, we have no relief except at tn
noon hour and quitting time, unles
we return between times and resig
our jobs.''
why are you locked In the frames ?
Because the advertisers demand Il
Many months ago they discovered tina
a majority of their peripatetic sig
: men were dishonest and availed then
' selves of every opportunity to hid
their signs as soon as they were OF
of sight Of the establishments emplo,
ing them"
"Are- banner packers governed b
any fixed rules?'
ITO be sure we are. We are not a
lowed to walk the thoroughfares
couples, and we must not keep our bal
Il ners out in q rain which seems W.
enough to do them serious injury. w
n are forbidden to talk to persons WI
), accost us during working hours an
g are particularly enjoined from conve
r sation with packers engaged by riv,
concerns. To be caught taking a drin
means instant dismissal.
What territory do we coverp II
whole Of Greater New York. Each OF
e of us has defined district and is 70
e hidden to overlap another's on pain
e dismissal. But men in my professie
d are not punctilious, and when we CO
" get together for chat and q pint v
; never fail to embrace the opportunit
:. Few besides members of the fraterr
ty seem willing to talk to a bann
~ packer. We are outcasts, pariahs, Il
= spurned of all the little world. Ho,
s. ever. it isn't worth while to rehear
er our personal histories in detail. v
come from all classes, the highest
well as the lowest, from every walk
life, but all of us are united on OF
common plane, and that is hopeless
I'd competency. We're the failures, Il
I'd social wrecks, whom your busine
~ man scans askance and passes on
81 beyond the pale of commercial reeogi
o9l ton. He doesn't want us. Nobody W
sr have us except those advertisers w
think banner packing a good thing
~ their business.
"Our pay is very small. The avera
compensation is 80 cents a day and
as meal or two, or from Is cents to 81
lie those packers who do not get a gr,
ls stake. However, there are not MAJ
:. of US who can get 81 day."-Ne
- York Telegraph.
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