The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-12-23

~A AN1TARY ENG1NEER-the
T8@N title sounds differently
8&NE from the old one of plumb
K@k er, doesn't 1t?
NV 1t wasn't so long ago
comparatively speaking
that a plumber didn't amount to much
at least, in the public estimation; for
it has been only recently-again speak
ing cOmparatively-tha there has been
much attention, other than the old rule
of thumb sort, paid to plumbing, per
Sc and the closely allied subjects of
heating and ventilation. Modern con-
ditions, however, have resulted in
such tremendous advancement in build
ing methods that there Is now room
for the exercise Of the highest eff
cheney in all these branches Of the
plumbing trade, so-called. Indeed, In
these most important subdivisions of
building, the requirements are so In.
creasingly intricate and important that
the old trade of plumbing has become
a veritable scientific professionalism
of sanitary engineering.
Therefore, when you are casting
about for vocation for your boy, and
he doesn't care for any of the regular
professions or the other trades, trr
plumbing of the new brand; for here
is opportunity for him to exercise all
the brains he may possess, and also to
advance as high in the worlds rewards
and esteem as re probably could in
any other line.
When the young man makes his
start. however, he will find that he
must drudge along for five years, as
a mere helper at about 1926 day for
eight hours work, and without oppor-
tunity to make substantial advance
ment I'LL the end of that time. But
even so, if he should make his begin.
ming when he is sixteen, he will have
passed this probationary period by the
time he is twenty-one, and will then
be known as a full master plumber and
earning IS or moro a day, with a fine
future directly ahead OF him-which is
soon enough for one to have made such
progress.
The requirements for beginning are
practically nothing. To get a job, 60
to pluMber Of the new sort, and ask
him, and he will employ the boy if
he has an opening. If he hasn't an.
other will, and then begins the boy s
halt-decade of work and learning, dur
ing which period it is up to him to
make himself just about the best
plumber in the business by the time
he is through his apprenticeship. The
work at the start will be little more
than that Of rOustabout for your boy
will know nothing 70 the trade; but
he will soon become familiar with the
ways in which plumbers do things, and
before long will know and be told what
he had best study at nights and odd
hours.
After this there will be steady prog
reSS, until at the end of his five years
he should have no difficulty in pass.
ing the most difficult examination
that civil service or other eXamir.
ing board can think out 1t is the Gus.
tom III mos: cities nowadays to requir'?
licenses from plumbers, and to gct
these more or less severe eXamina.ior1
must De passed. Fowcver, they ar
no more severe than an ordinarif7
bright boy should DC able to s,r
through after his five years of appreI
ticeship ana study.
The next step for your son, who IS
now q master plumber, is a foreman
ship, which he mag get very soon;
ma!be at once. if his employers do an
extensive business. for, as in other
lines, the luan who shows executive
ability IS net at all common. Foremen
get about fifty cents a day more than
plumbers; out they have the further
advantage nf being ste adily employed
whereas. ordinary NOrzmen are more
subject 10 the vicissftutles of the trade
generally losing time between jobs, OF
on account Of bad weather, or having
to wait for Carpente s, bricklayers, OF
others to get out o. the way Also
the foreman is given extras in the way
of overtime. etc, wlich may amount
to considerable in the course of a
year.
A foreman has anywhere from a few
up to fifty or more WOrkmen under
him. according to the Importance al
the building or other work in hand
In case it IS important work, such as
a lnrge hot,l or office building, where
fifty or mere men at work on the
plumbing, your son might be head
foreman. al make as much as $40 8
dag, and might reach this important
position before he is thirty years old.
;'he next step upward VIII be to {
su?erintend ency for big construction
or contract firm, when he would have
to make estimate OF cost, ETC., for the
plumbing on large work, in addition tc
being the direct bead Of all foreme1
employed by that company. In this
case his pay would be anywhere from
$4,000 to $4,000, or even more, an
nually.
But long before this time your boy
would have perhaps formed numerous
valuable acquaintance among large
contractors, architects and others Ell
gagged in building operations, and have
plenty OF opportunities to get into
business for himself Backing would
not be lacking: for building is one Of
the most impos tant and profitable line: