14
Seamstresses 306
Tailors 236
Painters, glaziers and varnishers 223
Launderers 210
Cigar and tobacco operators 162
Cabinet-makers 119
Merchants and dealers (retail) 115
Iron and steel workers 106
Clerks and copyists 105
Housekeepers and stewards 91
Machinists 87
Blacksmiths 84
Miners and quarrymen 81
Cotton mill operators 78
Barbers and hairdressers 74
Bakers 61
Agents 61
Artists and teachers of art 60
Harness and saddle makers and repairers 59
Draymen, hackmen, teamsters, etc. 56
Manufacturers and officials 55
Masons 52

So far, then, as appears from the findings of the United States census,
the deaf are seen to be distributed among the chief industries very
generally, and in very many of what are known as "trades" they are able
to be profitably employed. In some activities of life deafness is of
course an effectual barrier, but these are rather restricted ones. There
is but one great division of employment in which the deaf cannot enter
extensively, namely, commercial and mercantile pursuits. With these
exceptions, the deaf are found to be industrially occupied like the rest
of the community, and to be able to engage, and actually engaging, in
most of the employments of men.[96]

In respect to the general economic status of the deaf, a second source
of information, at the bottom of the scale, as it were, is to be found
in the proportion of the deaf cared for in public alms-houses. Though a
much greater proportion of the deaf are discovered here than of the
general population, the deaf do not on the whole constitute a large part
of the alms-house population of the country. In 1910 the census reported
540 deaf-mutes to be in alms-houses, or six-tenths of one per cent of
all their inmates.[97] That is to say, a little ove