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Messenger Boys

Messenger Boys

Messenger boys were uniformed young men between 10 and 18 years of age who carried telegrams through urban streets. In most areas they used bicycles; in some dense areas they went on foot. Unlike the men in the telegraph office who worked indoors on fixed wages under close supervision, enjoyed union benefits, and managed the electrical transfer of information, telegraph boys worked outdoors under no supervision on piece wages, saw no union benefits, and managed the physical aspect of the industry in the form of handwritten or printed paper messages.

A few of the messengers Western Union, Hartford, Conn. They are on duty, alternate nights, until 10 P.M. (See label #592). Messenger #32 is Thomas De Lucco with him (in Tenderloin district) recorded in report to Committee. Location: Hartford, Connecticut.

106 Media in collection ∙ page 1 of 2

Frank F. Gibson, 1305 Linden St. Western Union Telegraph Co. Messenger No. 7. 14 years of age. 1 year in service. Visits houses of prostitution. Guides soldiers to segregated district. Smokes. Still at school and works from 8:30 P.M. to 12:30 A.M. Investigator, Edward F. Brown. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Louis [i.e. Lewis] W. Hine, May, 1910.

[Street types of New York City: Messenger boy and bike]

Midnight 4, 11,08. Messenger Boys in heart of Tenderloin. Youngest - Badge No. 524. Herman Unslowitz, Said 15 yrs. old. Oldest Badge 605. From Wes[tern] Union Tel[egraph] Office, 172 Fifth Avenue. Location: New York, New York (State)

A Western Union Messenger Boy Leaving Office. Cincinnati. Location: Cincinnati, Ohio.

A. D. T. Messengers, Indianapolis. (There is no law regulating messenger service in Indiana). Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.

New Haven, Conn., March 8, 1909. Messenger boys. They work until 11 P.M. Location: New Haven, Connecticut.

Messenger boys. They work until 11 P.M. New Haven, Connecticut / Photo by [Lewis W. Hine]

Messenger boys. Work until 11 P.M. Location: New Haven, Connecticut.

Richards Diercks, Messenger, 305 Montgomery St. And John Sennick, 89 Morris St., Jersey City. The newsboy had sold out at 9:30 P.M. and was on his way home. Location: Jersey City, New Jersey.

Overgrown Messenger Boys. Boston 1915 Exhibit. Location: Boston, Massachusetts.

A group of messenger boys. These work until 11 P.M. Location: Bridgeport, Connecticut.

11 P.M. Messenger boys going home at close of shift. One called away to go with message. Where? Both telegraph offices are almost next door to a caf --boulevard frequented by street walkers and worse? Many of there women parade the streets and the boys meet them constan[t]ly and are called frequently into house of ill repute. Location: New Haven, Connecticut.

Messenger Boys, New Haven, Conn. - March

Artist: Lewis Wickes Hine.Artist Bio: American, 1874 - 1940.Creation Date: 1909.Process: gelatin silver print.Credit Line: Gift of Daniel D. Bumstead.Accession Number: 1985.037.008

Messenger Boys, New Haven, Conn. - March

Artist: Lewis Wickes Hine.Artist Bio: American, 1874 - 1940.Creation Date: 1909.Process: gelatin silver print.Credit Line: Gift of Daniel D. Bumstea.Accession Number: 1985.037.007

New Haven, Conn. March 8, 1909. Messenger boys. They work until 11 P.M. Location: New Haven, Connecticut.

Charles Gibbon, Postal Telegraph Messenger. 14 years of age, 2 months in service. Don't smoke. Visits houses of prostitution, works form 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. Location: Wilmington, Delaware.

Messenger boys, City Hall Park, N.Y. Location: New York, New York (State)

Day Messenger. Eugene Fennelly, 22 Holmes St.,. Location: Boston, Massachusetts.

A young messenger, May 12th, 1910. Location: St. Louis, Missouri.

Messenger, City Hall Park, N.Y. Location: New York, New York (State)

Broadway messenger. Location: New York, New York (State)

Boy's working in Benn's Messenger Service. Boy in middle is Thomas Knox, (described in Brown's report). Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Day Messenger - Joseph Bleot. 3638 Washington St.,. Location: Boston, Massachusetts.

