Document text
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0069
Date received
nsignment no.
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Amount
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Wr4 PROJECT L-241/24.17,4_ :UNIT
Forn.1-3
Place of origin_
Project worker
Project editor
Remarks d214.,
W969
FQLKLORE
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
CHICAGO
STATE Illinois
NAME OF WORKER Jack Conroy
ADDRESS 3569 Cottage Grove Ave.
DATE Misy 11, 1939
SUTJECT Industrial Folk Lore
NAME OF INFORMANT Frank DeSoto
DeSoto is a Spanish -Irish *boomer" sign painter who
says he is a direct lineal descendant of his explorer namesake. His story
is unedited, even as to punctuation. This story is an experiment with the
method used by Jack Commons in editing his Seven Shifts CS., -P. Dutton A Co.,
1930. Commons found it more satsifactory to ask his informants to write
their stories in their own words. After considerable editing he evolved what
he believes to me typical stories of seven typical workers in seven industries.
-2
The indelsnoe of those two men was notorious. Either could sleep at a
moment's notice. They had been known to sleep three times on a three "stretch'
wall. At the end of each wowing" they would to use Dippy's wenwordo 'take a
rest" and be down on the 'stage and go to sleep. Subconscious had been known to
go to the "tee to 'tie off* and go to sleep on the roof, leaving Dippy down
below holding the 'pull ropes* unable to do anything about it until Sub chose to
wake up. It was oommon to see Dip asleep in the warm sun perched precariously on
a box behind some stores* plate glass window. Mouth open, completely relaxed.
Doubtless many a nervous person, passing has wished for that ability of complete
relaxation.
This ability to relax had saved Dippy from serious injuries from falls. He
had fallen quite a number of times,with slight injuries, for it is said that to
relax or to keep one's joints loose while falling saves injuries. Go tense and
break a leg. Dippy had fallen 16 feet on to a oonoretestdowalk, bet up went back
on the stage and finished the job. Re had fallen from a 40 -feet stack, thrust
one leg through a roof and was up and around the next day. Ome time one of the
'woks parted the loose bricks of a fire wall and let the stage drop a foot. Dippy
didn't even lose his balance, but a brick hit him in the only place he couldn't
relax (his head all bone) and he was in the hospital two weeks with neubonia, which
later developed into fallen arches.
Hippy Flinn and Subconscious Connors slouched to a spot along the tracks, best
suited to the catching of the train and where the grade slowed said train to a
minimum of speed. Where the least amount of energy should be expended by these
two components of commodious comfort. Coe aboard and in a luxurious box oar of
ancient vintage they proceeded to inspect with a view to creature comforts their
prison of the next few hours. Dippy of oourse, had first choice and chose the
South by south east eerner for the southern exposure and the pile of straw
attached thereto. Subconscious had the ohoise of three lovely corners it &add
have been easy but with his usual care flbt took his time and stood pondering as to
the direoticn his rmainations may have gene something like this: *Let's see new,
let's see, Dip says he's in the south by south east corner, if the train was going
south the engine would be 'store the "caboose is now but it ain't it's on the ether
end so we must be goigg north if we're goinl north how can Dip be in the south se...
so corner they ain't no south in the north or is they I never heard so anyway..
Dippy says se and 14.ppy's always right, but I *ain't see, think I'll .it down
here and see if I ken figger it out. If this end of the car is south then the
other end must be north but they ought to be shade on one side or tlether and they
ain't so what*. wHeyl Dip which way we goin. mZZZ.N He's mieep maybe, bettor not
wake 'in.* *Oh Pippyie Nhatcha want?. allhioh way we goine "East, y'durn fecal"
Puzzled, Suboonscious slowly took off his coat and balled it up for a WIlow,
squirmed into as comfortable a position as the hard near allowed and was himself
soon fast asleep. The freight rattled along at a pretty good diveating up the
miles and it was not long before buboonsoious was rudely awakened, literally with
a bang, for with his usual lack of foresight he had fallen asleep with his head
too close to the wed of the car and the bump caused by the engineer's sudden re
lease of the throttle jerked his head against the end.
