The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-08-02
Street Life in New York.

Street Life in New York.
Among the very many strange noises
that go to make up the general din OF the
New York streets, there commonly rises
supreme one particular sound that may
be heard from eight o'clock in the morn
ing until eight clock in the evening, and
one that is harsh and discordant beyond
description.
This sound is the ringing of the bells
on the carts of the rag and paper gath
erers.
These may be heard in Harlem and on
the Battery, and on the North and East
Rivers. They are everywhere. Each
cart is of the ordinary hand-cart pattern,
with two wheels, and is propelled by the
owner, who walks and pushes in front.
The popularity Of it is this: From
either side of the cart, midway along,
and abreast of the wheels, there arises
stout stick three feet high. Between
these sticks at the top, there is stretched
leather belt, extending, of course, across
the load of rags and bottles, if there hap
pens to be any. Attached to this strap
are number of bells of various sorts and
sizes, ranging from a common tea-bell or
sleigh-beil, to large-sized dinner-6ell,
with wooden handle affixed. AS if the
Sounds made by the constant swinging of
these articles did not produce sufficient
tumult, few cow-bells are mingled with
the instruments of discord.
The fashion seems to be thought a good
one, for there is not another rag man In
the whole city that would dare to venture
out without, at least,two cow-bells to ad-
vertise his calling.
A few of these junk and coal -gatherers
use dogs to help them draw their often
heavy loads.
In the latter part Of May of every year,
the city is tormented by new trouble,
in the shape of strawberry-sellers. The
class of people who in Boston are called
peddlers, are called in New York licensed
vendors. The title indicates that the
holders of it have purchased from the
city the right to sell in the public streets
any goods that they may wish-of course
within certain rules and regulations.
When the strawberries from the South
begin to come in these licensed vendors
load their wagons and start up town to
the streets where the residences are, and
then begin to cry their WAKES.
They are usually accompanied by small
boys, who hold the reins and look out
for the property. With two boxes of
berries in each hand, this species of vender
walks along the sidewalk at a slow pace,
uttering his calls, while his horse and the
wagon with the little boy on top follows
slowly behind.
This class of vendors is mostly made
up of young men, and they are, as
whole, healthy and powerful fellows.
They are sagacious enough to be polite to
the people with whom they deal. They
sell everything in its season-lemons, Or
anges, figs, vegetables, nuts, apples,
peaches and the like, aud they are very
industrious.
But there is another vender who has no
team and no one to help him; neither
does he utter any cry. He would if he
could. suppose, but it would be dan
Rerous for him to make single move
ment of his head. This is the honey
seller.
He wears long white apron coming
down to his ankles, and q sort of bib that
covers his breast. Upon his arms he
wears pair of false white sleeves, gath
cred tight at the wrists and 1t the elbows,
in his left hand he carries knife, with
which he raps on the iron ratings as he
slowly passes the houses, in order to let
the occupants know that he is there.
Upon q mat on the top of his head he
carries . large, oblopg platter, upon
which HE honeycomb is piled in pyramid
fashion, looking, with its delicious white
and yellow, very nice and tempting.
Now and then q neatly-dressed maid
rushes out of an area door and cries out
70 him. He slowly turns around and
Roes back to her, tells her bis price, and
where the honey comes from. This In
terview commonly ends in his taking the
huge dish from the top of his head and
emitting OF . piece Of the honeycomb,
With which the maid disappears into the
region from whence she emerged.
6ome Of the ways in which people i'd
vrrtiss their business in New York are
very odd. On almost any bright day one