The Wages of Painters in the United States.

Manufacturer and builder 5, 1877

New York City. — For fresco and ornamental work, $3 per day; plain house work, $2.50; sign work, 15 cents per foot and upward to $2, according to quality. Trade improving a little.

Philadelphia. — Carriage painters, $2.25 per day.

Chicago. — $2.20 per day and upward; trade slightly improving; prospect not flattering, for a large number are idle.

New Orleans, La. — Painters, $12 per week; gilders, $15 to $18; ornamenters, $15 to $18; helpers, $6. Rates are lower than last year; trade dull; from 1,500 to 2,000 idle; one new firm commenced business lately; prospect gloomy.

Hartford, Conn. — Painters, $9 per week; grainers. $12; gliders, $12; ornamenters, $15; helpers, $8. Rates in some cases 50 per cent lower than last year; trade very dull; three-fourths are idle — perhaps more. Two firms suspended lately, and others are about to suspend; prospect is anything but promising. There is no building, and no old work to be done in comparison with former years.

Oswego, N. Y. — $1.75 to $2 per day; trade dull.

St. Louis, Mo. — Painters, $2.50 per day; grainers, $2.50 to $3; gilders, $2; fresco painters, 43; paper-hangers, $2.50; decorators and gilders, $10 per week. Trade dull at present; prospect is not very good.

Cincinnati, Ohio. — House painters, $12 per week; fresco painters, $15; gliders, $11; decorators, $15. Rates lower than last year; trade very dull.

San Francisco, Cal. — Ship painters, $2.50 per day.

Savannah, Ga. — Carriage painters, $3.50 to $4 per day; house painters, $2.50; grainers, $3; ornamenture, $3.50 to $4.

Washington, D. C. — Painters, $1.50 to $2.75 per day; grainers, $2 to $2.50; gliders, $2; ornamenters, $3; helpers, $1.25 to $1.50.

Detroit, Mich. — Painters, $1.50 to $2.75 per day; grainers, $2 to $3; gilders, $1.50 to $2.50; ornamenters $2 to; helpers, $1 to $1.25. Trade dull.

Providence, R. I. — Painters, $2 per day; grainers, $2; gilders, $1.80; ornamenters, $2.25; helpers, $1.25.

Milwaukee. Wis. — Carriage painters, $1.75 per day; ornamenters, $2. Trade dull.

Altoona, Pa. — Car painters, 42 per day. Trade dull.

Litchfield, Ill. — Car work, $1.85 to $2 per day. Busines improving.

New Bedford, Mass. — For the last four months trade has been very dull, owing in some degree to the weather, hut more to the hard times. Painting and papering, 35 cents per foot; graining, 40 cents; sign-painting, plain, black, or colored, 25 cents per running foot; shaded. 50 cents; gold, 75 cents to $1.20 per foot. Trade dull; spring promises better.

Atlanta, Ga. — Painters, $1.50 per day; grainers, $2. Rates the same us last year. Trade very dull; prospects very poor.