His howl awoke his majesty the journeyman, who with many grunts and groans,
got up to see where they were. *Looks like t fair sized burg, seems tome I've
been here beer., but they all look alike from the railroad track, dirty and gingy.
Looks like these small towns would have a little civic pride and clean up what the
cities can't, seem' as the railroads the only thing that keeps them on the map.*
With this renain. the train having come to a stop, the two climbed from their
journeying juggernaut and ambled towards the depot and perhaps the main street.
One of Sub's many accomplishments was his habit of being hungry,bebeing the
salesman of the partnership was always apt to solicit bakers and grocers first
with his offers of good signs cheap. Here often then not the remuneration was
taken out in trade and the numerous packages carried to the 'jungles' there to be
concooted into a "Mulligan.* Zippy and Subconscious were always noisome in the
jungles by the over present, 'buzzards' who were always ready to help gather fuel
and cooking utensils, in order to share in the feast. The Halligan, made by the
pair was a bonafide hobo stow everything in it but the railroad track. Potatoes,
onions, turnips, cabbage, sweet potatoes, corn, peas etc. were put in indiscri-
minately with the meat.
There had been times when the stew was not so perfect like the time in Hutohin-
son Kans., which town had been "bummed out" and the hobos in the jungles were
hungry and in a qaendary when Hippy had hit upon the idea of assigning each man
to a oertain kind of shop, one to the butcher, one to the baker, etc. Each was
to bum a specific item, but to take what he could get. When after a time, they
gathered again in the jungle and looked over the spoils it was found that but-
chers had donated one link of liver sausage, the grocers a quantity of lettuce,
potatoes, parsnips and some slightly damaged tomatoes, the bakers, stale bread
and buns. A mulligan was made, the akin of the sausage burst and was never again
recognized as such, the other ingredients were cooked into a mash. Hanger is not
discriminating, so all thought the stew was good which was all that was necessary.
They filled up and were satisfied, until the sheriff came down from the village
and ordered them ti get out on the next train. The concerted onslaught on the
stores of the good citizens had caused a protest against knights of the road and
their absenoe was urgently requested.
As the tee neared the depot. The -place seemed more familiar to friend Dippy
and soon he caught sight of a tall grain elevator and recognized a sign. He
had complete several years before high up on the side of it. He remembered the
layout now. Remembered the picture of a clown head, the biggest picture he had
ever painted the pupils of the eyes being et ft. in diameter. He had cause to
member that particular sign, esitad lost a good helper while working on it. The
job was almost completed, they had swung ever for the last stretch and had pulled
the stage about half way up, when, suddenly the rope slipped through the helper's
hands (In some way part of the pull rope had come in contact with grease —same
empty cans, paint paddles and what not, a block and falls 17) carelessly on the
floor, a half empty keg of white lead and other apparatus oommon to the trade. He
ventured farther into the paint laden atmosphere and let out a tentative "Hello."
He netioed now farther baoka long the wall something that looked human. It was
folded into a chair tipped back against what appeared to be a desk in the last
stages of decay. On closer examination it proved to be the prop, an old timer
whom Hippy had known long ago in another and better entironment. He had worked
with him at one of the best shops in the middle west. He had had a bad fall and
one leg had remained stiff and as his stage career was ended he had hid himself
to a small teen and built up a little business of his own. As the years went by
be had became more and more careless. His ambition was limited new to "getting
by" until he was called to the big shop where all signpainters are sketch artists
and the angels are their helpers. Hippy stepped back and yelled, "Hill.Happyl"
Web came the chair with a bang spilling its contents in a heap *althea floor 19
language unfit for the ears of polite society. The heap jerked itself into an
upright position the eyes assuming their natural feous and after a time recognized
the disturbing element and greeted him with enthusiasm. "Hippy Flinn& just the
boy I wanted to see. I been thinkinl about you the last few days. I got a job
for you. Remember the big elevator down by the tracks? You did it ones befere.
Remember?" "Yes, I remember. That's the last time I saw Pats! lbat ever
happened to him?" "Patsy? Oh yes, I remember him new that was the helper you had
then. He staid around here awhile, then got himself a job with a farmer out of
town a ways. Stops in every onoe in a while to say hello. He'll be in one of
these days."
