Memphis Daily Appeal

CLERKS.
How they Live and What they do in Large Cities.

The New York correspondent of the Providence Press describes the life of the clerks in that city:

Some of the establishments have as many as two hundred clerks in their employ. They are expected to dress well, to keep up with the fashions, so as to be in keeping with the general style of things about them. They must be at business promptly at eight in the morning, a strict account being kept of any failure to do so, which is reported by the head of the department to the general manager. All the day long they are kept on their feet, under watchful eyes, and with a multitude of details to attend to: and at noon they must hurry out for a hasty lunch and be back as soon as possible, flying the day through until seven or eight o'clock at night. In the busy season they are liable to be worked until eleven or twelve o'clock at night, and in the dull season, which comes on in the city often enough, they are just as liable to be discharged at a week's notice, and though they have been years in the house, and been faithful in every way.

It is a well known fact that New York merchants care nothing for the interests of their clerks, and the larger and more prosperous the house, the more anxious it is to save a few dollars, by cutting down hands in dull times. The supply of clerks is always so large that at the approach of busy days they can easily fill up again. With the exception of men who bring trade, and are engaged by contract, no clerk is sure of his place beyond the passing week. And for it all, what salary is received? By careful search through all branches of trade, it is found the average is not over fifteen dollars a week; falling in some, yes, in many cases, far below that, and rising, in a few exceptions, far above. Thus the head book-keeper of a prominent Broadway house gets a salary of thirteen thousand dollars, while under him are no less than six men, having the brunt of the work to do, who are paid three dollars a day. There are men in other houses who enjoy princely incomes, because they have drawn one of the prizes of trade; they have a trade of their own, which brings in large sums to their employer; they are paid for their work with unstinted hand. But all around them are men without this special advantage, though competent, who are barely getting a living.

Go into other lines of business. An entry clerk in a great grocery, or produce, or tea house, is thought well paid, for the first few years at least, with five hundred salary. He must be a crack penman, and devote himself, like a dray horse, to business, even to retain the position, where, in this overcrowded city, so many are eager to get it. A young friend of mine worked six years in one wealthy commission house, giving night and day to the affairs, hoping each season, as he saw his services were worth more than he was getting, that the firm would raise his salary. At last his efficient business quality attracted the attention of a rival company, who offered him a large advance. He announced his intention of leaving his employer, who then woke up to his value, and told him he could not spare him, and wanted him to name the salary he wished. And this is a fair sample of the mercantile style in New York.

The clerks in banks are well paid, well treated, and are oftentimes provided with dinners free. In fact, some of the banks get up daily a luxurious dinner for their clerks, serving it hot and nice in the bank parlor or other room provided for the purpose. These fortunates also receive a semi-yearly gift from the bank for faithful service, ranging from fifty to three hundred dollars. And, as might be supposed, there are five hundred applicants for every vacancy that occurs.

The lack of a home sends the clerk too often on the streets for amusement. Thousands of young men are living in New York without any check upon them in the way of home influence. Dissipation finds them out quick. Disappointed or weary, they seek those exciting pleasures of town life which blast and kill. Not being able to meet the demand of these follies, they gamble, hoping to raise money; they rob employers, going on from small sums to large amounts, and at last become reckless. Even as I write, memory brings up the careers of clerks I have known and watched—young men who were of New England, of good families, who, in some evil, wayward, tempting hour, fell into the pitiless snares, and were caught beyond hope in the meshes who sunk name and caste and broke the hearts of fond parents at home! They came to New York meaning well, and with high-beating hearts. But its whirling life was too much for them. Its competition and merciless demands broke their spirit—they lost honor—they lost themselves!