John Gibson, Newsboy, 13 years of age. Selling newspapers 7 years. Average earnings $1.25 per week. Selling newspapers own choice. Smokes. Visits saloons. Works 9 hours per day. John's brother is a messenger who directed investigator to a number of houses of prostitution, on Tatnall and Orange Sts. Investigator, Edward F. Brown. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Lewis W. Hine., May, 1910.

Messenger boy and refreshments, Broadway. Location: New York, New York (State)

Louis Birch, 4th & Pine Sts. Newsboy, 12 years of age. Just started selling. Made 10 cents one day. Father dead. While not under any compulsion to sell papers, Louis, of his own accord, took it up in order to help support his widowed mother. Louis is a brother of Stanley Birch, whose full history is contained in the text of the general report. Louis stays out until 12:30 every night and goes with his brother, Stanley, who is a messenger, on all calls because Stanley is afraid to be out on the street alone at night. Louis is clean, bright and willing. Visits saloons. Don't smoke. Works 9 hours per day. Gives money to mother. , May 1910. Investigator, Edward F. Brown. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Lewis W. Hine.

Day messenger. Location: Boston, Massachusetts.

Postal Telegraph messenger. Location: Birmingham, Alabama.

Messenger boy, delivering bundles Union Square, N.Y. Location: New York, New York (State)

Day messenger. Location: Boston, Massachusetts.

Messenger, Broadway near 40th St., N.Y. Location: New York, New York (State)

[John Towers, 627 S. Connell Street. Postal Telegraph Company, Messenger # 9. 15 years of age. In service 1 year. Visits houses of prostitution. Sometimes smokes. Edward F. Brown, Investigator. ]. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Lewis W. Hine.

Messenger, Broadway. Location: New York, New York (State)

Messenger who is on duty from 8 A.M. to 6 P.M. down town. May 7, 1910. Witness E.N. Clopper. Location: St. Louis, Missouri.

Messenger boys on a hurry (?) call. Union Square, N.Y. Location: New York, New York (State)

A. W.U. Messenger. Richard Tuck, #63, 13 years old. Sometimes works nights. Location: Nashville, Tennessee.

A young messenger. Location: St. Louis, Missouri.

Several of the boys working in Benn's Messenger Service. Boy in middle is Thomas Knox (described in Brown's report on Messenger Service.) Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Boy with cigarettes, works in American Locomotive Works as messenger. Said he was 14 years old. Location: Schenectady, New York (State)

Day messenger. Location: Boston, Massachusetts.

A young messenger. May 12th, 1910. Location: St. Louis, Missouri.

W. U. messenger. Location: Utica, New York (State)

Small messenger boy. Office Washington near 12 St. Location: St. Louis, Missouri.

Small messenger on Main Street, 2 P.M. Said he was 14 years old. Location: Rochester, New York (State)

Hodges Callop, Western Union Messenger No. 16, Norfolk, Va. Lives, 201 Freeman Street. Been working here one month. He, and several other young boys, work until 10:30 P.M. See also photo and label 2258, and report on messengers of Va. Location: Norfolk, Virginia.

Wilbur Gold, Western Union Messenger #14, twelve years old; works until 11 P.M., usually, but all night when they are busy (See report of L.W.H.) Note sign above his head. Location: Tampa, Florida.

Young messenger in New Bedford. Location: New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Wilbur Gold, Western Union Messenger #14, twelve years old; works until 11 P.M. usually, but all night when they are busy. (See report of L.W.H.) Location: Tampa, Florida.

Leo Day, Postal Telegraph Messenger, 12 years old, and a very knowing lad. (See report of L.W.H.) Location: Tampa, Florida.

Wilbur Bold, Western Union Messenger No. 14, twelve years old, works until 11 P.M. usually, but all night when they are busy. (See report of L.W.H.) Location: Tampa, Florida.

Hodges Gallop, Western Union Messenger No. 16, Norfolk, Va. Lives, 201 Freeman Street. Been working here one month. He, and several other very young boys, work until 10:30 P.M. See also photo and label 2258, and report on messengers of Va. Location: Norfolk, Virginia.

Danville Messengers. The smallest boy, Western Union No. 5 is only ten years old, and is working as extra boy. He said he was going to be laid off as the manager told him he was too young, but an older messenger told me the reason was that the other messengers were having him put off because he cuts into their earnings. See Hine report on Va. messengers for data about the tallest boy. Location: Danville, Virginia.

Danville Messengers. The smallest boy, Western Union No. 5, is only ten years old, and is working as extra boy. He said he was going to be laid off as the manager told him he was too young, but an older messenger told me the reason was that the other messengers were having him put off because he cuts into their earnings. Location: Danville, Virginia.

Earle Griffith and Eddie Tahoory, working for the Dime Messenger Service. They said they never knew when they were going to get home at night. Usually work one or more nights a week, and have worked until after midnight. They said last Christmas their office had a 9 yr. old boy running errands for them, and that he made a great deal of money from tips. They make about $7 a week and more, sometimes. Said "The office is not allowed to send us into the red light district but we go when a call sends us. Not very often." Location: [Washington (D.C.), District of Columbia].

Happy but thoughtless. The messenger service is poor training for him. (Works for Dime Messenger Service). Location: [Washington (D.C.), District of Columbia]

Young messenger making an office call. Location: Washington (D.C.), District of Columbia.

Jacksonville, Florida, Messenger boys. (See Report of E.F. Brown and Lewis W. Hine.) Location: Jacksonville, Florida.

Twelve year old messenger #7. Edison Green. Works on day shift now. "I got acquainted with the Red Light people over in Oklahoma City where I was messenger for three years, but I carry messages out to them here." Location: Houston, Texas.

Preston De Costa, fifteen year old messenger #3 for Bellevue Messenger Service. I ran across him and took photos while he was carrying notes back and forth between a prostitute in jail and a pimp in the Red Light district. He had read all the notes and knew all about the correspondence. He was a fine grained adolescent boy. Has been delivering message and drugs in the Red Light for six months and knows the ropes thoroughly. "A lot of these girls are my regular customers. I carry 'em messages and get 'em drinks, drugs, etc. Also go to the bank with money for them. If a fellow treats 'em right, they'll call him by number and give him all their work. I got a box full of photos I took of these girls - some of 'em I took in their room." Works until 11:00 P.M. Location: San Antonio, Texas.

Jacksonville, Florida, messenger boy. (See Report of E.F. Brown and Lewis W. Hine.) Location: Jacksonville, Florida.

Some results of messenger and newsboy work. For nine years this sixteen year old boy has been newsboy and messenger for drug stores and telegraph companies. He was recently brought before the Judge of the Juvenile Court for incorrigibility at home. Is now out on parole, and was working again for drug company when he got a job carrying grips in the Union Depot. He is on the job from 6:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. (seventeen hours a day) for seven days in the week. His mother and the Judge think[s] he uses cocaine, and yet they let him put in these long hours every day. He told me "There ain't a house in 'The Acre,' (Red Light) that I ain't been in. At the drug store, all my deliveries were down there." Says he makes from $15.00 to $18.00 a week. Eugene Dalton. Location: Fort Worth, Texas.

Messenger boy in the heart of the Reservation delivering messages. Prostitutes run back and forth. Business beginning at mid-day. I saw messenger boys and delivery boys for drug stores from fifteen years upward. Some still younger told me that they go there. This was in spite of a strong agitation being waged to close up the resorts. Location: Dallas, Texas.

A typical messenger boy in New Orleans. The telegraph companies are trying to obey the law, and few violations occur. See Hine report on Messengers. Location: New Orleans, Louisiana.

Some results of messenger and newsboy work. For nine years this sixteen year old boy has been newsboy and messenger for drug stores and telegraph companies. He was recently brought before the Judge of the Juvenile Court for incorrigibility at home. Is now out on parole, and was working again for drug company when he got a job carrying grips in the Union Depot. He is on the job from 6:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. (seventeen hours a day) for seven days in the week. His mother and the judge think he uses cocaine, and yet they let him put in these long hours every day. He told me "There ain't a house in 'The Acre' (Red Light) that I ain't been in. At the drug store, all my deliveries were down there." Says he makes from $15.00 to $18.00 a week. Eugene Dalton. Location: Fort Worth, Texas.

Luther Wharton, drug store delivery boy, twelve years old. Works from 4:00 P.M. to midnight in Sommers Drug Store. I saw him working at midnight. He goes to school in the daytime, then works from four to twelve. Sundays half a day. Gets $5.00 a week. "I take medicines to the Red Light places several times a day. Yes I know some of the people there." This is a pretty heavy burden, both physical and moral, to place on this adolescent boy. See Hine report on messenger service of Texas. Location: San Antonio, Texas.

A Tampa messenger boy. Location: Tampa, Florida.

Preston DeCosta [i.e., De Costa?], fifteen year old messenger #3 for Bellevue Messenger Service. I ran across him and took photos while he was carrying notes back and forth between a prostitute in jail and a pimp in the Red Light. He had read all the notes and knew all about the correspondence. He was a fine grained adolescent boy. Has been delivering message and drugs in the Red Light for 6 months and knows the ropes thoroughly. "A lot of these girls are my regular customers. I carry 'em messages and get 'em drinks, drugs, etc. Also go to the bank with money for 'em. If a fellow treats 'em right, they'll call him by number and give him all their work. I got a box full of photos I took of these girls - some of 'em I took in their room." Works until 11:00 P.M. Location: San Antonio, Texas.

Eleven year old Western Union messenger #51. J.T. Marshall. Been day boy here for five months. Goes to Red Light district some and knows some of the girls. Location: Houston, Texas.

Postal messenger #6. Said he was 14, but he does not seem to be. Frail, tiny and stunted. Works until 11 P.M. Says he goes to the Red Light some, and gets 25 cents extra then. Location: Montgomery, Alabama.

A typical Birmingham messenger. Location: Birmingham, Alabama.

Extremes meet. One of the youngest and one of the older messenger boys in Mobile. The small boy is Emmet Brewster, Postal messenger #3. 11 years old; been working there 7 months. Makes $10 to $15 a month. Finished the third grade in school. I saw him carrying messages late at night. See Alabama report. Location: Mobile, Alabama.

Hasty messenger #2. See night messenger report. Location: Sacramento, California / Lewis W. Hine.

Strikes - messenger boys, N.Y. - surrounding a scab

Strikes - Messenger boys, N.Y.--At 6th Ave. & 32nd St. Nov. 1916]

12 messenger boys and two men posed.

Manley Creasson, 914 W. 6 St. Messenger #6, Mackay Telegraph Co. Says he is 14; school records say 13. Says he has steady job - "Been a messenger for years. Get $15 for 2 weeks' pay." Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma / Lewis W. Hine.

5 p.m. John McBride, messenger #27 Metropolitan Messenger and Mailing Co., 67 Bromfield Street. Said he was 14 years old and gets $5 a week. Taken near State House. Location: Boston, Massachusetts / Lewis W. Hine.

Edward Williams, 328 E Street, South Boston. 14 years old. Messenger for William H. Mitchell & Sons Co. Gets $5 a week. Location: Boston, Massachusetts / Lewis W. Hine.

Jack O'Neill, 516 1/2 N. Shartell St. 11-year-old messenger working this week for the S. & S. Messenger Co. "School closed this week on account of epidemic." Photographed during school hours. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma / Lewis W. Hine.

Frank Hastings, 107 Hampshire Street, Cambridge. Said he was 14 last month. Just begun work for Metropolitan Messenger and Mailing Co. Taken in the morning. Location: Boston, Massachusetts / Lewis W. Hine.

A small messenger with a heavy load. Special delivery messenger #10. Taken in the morning near Common. Location: Boston, Massachusetts / Lewis W. Hine.

Western Union Messenger #38, 14 years old. Been at it 4 months. Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma / Lewis W. Hine.

Group of messengers, mostly Metropolitan Messenger and Mailing Co., on Tremont Street at 3:15 p.m. Some of the sweller [i.e., smaller?] ones are: Timothy Sexton,325 Columbia Street, Cambridge. Harry S. Friedman, 93 Brighton Street, Boston. Joseph Selva, 6 Fourth Street, East Cambridge. George O. Mara, 10 Leyland Street. Smallest one is: Soll Hamber, 71 Madison Avenue, Everett. He is Messenger #18 for Special Delivery Messenger Co., 3 Somerset Street. Location: Boston, Massachusetts / Lewis W. Hine.