"I like to see old Patsy he was a pretty good man while he lasted.
"Who's the man you got nos?"
"Subconscious Connors"
Dippy looked around for "Sub" and saw him fast asleep in the chair that had
just erupted with Happy. It was back in the original position (20) against the
desk but with an added feature. Sub had found a box plaoed it in front of the
chair and placed his heels thereon. The sight of "Sub" in this comfortable position
reminded nippy that he had been on his feet all gicdtwo hours and he also must need
rest. He spied a dilapidated overstuffed armchair edged ever to it and sank down
with a sigh of oontent. "Happy" found himself a box and placed himself in front
of Dippy and continued to keep him awake with reminiscences of the good old days.
Dippy in the meantime bethought himself of the desire to eat and mentioned that
desire to Happy. At the mention of food Subconscious* nose began to twitch but he
kept his eyes tightly closed in the hope that he would not be required to get out
of his comfortable position and repair to the store for it. But 4appy had other
ideas, his eyes searched the rear of the shop for his "shop punk" and shouted
"Doeskin" and tor the first time since he case in Dippy noticed the shapeless
bundle ensconced on a box in the shadows of the shop. The shape entangled himself
from the darkness and came forward his eyes wide in admiration of the boomer of
whom he had heard so much. In his eyes Dippy was a here, a God. The one whom
Happy always used to express perfection in signpainters. Dippy could do this,
Dippy coud do that, Dippy would de it this way and so forth had been drummed in his
ears until his imagination was imbued with the magic of Dippy, the super sign
painter. Happy introduced him as "Dumbfounded Doeskin and then instructed him
what to get and where to get it and that on the way be could deliver that show -card
to Devine the dry -good merchant and not to forget to ask the grocer for a little
salt. The talk lapsed into the goild old days. Of the time Patsy was elected door
man at the union hall and made his boss stand outside because he couldn't give the
password and Patsy wouldn't apprise the chair of his presence and how the boss had
ranted and raved about it so much that Patsy had to quit and get another job, he
wasiNt forced to but be did and the boss tried to get him back 'cause he was a
good man. HOW Charlie Obst and "Dash" Fogarty when painting a big Maxwell sign
on a building high up on the bluff facing the drive the wind oame up blew the
planks off one of the stages they were using and hew they scrambled to get off
and hew "Dash" brought a quart of his grandma's balsam and whiskey one morning
and they weren't any good the rest of the day. How Maxie G 25 had flirted with
a girl in a window of the house they were working on and married her two weeks
later, that he had three kids now and that one was apprentice in the Outdoor shop,
and so -throughout the afternoon.
tUmbfounded Doeskin had been listening with eyes open and ears wide for he
had made recterd time in his trip to get groceries not willing to miss a word of
conversation. Talk filially 24) around to the job an the elevator, Happy had
been unable to got any one to do it on account of the height. "The signpainters
they put out nowadays are afraid to go high", says he "You tell 'me what you need
Dippy and I'll get it for you."
"What about falls. I'll need 200 footers on that wall if remember rightl
and here with hidden wink at Happy he said "What about sky hooks you stillket that
pair I brought you the last time I came through here?"
Happy maintained a straight face and solemnly pondered his answer.
"New let me see who did I land them tot "Oh yes& I lent them to the house
painter at the other end of town. Doeskin, "Come here!" You go down there and
find out if he's through with them and while your at it get that left handed
yardstick he promised me."
Doeskin got to his feet and started his chunky body rolling toward the door
he wondered at the roar of laughter that went up as he started down the street
towards his objective.
He had never heard of the stmange implements he was sent for so he could not
be expected to know that he was eff in search of the golden fleece, as it were,
and that many a step would be take before it came to him via surreptitious smiles
-9
and ill -hidden grins that the sky hooks and left handed yardsticks were a myth.
Doeskin was a good natured boy and he laughed with the rest over his mis-
adventures and thereby set himself in solid with his out of town friends. If he
had shown ire in any respect he would have been further bedeviled, as the apprentice
is fair prey. His good nature spiked their grins and henceforth be was able to
pick up many valuable hints spoken for his edification by the lazy Dippy who was
'ever ready to help a ycungster on his way and they were many who could say that
Dippy taught them what they know.
