New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-24
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
LIFE In "RAG LANE
.AxrrR-sr. AND IT'S INHABITANTS.

the name of Orange-st TO Baxterst Whether mpelled
by regard for euphony belief that in changing its
name they would also change Its character VIC DO not
pretend say But they had regard for the eternal
fitness OF things" they would have named 1t Rag lane
IL Is to this lane Ut should have been dgnhed
by the term street., that most OF the old and CASTOR
clothing boots and hats carried and Is thus made
virtually the agbag OF tho metropolis IL Is also the
cosmopolitan district being inhabited by Chinese Dutch
Irish Italian Africans. &C., and representatives OF
every sect, Christian, Jew. GENTLE MORMON
and Infdel Aside from furnishing retreat
for this mixture OF humanity, 1t Is known
best by is business enterprise. which Is almost excu
slyeiy I'm the old clio line. The buildings are all old,
tumsledown affairs that rely upon one another ior sup
port and unlike many OF their tenancy they are NOT
high" The ground first floor occupied as store
I'm front and tenement IN the rear and II not gnmi
III a "clothing store" owned aud managed by an
Israelfte. Each owner has army OF pedders who
are sent each day with basket OF cheap GIT emma
ware and this army invade the thcBysettled districts
where mechanics reside and barter on their stock TOT
such casto and nonttng clothing as the honest mousse
wives may have to spare. The driving OF bargains
between these pedders and the women is not the least
important part OF the old clio business. The value
affixed by the peddler Is generally satisfactory
for it Is his policy to mako 1t so. Next he
exhibits his wares, and when the woman mas
made her selection, there follows second vaiua
tiou made by himself also. This Is sure to be rs unsats
factory to the the first was pleasing. 1t VIII
be shilling more less above the price set upon the
clothes Then begins the bidding and the peddler pleads
his case evidencing his scrupuous honesty by reference
10 his first valuation and declares his chinayare marked
already at rulnously low price. slight concession by
him will often succeed, however, and the bargain Is
sealed the peder always having the best OF It. After the
days circuit these be found hard at work clean
Ing securing. patching and mendng the old garments
The coat and panaloons the woman traded away yester
day she would fail to recognize tomorrow on the old clio
dealers shelves, complete Is the renovation.
But this Is the only method OF replenlshing stock
everyday at the shops for some unor
tunate 10 appear and sell the clothes from OF his back
receiving small sum Of money and such dirty buds as
will cover his nakedness Stolen clothing finds Its way
thther likewise for many Of these business are pos
tive Fagins, and their places are what IS known as
fences pawnbrokers sales are always attended by
Them but they never bid against each other. though
where they find opponent they conspre and bid the
article up TO price beyond return profit 10 him. and
then withdraw so that they control the trade almost
The mode OF conceang the Identity OF stolen clothing
easy coats lining may be altered pantaOOns reduced
I'm size brisk traffic is also carried on In the line
OF women's clothing The old co men OF Baxter-st are
composed Of low German Jews. Their children have not
the usual bloom Of youth but have careworn detected
look and always needy From long usage OF cheat
ing il has become second nature and they can no more
act fairly with the outside world than backamoor can
The old boot trade of Baxterst is no trnng feature
As the Israetes absorb the entire OLD cG business so 90
the Mesians the boot traffic Every cellar Is occupied
by these Knights OF st. Crspn, who remodel understands
after fashion TO themselves. HOW tHese
men and women exc out life IN sucn DARK, damp
novels grave question. These Easements are seldom
divided into more than two experimentation not d'
vded at aand the space is made to furnish aceommo
datOn for halfdozen more people as store workshop
and bedroom. -Four five sickly-ooking weaZen-
visa ged sit hammering sewing upon old boots ana
shoes reconsructing them. They dirty with rough
the pile which lies in the corner The mode OF
repenshng stock with these "bOsses" Is familiar to
every one, the day passes that an itinerant
croaker OF oud hats ould boots does not pass your
door The old boots patched up backened, and set
ND for sale Those people who abhOr shoes because
OF tendency to aggayae cOrns can here be suited
TO a nicely.
The picture OF ia not yet complete. The inhab
itans are further diversified with hundred two
OF organgriDders IL Is, however, by no means harDo
NOUS place. grinders not the most submissive
or agreeable men In the world. Furnishing so many
strains apprecative public all day. and Juggling
ringtailed monkeys about, they probably feel con
strained to the order when night comes The
first fight generally arises from the monkeys forciby
possessing himself OF undue share OF bis masters
grub" especially II he hes not gathered sufficient
MES for tue entertainment during the day III an Irish
battle-not that he fig for the monkey,
but his love Of the fun and disposition to avenge the
wrongs Of the weak lead him TO an assault The passive
Chnaman "the poor tay-drinkng Chanyman," Is often
beaten By his darpt" Of wife fOr Ii Is a remarkable
fact they all welded To Irish women) because
she knows she cand with mpuniy and II Is her right
The offspring OF these unions get wonderfully mixed
I'm telling the names OF Their maternal and paerna rea-
tve and their uncles bear such ncOngruous panronym
les Paddy Flynn and Chin kiang. For the rest, they
fight each other when filed with the stmulans OF the
shops beat each other and beaten by the police who
find this method OF dealing with them the only one lead
ing to peace.