New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-20
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
A RISING MARKET FOR SHINES"
INVESTIGATING A RuMok THAT THE BooTBLACK'
ARE To RAISE THEIR PRICES.

A RISING MARKET FOR SHINES"
INVESTIGATING A RUMok THAT THE BooTBLAcKs
ARE TO RAISE THEIR PRICES.
Boot-backing has been feverish of late. The mar
ket has been excited with an upward tendency
which has been due to rumOrS OF combination
among the bulls" 1t has been said that corner
was forming to force the price up from cents to
TO- Hints OF grasping monopoly winch would
paralyze the trade have been thrown out by those
understanding the matter. But the bears" rallied
after period of depression, and 1T was resolved 20
Z" 90 Short "Shines" were freely offered for o
cents In many cases /" bears operating on a mar
row margin, and under the necessity of meeting the
urcent obligations of their stomachs, threw their
SHINES Oh the market at . cents. O.....,. IT..
noon to watch the fluctuations of the market. and
to ascertain whether a general strike III shines
was imminent. knot of six bootblacks was first
discovered in front OF the City Hail. they were en-
deavorlng to negotiate loans, but money was
stringent and not to be had on call. SHINE, SIR ],
shreked SIX shrill voices. The reporter balanced
one foot uneasily on dilapidated box ana small
child hidden IN his grandfathe's coat Piled the
brushes. The Others looked on, making, the tlme
pass pleasantly by dancing "ciogs" and amiaDIy
II hear you are about to raise your prices" was
vcntured.
There was a depressed silence.
"Will gou strike ~ was then asked.
A whispered consultation followed. Then one boy
was showed forward with: Say, this felierH DO
anything yOu want"
there seemed TO be a certain msapprehension
somewhere. The question was put drecdy.
Are you gong % charge 10 cents instead OF !.
"Dlnno nothiu about II" the hearty and
unanimous response. L" | wish we'd get - cent?"
said one little fellow. Il don'5 mako.morn 20
cents n day..
Finally discovering that these bu1ding politicians
knew nothing about movement Tor higher prices
and proposed To continue charging cents, the re-
porter went on. particularly uncleap person was
discovered sitting upon shining box III door
way. He started up spasmodicaiiy with an mar
tIculate below Yes the reporter would have
shine. The conversation was rs TO lows
Are you going 10 raise your price =
"iThen Won will NOT strlke r.
"Yaas'
Shall Won ask ten cents instead of five"
HuhW
"Wiil you charge moro for blacking shoes !"
NIX ferstay."
Then his customer fled.
In the Aston House two broad shOudered, strap
ping IrI~hmen piy the brush.
Shtroike Is II rs TN cInts shine We get now.
Shure an way should we sbroikc y Then with
cOntemptuOuS wave OF his hand and delightful air
of LOFTY superiority: It's only TIE poor OWLS IN
the sthrates asks five cints, an have nothing 10
Down by the railing Of Trinity churchyard an old
ScotchiDan was d scOvcred stll presiding over
blackng-bOX, although mis- halr was gray and his
leatheIn face was fungcd with snowy beard.
II Gamma weel say, but Iye heard something
about moderate rise liz the price," he sad eau
YOU'RE my man." thought the reporter.
"You mas. know that there's too many In the
business. lis getting to be nuisance. The Eve
Italians have spoiled it. An there should he some
thing done tn encourage moderation. Nuli We nave
a sinner
"Your shoes look as though they had been ra-
Gently sLined. but III improve them bat. In ray
ference 10 strike there IS KIND OF union, I'm
thinking among men that have regular stands ana
chars and these men that nave rooms. Ihey intend
charge tin cents, am told. and they'll get 1t, for
there many people that prefer setting down and
being warm to standing out in the cold for shine.
They pay rent. many of them; don't pay anything
because the minister has gwen me a line Of permis
SION | make about "a dollar and a quarter a dav
Yes. sir. Pm a Scotchman. Ny name Is Ohm Gallo
way. and Pun from the land o Burns. | was born
IN Ayr'-and JoDn broke out INTO torrent OF broad
4 block or two further down small darkey and
the inevitable SHINE, sirf' came around corner
at the same time,
80, of course"
The boy went to work on the much polished shoes
He was inclined TO be talkativc. Dere's Il boot
back tole me las week. dcy was agoin' 10 raise dc
price. But that's de.h iciler5 as has rooms an
stands. De boys out in de street won't raise amt
agoin' to-" with sly chuckle. d" makes 10 cents
or dollar day here, an Sundays has 4 chair up
town. and some days makes -. pay 3 week
for board up with my father III Sullivan-st."
An aged cOored man was found sitting alone III
Jonn-st.-the proprietor OF an out-of-door char:
dom know muffin at all, bout any in price,"
be SAID as he bent ais rheumatic joints 10 give those
marked sadly. "No, | dom pay muffin form stand
here"
The Superintendent of the NewsbOyS Lodging
House sad - haven't heard any talk among the
boys about raising their price. The little fellows IN
the street won't do 1t they have a hard enough
time as It is. These indoor places hurt them Now
there's Frenc's Hotel. There used to be half
dozen boys outside, Dut now there are TWO employed
Inside tor $3 week aud their board and they get
all the work. | don't think many of The men IN
public buildings will strike, for many of them are
regularly employed there for the convenience OF
patrons.
The proprietors of basement rooms. where chairs
ard papers are provided, are Obliged to spend two
or three dollars a day. sometimes more. for rent,
help and papers. Many who have chairs in halls,
or on certain corners, pay small rental. IL seems
that among these classes an advance VIII probably
be made ten for the winter. IN most OF the
large hotels this the regular price. But the street
Arabs undlspayed, propose to fight 1t out on the
same line; and the cry of Shine your boots Five
cents" Will continue rs familiar ne ev