Dippy was the bezt kind of a teacher being too lazy to show them, he told them
what to do and then let them practice it themselves on some of his jobs. If they
did it right he let it go, if not he did it over himself thereby showing them by
experience where their mistakes were. Dippy was a natural philosopher; he made
his Utopia as he went along. His motto was 'Do unto ethers as you wish to be done
but keep your hand on your pocket book pocket*,
Dippy had net his helper in "jungles* of an eastern city. Subconscious
was uneducated but was smart enough to keep his mouth shut in the presence of
strangers. It was net until after be had roamed around for several months with
Hippy that he thawed enough to confide some of his adventures. He was born in the
'Ghetto' of a great metropolitan city. He had gone to school as little as possible
and then only when a truant offioer caught him and threatened reform school. His
mother had died when he was very young and left him as the sole charge of a worth-
less father who left him to his own devices. He had made his esoape when the other
members of his gang had been caught stealing the brass plumbing from a railroad
passenger car. The officers had hidden in the cars and disappear. He had swung
on a passing freight and thus started on his travels. He became acquainted with
2 men on the train who turned out to be burglars; they persuaded him to join them
and for a while be was their lookout and sometimes was boosted over transoms and
through small windows. After several months of this, receiving no money, be
he decided to leave these men and go on his wen. He had waited until they were
asleep cue night, and stele away. It was shortly after this be had attached him-
self to Dippy.
Sub was quick to learn and attentive to any words of instruction. He won the
good graces of the journeymen by his ability to sell signs thus keeping them
supplied with funds. He had learned the use of the falls, hew to tie off and was
not afraid to go high. He was as much at home on the stage up high as be was near
the ground.
Dippy and Sub slept in the shop that night and were awakened next morn, when
Happy opened up. After 'coffee and' they gathered together the tools and
materials for the big job. Dippy inspected the falls for "dry rot,* repaired a
block of which the pin was loose. Sub took the stage ladder out beak of the shop
and burnt off the accumulated paint with gasoline in order to lighten it. He went
to a lumber yard and brought back new planks, and burnt out rase paint pots and
cleaned out "fillers" *cutters* and *Makes* that had not been used lately and
were asunial *louse? from standing in gas se long. Everything was then carted
to the elevator and while Subconscious faound his way to the roof through the
inside of the building, Dippy arranged the falls. Arriving at the roof, Sub threw
down one end of a line on whioh the hook and one end of the fall was attmhed.
He then pulled it up, hooked it over the edge of the building and !lied it back so
that it could not slip off. He went through the same procedure with the other
and came down and helped Dippy assemble the stage and mix color.
The stage oensisted of two slings, two bumpers, a twenty-two ft. wire
ladder and VS in. planks on which to stand. The slings, also waled stirrups,
are made of rope (in some states ether than Missouri it is required by law that
they be made of iron) and has a loop in the middle which fits over the hook at
the lower end of the fall. The two free ends also have loops and are fitted an
each end of the bumper. The bumper is a two by four with a wheel on one end which
runs against the wall holding the stage out. The stage rests on the bumper between
e
-11•
the stirrups and is pulled upwards by means of a free rope or pull rope. When
the stage is pulled up to the reqpired bight, the operator takes a half-hitch
through the sling and over the hook of the lower block one rope crossing over,
the other binding it tight into the V-shaped crotch formed under the middle
loop of the sling.
nippy mixed colors by guess. Looking at the wall, be measured in his mind
how much it would take and mixed accordingly; but working on the theory that it
is better to mix too much than not enough. With his sketch before him on the
ground he matched colors which Sub mixed black and white lead. There was a
picture of a negro mammy to be painted this time and Sub scouted about for a box
and empty tin OKUS• The cans to be used for the various shades and colors. The
box to hold them on the stage so that they would not be inadvertently kicked off
while working. A large price of tin for a pallets, they were ready to start. The
wall not coated as is the ease now -a -days; but as it was a black background it
mattered little.