No more messenger boys for the National Woman's Party--from president to messenger all the members of the staff are feminine. This is in accordance with the stipulation of Mrs. Belmont when she donated the National Women's [i.e., Woman's] Party headquarters. Photo of Julia Obear, messenger

Julia Obear, full-length portrait, with bicycle, facing right.

New general post office bldg. [i.e., building] in Jerusalem, opened June 17, 1938 by H.E. [i.e., His Excellency] Messenger boy, with scissors on tray, for H.E. [i.e., His Excellency] to cut ribbon

Hodges Gallop, Western Union Messenger No. 16, Norfolk, Va. Lives, 201 Freeman Street. Been working here one month. He, and several other very young boys, work until 10:30 P.M. See also photo and label 2258, and report on messengers of Va. Location: Norfolk, Virginia.

Hodges Gallop, Western Union Messenger No. 16, Norfolk, Va. Lives, 201 Freeman Street. Been working here one month. He, and several other very young boys, work until 10:30 P.M. See also photo and label 2258, and report on messengers of Va. Location: Norfolk, Virginia.

Curtin Hines. Western Union messenger #36. Fourteen years old. Goes to school. Works from four to eight P.M. Been with W[estern] U[nion] for six months, one month delivering for a drug store. "I learned a lot about the 'Reservation' while I was at the drug store and I go there some times now." Location: Houston, Texas.

A. D. T. Messenger Boy, Indianapolis, 10 P.M. Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.

John Towers, 627 S. Connell Street. Postal Telegraph Company, Messenger #9. 15 years of age. In service 1 year. Visits houses of prostitution. Sometimes smokes. Edward F. Brown, Investigator. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Lewis W. Hine.

John Towers, 627 S. Connell Street. Postal Telegraph Company, Messenger #9. 15 years of age. In service 1 year. Visits houses of prostitution. Sometimes smokes. Edward F. Brown, Investigator. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Lewis W. Hine.

Postal Telegraph Messenger, Indianapolis. Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.

Richard Pierce, 723 Walnut St. Western Union Telegraph Co. Messenger No. 2. 14 years of age. 9 months in service. Works from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Smokes. Visits houses of prostitution. Investigator, Edward F. Brown. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Louis [i.e. Lewis] W. Hine, May, 1910.

Messenger boy working for Mackay Telegraph Company. Said fifteen years old. Exposed to Red Light dangers. Location: Waco, Texas.

Isaac Boyett, "I'm de whole show." The twelve year old proprietor, manager and messenger of the Club Messenger Service, 402 Austin Street, Waco Tex. The photo shows him in the heart of the Red Light District where he was delivering messages as he does several times a day. Said he knows the houses and some of the inmates. Has been doing this for one year, working until 9:30 P.M. on Saturdays. Not so late on other nights. Makes from six to ten dollars a week. Location: Waco, Texas.

Harvey Buchanan, 608 E. Van Buren St. Postal Telegraph Co. Messenger No. 1908. 14 years of age. 1 year in service. Works from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. $4 weekly. Visits houses of prostitution. Smokes. Investigator, Edward F. Brown. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Louis [i.e. Lewis] W. Hine, May, 1910.

Harvey Buchanan, 608 E. Van Buren St. Postal Telegraph Co. Messenger No. 1908. 14 years of age. 1 year in service. Works from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. $4 weekly. Visits houses of prostitution. Smokes. Investigator, Edward F. Brown. Location: Wilmington, Delaware / Photo by Louis [i.e. Lewis] W. Hine, May, 1910.

Jack, A Bright Indianapolis Boy of 13: Was a Messenger at the age of 11. Indiana has no age limit for mes'grs. Aug., 1908. Wit., E. N. Clopper. Location: Indianapolis, Indiana.

Sixteen year old messenger boy entering "crib" in Red Light district. Location: San Antonio, Texas.

Percy Neville, eleven year old messenger boy. Messenger boy #6 for Mackay Telegraph Company. He has been messenger for different companies for four years. Goes to the Reservation every day. See Hine report on Messengers. Location: Shreveport, Louisiana.

Percy Neville, eleven year old messenger boy. Messenger boy #6 for Mackay Telegraph Company. Says he has been messenger for different companied [i.e., companies] for four years. Goes to the Reservation every day. See Hine report on Messengers. Location: Shreveport, Louisiana.