Some journeymen start at the bottom of the sign and layout and 'spot on'
going up. This procedure, always seemed to Dippy to be doing twice what could
be done over. Be started at the top and came down completing each stretch on the
way. They pulled up to the top and Sub went up, climbed over unto the stage and
tied off; then 'hippy followed.
Unless it is impossible to So so the job is always started from left to tight
where there is more than one swing. As the picture was on that end, Slippy had
previouslysoaled off his sketch and had to do the same on the wall. Each was
marked off in squared and what was in each square on the sketch was put in each
square on the wall. In this manner the picture was drawn and painted from the
sketch. But experience enters into the scheme of things for the workman is paint-
ing only a segment of the whole as he lowers himself and must constantly keep in
mind bow it is going to look at a distance. The picture on the sketch may be weak
-12
in color and the journeyman must strengthen the highlights and shadows
accordingly. Be must watch his drawing, as it is very easy to lose per-
spective on a big picture. In the big towns where there is more than one
sign to be painted a "perferated pounce", is used in order that the drawing
be the same on each sign. Also in the larger cities when a number of signs
have the same picture and that picture is to be executed in "poster style"
the various colors are sometimes mixed in quantity before -hand and each
journey man is required to Rae these roady mixed colors. y thus confining
the workman he is precluded the use of his own ideas as no two signpainters
work alike even to the lettering.
As the picture began to take an shape spectators gathered to watch aid
guess what it was going to be. Their loudspoken comments were audible to
the two on the stage who grinned at each other over some of the wisecracks.
Some were of the opinion that sign painting was easy witness the fact that
they even had a sketch to go by. ftho couldn't paint a sign?. said they.
*Why, there's nothing to it." Others thought it hard. In the first place
they said,wIt takes courage to work so high in the air."
The average signpainter thinks nothing of working high. Danger never
enters his mind. Balancing himself on the comparatively narrow stage becomes
second nature. The greatest danger lies, not as would be supposed on falling
outward, but inward. The possibility of one's pressing too hard or suddenly
against the wall thereby throwing the stage out from it and causing one to
fall between the stage and wall in all too easy. A building that has a cornice
extending out, say one foot from the wall is dangerous beeause the wheel of
the bumper touches very lightly and the least push will send the stage swing-
ing outward leaving a gap through, which there would be no returning.
There are otherdingers. Arriving at the job too late one evening to swing
up, Dippy had left the falls on the roof of the 14 story hotel. The next day
being Saturday there was no weak. The falls lay on the roof until Monday.
Monday morning Dippy started work as usual; nothing appeared wrong with the
falls when let down over the edge of the roof. The owner of the building next
door regused to let him swing from his roof so Dippy had to make what is
called a roof swing. When making a roof swing, the fall is shortened block
to block, the big hook is put on and wired or tied, the stirrups and bumpers
are assembled in place and hooked on to the lower block and with a man on each
end the entire outfit is lifted carefully over the wall and let down until the
big hooks come in contact with the fire wall after which one man climbs down
and takes the planks which are handed to him from the roof. All this is
difficult, necessitating a stmong back and a weak mind. After the stage was
swung the sign was started. When half way down Dippy was surprised to see ane
of the stands of the rope part and unwind itself to the block. Just as he
called it to the attention of the helper another parted and he felt a slight
give to the stage; even then he did not get excited or soared. As did his
helper. There was a window a few feet below and he had the courage to let the
stage down to the window on that one remaining strand of the rope. He did it
very carefully knowing that a sudden jerk would part the rope and precipitate
him to the concrete side walk eight stories below. The window being now within
reach the helper opened it and climbed inside. He found a phone and called
the shop telling them what had happened and what was needed. Meanwhile Dippy
had remained on the stage. He had gone to the other end, tied the guy line
around his middle and waited. As he waited he began thinking of what had
happened and what could still happen. He could visualise himself down there
on that sidewalk. He could see the ladder sticking out of the top of some
automobiles' roof. All sorts of dire calamities flashed through his brain.
.15.
Sub had disappeared long before.. Dippy took Happy to his home then Happy
said he'd go with Dippy to keep him company. Arriving at the shop Dippy de
aided that Happy must have companionship on his way home and so on. Morning
found Dippy sitting on Happy's front steps where he had fallen asleep waiting for
Happy when he had last track of in their wanderings. He later found Happy
asleep at the shop him having had the same idea in his head that he must wait
for Dippy to see that he got home all right.
EXPLANATIONS OF TERMS
The pounce pattern is a piece of paper four feet wide and as long as is
necessary, on which the subject is drawn some tines by hand some times pro-
jected onto the paper by means of a projeotors a lantern with a series of mir-
rors and lenses. It is drawn from the reflection on the paper and then
pricked with a tailors pricking wheel.
The pounce bag is filled with charcoal for walls and bulletins with whiting
for glass. It is usually *de with oboese cloth and rubbed over the perforations
leaving the impression on the wall on glass as the ease may be.
*Jungles* is a hobo camping mound usually outside the towns limits so that
the town mershall has no jurisdiction over them as has 6 sheriff. Sometimes
there is a jungle on each side of town. In the large cities as a rule there is
no jungles as the hobos congregate in some certain part of town as suits their
purpose which of course is bogging for money, cheap saloons and eating houses.
This district, as you know is market street in our own fair city.
I *Workman* of course is a *Joumneyman or journeyman signpainter and as
suoh is defined in our International Union. Commercial man, one who works only
on glass and smaller glasses of signs. Sketch man makes the sketch from which
the signpainter works. A lay -out man is used in the studios of big shops and
does nothing but laying out lettering. The completed signs are apt in this
way to have the same characteristics and so look alike.
"The all around man" can do anything glass, walls, bulletins etc. A
combination man is one who paints the picture and lettering. A picture paint er
is sometimes unable to do lettering.
"Native son" is self explanatory.
A "Stretch" is the distance that can be reached in one swing.
A "Swing" desoribes the stage as it hangs on the well.
The "tie off" is the half hitch make under the crotch of the sling and
over the hook on the lower block; this is very important and is the first thing
learned in stage work.
"Pull rope" is the free end by which the stage is raised and lowered.
A "Buzzard" ia hobo language, is one who is too lazy or too timid to beg
on the street at book doors or other establishments where food is a oommodity
or necessity and are content to hover around the jungles and piok up the left
overs or ingratiate themselves into the good graces of the more callus beggars
who have aocumulated the wherewithall of a mulligan by carrying wood, make a
fire eto.
"Bummedout", describes the state of a town where begging has beoome pro-,
miscuous and the townspeaople are hardened by the too frequent please f8r alms.
Most division points and sub -divisions of railroads are in this condition or were.
"Color", paint.
"Shop Punk", apprentice.
"Fillers", so called bemuse they are used to fill in the big spaces of the
sign are never larger than four inches seldom that much usually 3i."
"Cutters", so willed because they are used for cutting in the bigger letter
also used to fill in where the filler is too large.
A "Fitch", also called by the housepainter Rigger, is used for auffaoing
dark letters on a light background also cutting in smaller letters&
A brush is called "Lougee when some of the paint has dried in the
-17
bristles, as happens in hot weather and when the brush has not been in use for
a oonsiderable length of time.
A *Guy line" is used to pull the falls to the roof and also is hung dawn
the middle of the stage in order to balanoe oneself when working on extra high
walls.
*Spot on is the prooess of painting the light oolored letters that are
to be out in with a darker color or black.
In "Poster style" pictures the oolors are not blended. The juxtaposition
of the colors and shades light and dark in proper order form the picture.
STATE
NAME OE WORKER
*ADDRESS
DATE
SUBJECT
NAME OF INFORMANT
FORM C
Text of Interview (Unedited)
Illinois
Jack Conroy
3569 Cottage Grove Ave.
Ilay 11, 1939
Industrial Folk Lore
Frank DeSoto
FOLKLORE
CHICAGO
DeSoto is a Spanish -Irish "boomer" sign painter who says he is a direct
lineal descendant of his explorer namesake. His story is unedited, even to
punctuation. This story is an experiment with the method used by Jack Commcns
in editing his Seven Shifts (E. P. Dutton Co., 1938). Commons found it more
satisfactory to ask his informants to write their stories in their own words.
After considerable editing he evolved what he believes to
seven typical workeirs in seven industries.
typical stories of